To think the fruit & veg we buy, is bland?

[SukiTheDog]

I bought some Cox’s apples yesterday at a well known supermarket. Although I eat plenty of fruit, I’m not keen on apples but Cox’s were always a firm favourite of mine. We used to live close to an orchard and they were wonderful apples, if a little misshapen at times. I’ve just washed them and had one. It tasted of .... nothing. No sweetness, no flavour. Nowt. Apart from the texture, I could have been eating any of the tasteless varieties of apple, filling our shelves now.

What’s happening to our food, seriously? It’s all so bland and nondescript. I think tomatoes have gone the same way. They look like a tomato and feel like a tomato but frankly, there’s no tomato-iness anymore. You need a ton of salt on it to have it taste of anything?

What’s going on?

I think so too. I'm from South Africa so get a lot of fresh fruit and veg there albeit the ones not pretty enough to be exported. It just tastes different. Think the freezing and shipping makes it less tasty.

YANBU. Greengrocer or market produce is better and often cheaper, but yeah, supermarket fruit and veg is terrible, especially tomatoes, which are a crime against nature. And I haven't eaten a nice plum for years!

The fruit sold in supermarkets is vile. It's picked when it's unripe and then either ripened artificially with ethylene or sold as "ripen in the fruit bowl" (which it doesn't: it rots in the fruit bowl). Supermarkets need stuff to have a long life because it has to spend so long travelling between source, distribution centre and shop. They also store it at excessively low temperatures so it's wet when you buy it.

If there are any greengrocers in your area that haven't been put out of business by the supermarkets, you need to buy fruit there, or find a market that's open at a time you can get there (which is very uncommon).

The vast majority of fruit and veg in British supermarkets is either tasteless or just plain off. It’s downright depressing.

I think you are right. I notice a huge difference between fruit on holiday abroad and in the UK.

You’re right, sadly. Stuff from the open markets is better, but generally, any fruit from the supermarket is sour when it should be sweet, watery in texture and tends to go from unripe to “off” without ever being right.

YANBU

Yes, I have lived in Asia for a long time and the fruit and vegetables there are very very fresh. Even in Greece, or I have spent time this year, the fruit is seasonal, so in the winter you can't buy grapes, but the fruit on offer taste different from here.

We used to get an Abel and Cole veg box when we were in London and the difference in the taste of the veggies was amazing. The carrots were awesome. I never thought I would say that about carrots.

I think taste is just not a priority for supermarkets - they only care about standardised appearance and shelf life. They reject a lot of fruit for spurious reasons like size, or being misshapen. Lately I’ve noticed they seem to be obsessed with increasing the sugar content of fruit - it’s all labelled as “super sweet”.
Which means that it just tastes sickeningly sugary, with no sharpness or fruit flavour at all.
I’d recommend farm shops or markets or grow your own, depending on where you live.

That's what happens when you buy out-of-season fruit and veg, it's going to have to be picked unripe, washed, weighed & packaged and then transported from the grower to a local distribution centre, then on to an airport. Once it's arrived in the UK and cleared customs, it will then go to the supermarket's DC and into the supply chain.

Some fruit and veg can survive this, most can't. Ask anyone who grows their own, it definitely tastes better the quicker you eat it after harvest.

The wonky fruit and veg Morrison’s sell is incredibly flavoursome.

Even British seasonal stuff doesn't fair well in the supermarket-runner beans and plums are awful. I usually grow my own to eat.

Stopped shopping as ASDA as the fruit and veg didn't taste of anything much.

I was fortunate to grow up with a big garden and a green fingered mum. She grew lots of fruit, veg and herbs and the difference in fruit especially was unbelievable. Victoria plums, sunshine warm and straight off the tree were absolutely unrecognisable from the rock hard things you buy at the supermarket. Same with raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes. I still miss it now.

I really noticed this last year when I got my veg garden up and running.
Carrots that taste amazing- the potatoes- who would have thought a boiled spud would be so good.
And the tomatoes- food of the gods.

Get an allotment OP- your tastebuds will thank you!

Try a local open market. We have one near us and the taste of fruits and veg is definitely better than the supermarket one. Our local allotments usually sell their surplus veg and fruit in the summer and the taste is incredible! Even the eggs taste nicer when you buy it from a local farm/hen keepers.

Elton is the wonky veg worth a try then? I assumed it was just the same stuff only cheaper. I was sent a special offer for a huge box of wonky veg for a pound from morrissons the other day.

We went to France a few years ago and noticed a massive difference in flavours when eating fruit and veg. They weren't as pretty as what we are used to here in the UK, but OH the flavours were amazing! Returned to Ol' Blighty and everything just tastes as if it's been sat frozen for years!

InDubious, yes it is. I don’t know why, if it’s from a different supply chain or something, it’s a lot tastier.

You will find fruit and veg that have been imported bland. Buy seasonally and if at all possible from the grower, a farm shop or a good greengrocer.
I tend to shop in supermarkets for convenience but with that comes the knowledge that the taste may be compromised. Having said that I have recently had some lovely supermarket apples which are still British from last season. The weather has held some things back this year . Read the labels is my advice.

So, you’re telling me that a local greengrocer (if I can find one) would have fruit and veg which tastes like it ought to? Interesting

We have a lovely greengrocer about 20 minutes away and the produce is better (in summer he has actually ripe peaches that are amazing). Eye wateringly expensive though!

Our local garden centre has a butcher and greengrocer attached and whilst I spend a little more on fruit and veg, the difference in flavour is huge.

I find all salad vegetables have no taste whatsoever.

My local greengrocer has lovely fruit and veg but it only lasts a day or so.