I joined Imperfect Produce a year ago after hearing about it from friends on the West Coast. It finally made its way to Austin in Fall 2018, and we received our first box in December!

At the time, I didn’t know that the boxes were customizable, so for a few weeks I got whatever they sent me, and it was great! There were a few items I wasn’t a fan of (BEETS anyone?), but nothing so obscure that I wasn’t familiar with how to prepare it.

An issue I’ve run into in the past with produce subscription services, namely CSA boxes, is that you receive items in large quantities when they’re in season, and sometimes those items aren’t something you want to eat for every meal.

With Imperfect Produce, you have the option to either let them choose what comes in your box or you can customize it a few days beforehand.

They have a variety of options for scheduling and types of boxes. You can opt into receiving boxes every week or every other week, as well as choosing a small, medium, large, or extra large box. They also offer fruit only, veggie only, or green only options in both organic and conventional options.

I’ve tried a few different scheduling patterns in the past, but what works best for our family of 3 right now is the extra large box every other week. I customize my order to include enough fruit to get my little guy through 2 weeks of school lunches as well as all the basic vegetables that I like to use in cooking our dinners. There are a few things I still grab at the store like bananas or an odd vegetable I need for a meal, but for the most part Imperfect Produce sends me everything I need!

What is Imperfect Foods?

The company was founded in 2015 with a goal to cut down food waste and work out the failing food system in our country. They deliver directly to customers doorsteps and boast up to a 30% discount compared to local grocery store prices. Their website says they’ve saved 80 million lbs of produce so far!

Is My Produce Going To Be Gross?

No. In the year I’ve been a customer, I’ve yet to receive anything in my box that was unedible or going bad. Most often, the produce you receive is going to be just like you would buy at the grocery store, with maybe a size difference. The sweet potatoes might be larger or smaller than your average sweet potato and the carrots might look more like stick figured people than a root veggie 🙂 But no, everything tastes just as it should!

Isn’t It Just Easier To Buy My Produce At The Grocery Store?

I love getting my produce delivered to my door every week.

  • I don’t have to spend 30 minutes picking out, bagging, and weighing produce at my grocery store.
  • I’m not wasting an exorbitant amount of plastic produce bags.
  • I can select what I need the week before, and don’t come home with things I don’t need.
  • My son loves helping me unbox our produce.
  • I’m helping solve the food waste crisis by playing a small part

Here’s How It Works!

In the example below, Imperfect suggested a list of items, Adrienne went in and deleted a few items, then added some more of Imperfect’s newly added pantry staples. Her total cost is summarized at the end!

What Are The Negatives?

The only negative I’ve found to Imperfect Foods so far is that they don’t always have every single thing on my grocery list. Lucky for me, I have a grocery store within walking distance as well as many more within a 5 minute drive. I’m sure many of you are the same! If you’re looking for a one stop shop, this might not be your best option. Although they don’t have everything, they come pretty darn close!

Sign Me Up!

If you’re interested in giving Imperfect Foods a try, you can use this link to get $10 OFF your first order! http://imprfct.us/v/Jessica_2003. Let’s be Imperfect buddies!

**As a reminder, I will receive a small commission from anything that you purchase from the links above, at no cost to you! Thanks for supporting me!