Imperfect, Misfit, Etc. (The Food Delivery Services)

[Maison Rustique]

I didn't love the croissant bread. It seemed a bit stale to me. I tried it in various ways. Best uses were for garlic toast and strata.

[Chris Hennes]

In today's episode:

 

Today I got an unusual email apology -- apparently I had ordered yellow onions, and they had to substitute white. And the limes are back. And the size of baseballs:

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On my way to work I noticed a Misfits box out by someone's curb.

 

[Toliver]

15 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

On my way to work I noticed a Misfits box out by someone's curb.

 

Did you check it for limes? 

[gfweb]

Just got my first Imperfect box. What a difference from the dreck that misfit sent. Nothing spoiled or past dates. Lemons were small but useful.  Potatoes were of a decent size. Good deal.

[Shelby]

16 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Just got my first Imperfect box. What a difference from the dreck that misfit sent. Nothing spoiled or past dates. Lemons were small but useful.  Potatoes were of a decent size. Good deal.

It's just boggling how your Misfits is so bad and mine is so good   .  But I'm happy you got a nice haul!

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

It's just boggling how your Misfits is so bad and mine is so good   .  But I'm happy you got a nice haul!

I think my misfits came from Philadelphia. Lots of folks there don't give a shit about their job.

[Shelby]

I've skipped Imperfect for two weeks in a row now so I could whittle down some veggies.  I did a Misfits that came yesterday--mainly so I'd have some cabbage for St. Pat's.

 

 

The greens in front are dandelion.  Mine that grow in the yard are definitely never that long lol.  I ordered some tomatoes, but they shipped radishes instead.  I have a ton now.  I think I'm going to pickle some.

 

 

I'll probably order from Imperfect again on Monday.

[BeeZee]

@Shelby, You figure out ways to use whatever they send, but seriously...if I ordered tomatoes and got radishes I'd say WTF? What recourse do you have, since they are substituting an item, not completely missing something you paid for...is that part of the service agreement, that they may substitute based on supply and if you bitch at them they credit you?

[Shelby]

26 minutes ago, BeeZee said:

@Shelby, You figure out ways to use whatever they send, but seriously...if I ordered tomatoes and got radishes I'd say WTF? What recourse do you have, since they are substituting an item, not completely missing something you paid for...is that part of the service agreement, that they may substitute based on supply and if you bitch at them they credit you?

Yeah, that's part of the agreement.  Here's what they say about substitutions:

 

Produce Substitutions

In most cases, items which are selected for your produce box during your shopping window will be the items which are packed into your order. However, we may occasionally need to make a last minute substitution for a selected item.

Substitutions may happen for a variety of reasons, though the most common reason is due to quality. We may receive an order from one of our suppliers that does not meet our high quality standards and will elect not to pack it into your box. In this case, we will substitute the item you chose with an item of comparable use or comparable value. By being open to receiving a variety of foods, you're helping us remain true to our food rescue roots and doing your part to help end the cycle of food waste. 

Currently we are not able to inform customers of substitutions ahead of time. Substitutions are typically made at the time your order is being packed and we will not be able to send customers advance notice in the event of a substitution.

[dtremit]

It's worth noting that choice of any kind is fairly new to Misfits — when I first used them back in April, the only thing you could pick was the size of the box.

[Maison Rustique]

@Shelby I can't believe you got dandelion greens. My choices never include anything that interesting. Pretty pedestrian stuff here.

 

I did get an order this week. The onions were not great and will likely go bad before I use them. Here was the odd thing: Everything in the box was soaking wet except the kale which was on top of everything else. I had gotten a box of snack bars and the box they were in was so wet, it was falling apart. They just can't seem to get their packing and shipping done properly. While I've gotten things I have enjoyed, I am probably going to cancel--prices are too high for what I'm getting.

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, Maison Rustique said:

The onions were not great and will likely go bad before I use them

Maybe cook up a batch of R-Rated Onions from This Will Make It Taste Good? 🙃

[KennethT]

21 hours ago, Shelby said:

Yeah, that's part of the agreement.  Here's what they say about substitutions:

 

Produce Substitutions

In most cases, items which are selected for your produce box during your shopping window will be the items which are packed into your order. However, we may occasionally need to make a last minute substitution for a selected item.

Substitutions may happen for a variety of reasons, though the most common reason is due to quality. We may receive an order from one of our suppliers that does not meet our high quality standards and will elect not to pack it into your box. In this case, we will substitute the item you chose with an item of comparable use or comparable value. By being open to receiving a variety of foods, you're helping us remain true to our food rescue roots and doing your part to help end the cycle of food waste. 

Currently we are not able to inform customers of substitutions ahead of time. Substitutions are typically made at the time your order is being packed and we will not be able to send customers advance notice in the event of a substitution.

Comparable use?  Well, at least they're both red...

