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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Where are all the tomatoes?

347 replies

verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 12:31

I'll admit it, I eat a lot of tomatoes.

Daily probably.

But where are they?

AIBU to ask you if there are tomatoes where you live?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Any1whoeverhadaheart · 20/02/2023 20:12

@verdantverdure buy house cherry tomato seeds. They can be grown on windowsills. They don't grow very high but produce loads of toms.
www.realseeds.co.uk/tomatoes_bush.html

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:00

PinkiOcelot · 20/02/2023 19:52

No tomatoes on my Tesco shop this week. Cucumber out of stock as well. I’ve never known it.

My grandmother used to say that year round salad was a modern privilege. She used to give us tomato and sugar sandwiches as a special treat when we were little.

OP posts:
Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:02

Any1whoeverhadaheart · 20/02/2023 20:12

@verdantverdure buy house cherry tomato seeds. They can be grown on windowsills. They don't grow very high but produce loads of toms.
www.realseeds.co.uk/tomatoes_bush.html

I'm going to give this a go. I won't be able to buy local tomatoes until what? May? Let's see if I can grow some any quicker. Smile

OP posts:
TinyCactusInAPot · 20/02/2023 21:06

It’s not the season for tomatoes anywhere near

tomatoes are a summer fruit! As are cucumbers and peppers. And lettuce.

they can be forced somewhat in greenhouses in Spain or Holland but will be watery

with the energy price hike Dutch and Spanish greenhouse owners must be going out of business !

That’s what I imagine is happening

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:08

AltheaVestr1t · 20/02/2023 13:24

Not a single tomato in Tesco today.

I've never seen anything like it.

People like me who eat a LOT of tomatoes are probably an outlier in the UK, but Countries that eat a Mediterranean diet where everyone eats a lot of tomatoes must be up in arms about it.

OP posts:
Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:09

TinyCactusInAPot · 20/02/2023 21:06

It’s not the season for tomatoes anywhere near

tomatoes are a summer fruit! As are cucumbers and peppers. And lettuce.

they can be forced somewhat in greenhouses in Spain or Holland but will be watery

with the energy price hike Dutch and Spanish greenhouse owners must be going out of business !

That’s what I imagine is happening

Honestly I thought they grew year round in Spain and Italy.

OP posts:
TinyCactusInAPot · 20/02/2023 21:11

Gosh, maybe you are right? Seems unlikely to me as I lived in Spain and remember it being friggin cold in winter (snow even) 😁

I need to check my facts. I was making assumptions

but I’ve always found winter tomatoes rubbish

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:12

Yerroblemom1923 · 20/02/2023 14:44

Cherry toms I managed to find in Lidl yesterday but can't find carrots anywhere! Not even the Co op!

I was like that with broccoli a few weeks ago and it's in season in the UK! It drives you crackers doesn't it?

OP posts:
So1invictus · 20/02/2023 21:14

verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:08

I've never seen anything like it.

People like me who eat a LOT of tomatoes are probably an outlier in the UK, but Countries that eat a Mediterranean diet where everyone eats a lot of tomatoes must be up in arms about it.

Show quote history

Well, we're noticing how expensive they are. But that's because it's February and any we get are greenhouse grown/forced. But not really up in arms because it's what we're used to. I'm not about to pay 4€ for 8 cherry tomatoes.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:14

TinyCactusInAPot · 20/02/2023 21:11

Gosh, maybe you are right? Seems unlikely to me as I lived in Spain and remember it being friggin cold in winter (snow even) 😁

I need to check my facts. I was making assumptions

but I’ve always found winter tomatoes rubbish

It's probably me making assumption. Geography was never my strong point Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:17

XenoBitch · 20/02/2023 20:01

My mum is in Bristol, and has struggled to get tomatoes. I thought it was just a local thing, so is a shock to see your post OP.

I've looked at home, near work, in the next town, and near relatives we visited at the weekend so I thought it might be developing into A Thing.

OP posts:
User174863988 · 20/02/2023 21:18

I just finalised my Tesco online order for tomorrow and the only ones available were the 85p packs of 6 which I got one earlier in Waitrose when I popped in there to look so didn't need.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:18

Harebrain · 20/02/2023 20:00

I bought a pack in Lidl on Friday and another pack in the Co-op today. Both had plenty of choice.

I hope our shops are like this again soon.

OP posts:
CoachBeard · 20/02/2023 21:19

No tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers or lettuces in Tesco today. No eggs either and most of the freezers had broken down. Bloody butter is now up to £1.99 a pack too! Not a very successful trip today.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:23

HaroldsCougar · 20/02/2023 19:59

We've really lost the idea of seasonality, haven't we?

Tomatoes can be dried or tinned, or turned in to paste/puree to keep then through the winter. Peppers can be canned (uncommon, but does exist) or bottled or frozen. Cucumbers don't really over-winter.

Surely it's not that hard to find something delicious that uses in-season (or tinned/bottled/frozen/pickled ingredients) ingredients? And then enjoy the fresh versions as a welcome feature of summer.

I think we make an effort to eat seasonally, and have an awareness of what's seasonal, but not in salad.

OP posts:
Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:25

OhmygodDont · 20/02/2023 16:33

Saw some in sainsbo today. I’ve got my pepper seeds started. I don’t actually like tomatoes but always grow a few for friends.

It looks like I should do peppers as well. I'm going to get into it at the weekend.

OP posts:
Applesandcarrots · 20/02/2023 21:26

Tomatoes rotate seasonally between spain, portugal and Morocco (with slight variation of countries) for uk. Sometimes UK. Depends on kind. I think most cherry tomatoes I've ever had were labeled Morocco

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:26

CoachBeard · 20/02/2023 21:19

No tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers or lettuces in Tesco today. No eggs either and most of the freezers had broken down. Bloody butter is now up to £1.99 a pack too! Not a very successful trip today.

When I shop lately I think I haven't got much but somehow it adds up to a lot in £££.

OP posts:
RandomUsernameHere · 20/02/2023 21:32

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64712361

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:35

Thanks @RandomUsernameHere

I was just reading this one.

They all seem to be based on the same press release

www.theguardian.com/business/2023/feb/20/uk-short-salad-crops-citrus-fruits-cold-spell-med-supermarkets

OP posts:
poppetandmog · 20/02/2023 21:38

No cherry tomatoes or peppers available for the last 2 weeks when doing my tesco order.

Jennylou88 · 20/02/2023 21:40

North west - no tomatoes here for about 2 weeks!

Original poster
verdantverdure · 20/02/2023 21:40

WaltzingWaters · 20/02/2023 13:58

I’m the same, eat loads of tomatoes, and Aldi only had the cheap big salad tomatoes in yesterday, and no peppers.

It's rubbish isn't it? I suppose we've been able to take for granted the ready supply of food from other countries all our lives. I can't remember this happening before. Even during covid.

OP posts:
Neededanewuserhandle · 20/02/2023 21:42

Plenty of tomatoes here (East mids) - at least in the Co-ops I've visited recently.

desperadodogface · 20/02/2023 21:44

Lots of tomatoes here but haven't been able to get a bell pepper in over a month

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