You cant scroll social media these days without stumbling across an ad for an imperfect produce subscription.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
How Does Ugly Produce Delivery Work?
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So whats the difference?
You get the ugly produce a grocery store might turn down.
Customers can swap out items in their cart as desired.
you could opt for a box without customization or upgrade to a bigger plan that fits your household needs.
Ordering a la carte without a subscription is also allowed on Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Theres no minimum order, although the shipping fee is waived once your Imperfect Foods box hits $60.
Food waste is an outsized problem in the U.S. and elsewhere.
In fact, discarded food is the single largest category of waste in landfills.
Thats where services like Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods come in.
Misfits Market claims it has rescued 5 million pounds of produce that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Think salsa, jam, juice and other canned goods.
Can Fresh Produce Subscriptions Save Money?
We did the math, so you dont have to.
We ordered produce from Imperfect Foods, Misfits Market and the closest local grocery store via Instacart delivery.
To compare costs, we tried to purchase the same organic items in the same quantities.
Weve noted where we couldnt get exact matches and prices might reflect a different variety.
Misfits Market claims youll save $25.17 per week with a subscription to their organic produce.
As always, the proof is in the prices.
But that savings comes fromgrocery delivery costs from a third party Instacart in this case.
If you shop yourself or get free local delivery, the savings vanish.
Youll also notice a few items are marked as missing.
Our Misfits Market and Instacart orders both had missing items.
With Instacart, the item was promptly refunded through the app.
For Misfits Market, a customer service complaint was filed but it took a few days to get reimbursed.
So while the Misfits Market cost was lower up front, we didnt really get what we paid for.
You would never have guessed that the fruits and vegetables only traveled a few miles from store to door.
They were obviously more wilted and worse for wear.
This same trend carried through all the produce.
Misfits Markets produce had more blemishes and size irregularities unlike Imperfect Foods, which could rival Whole Foods quality.
Lets highlight the best of each of the subscriptions and services sampled.
Boxes are also available in most states.
Plus, they havewines that pair perfectlywith brunch, and no one is going to argue with that.
That matters because unlike Misfits Market your Imperfect Foods shipment earns free delivery once it hits $60.
you’re free to pack more value and less environmental impact into each box.
This also depends on your stores commitment to stocking high-quality organic produce.
Kaz Weida is a senior staff writer at The Penny Hoarder covering saving money and budgeting.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