[Katie Meadow]

I don't know why I read this thread. I don't get any CSA or boxed veg/fruits delivered and I am pretty sure now, after looking at the many items received in a box, that I would be responsible for more waste rather than less by participating. Dandelion greens would stupefy me. That tiny little celeriac, after peeling, looks like it would make enough Celery Root Remoulade for half a portion. One fennel isn't usually enough for a two-person salad in our house. Also I guess I'm not that creative a cook, or I don't have enough pantry supplies to make up the difference. Just the thought of trying to use items I wouldn't buy makes me want to take an Ativan. I'm a planner; like a week's worth of meals. I'm also blessed with a husband who seems happy to mask up and shop with a list, mostly because he himself designed the list according to how he moves through the aisles at our favorite store. And now we've both had all our vaccines! Very grateful for that. Being over 65 has its benefits, once in a blue moon.

 

Also I'm grateful that the places we shop here in the East Bay are consistently careful about how many shoppers are allowed in at a time as well as providing sanitizer at checkout. My daughter, who lives in Decatur, outside of Atlanta, is only a few minutes drive from one of the greatest markets I've ever been in, tells me they don't shop there now, since the place doesn't regulate anything and it's a madhouse, like it's always been.

 

Oh, and why am I writing an essay on a Sunday morning when a fat New York Times usually takes up most of the day? Because it wasn't delivered. Oooh I'm grouchy.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Katie Meadow (log)

[Shelby]

Imperfect yesterday:

 

 

No complaints  

[kayb]

Dammit, that photo reminds me I needed to get lamb at the grocery today. I'm on a salad kick (Thanks to Misfits and microgreens, romaine and some other lettuce), and I think a big Greek salad would hit the spot.

 

Today's salad involved said Misfit greens, salami, proscuitto, grated Wensleydale cheddar, and Paul Newman's Raspberry Walnut dressing, which is pretty dang good. 

 

[Shelby]

Misfits yesterday.

 

I tell you what, we are really eating a lot more fresh veg. than we normally do in the winter.  Which is a good thing.  

 

 

 

The watermelon radishes weren't near as big as last time lol.

 

Ordered limes, guess they ran out and subbed with more apples....I have a ton of apples that I need to use up.

 

I'm not complaining.  I like a challenge 😁

[dtremit]

Imperfect delivery this week was pretty uneventful, but we randomly got a free bag of Lundberg basmati thrown in. Not sure why but I'm not complaining.

 

I impulse bought a bag of something called "RightRice" without doing my research. I read enough of the description to hear "ancient grains" and "cajun spice" and thought hmm, it'll be like a seasoned quinoa and sorghum blend, nice for a quick dinner. Nope — the "rice" is various legume flours pressed into unsettlingly perfect little rice grain shapes. You cook it by mixing it with boiling water and letting it sit for 12 minutes; that'd probably be fine if it were unseasoned, but the flavored version ends up just tasting of uncooked, dusty spices.

 

Blech. Avoid. Even my partner, who is normally the most charitable person on the planet when it comes to anything I put on the table, was inclined to throw it out.

 

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

I tell you what, we are really eating a lot more fresh veg. than we normally do in the winter.  Which is a good thing.  

 

Agreed — these definitely push us to eat a bit better. I stumbled across an online review of both services recently, done by a person who compared them to her normal shopping in person. She said that in terms of savings, the services were cheaper for organic produce compared to her local stores, but conventional prices were similar. But, when she looked at her total grocery bills, she was spending way less on processed foods even if the produce price was a wash. 

[Anna N]

7 hours ago, Shelby said:

I'm not complaining.  I like a challenge

Then I want to see you squeeze those apples!

[rotuts]

apples ; w the skin on :

 

Apple Crisp/  w what ever you have

 

that might be a bit buttery

 

toasted  nut like 

 

and brown sugar-y

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, Anna N said:

Then I want to see you squeeze those apples!

 

As much as I love limes, I juice apples once or twice a week.

 

[kayb]

I'm contemplating cancelling Misfits after another box or two, as there'll be a surfeit of local produce available. That said, I will feel less sad about doing so given that they sent me two giant green bell peppers today as a sub for some ancho peppers I'd ordered. You do not know what it is like to plunge your hand expectantly into a box, once you've moved all the lettuces and such, and come away with...a big green bell pepper! I'm scarred, I tell you, scarred!

 

I binned them. 

 

The rest of the haul looked good. Limes, oranges, broccoli, romaine, leaf lettuce, pea shoots (I LOVE pea shoots, I've found), microgreens, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel and a giant Jicama. Think I'm going to get out the food processor and grate up some jicama, fennel, celeriac and carrots and toss them all together with a dressing. Suggestions? Lime viniagrette, slightly sweetened?

 

[Shelby]

16 minutes ago, kayb said:

I'm contemplating cancelling Misfits after another box or two

I just checked and you can just skip upcoming orders if you go to Subscription Preferences and then go to Upcoming Orders.  You can skip up to ten it looks like

[dtremit]

44 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I just checked and you can just skip upcoming orders if you go to Subscription Preferences and then go to Upcoming Orders.  You can skip up to ten it looks like

 

You can also do a hold of up to 3 months, and can renew that multiple times.

 

I just realized that we have been doing that since early *last* summer, so I know there's no time limit 🤣

 

@kayb It was exactly your issue that caused us to stop getting Misfits in the first place. Our summer CSA is all vegetable, and Imperfect let us do a fruit-only box, whereas Misfits would not.