Pre-Packed Fruit & Veg

[Cycleops]

My local greengrocer doesn't do pre packed.

 

[Cycleops]

But isn't this discussion rather pointless as you don't seem to be able to hold of veggies there at the moment, packed or otherwise?

 

[mjr]

But isn't this discussion rather pointless as you don't seem to be able to hold of veggies there at the moment, packed or otherwise?

There's still plenty of seasonal local veg on the markets and in real farm shops and smallholder stalls, but the supermarkets often do madness like importing potatoes and cabbages to areas that grow them, so they can buy more from fewer suppliers, but once again, "Just In Time" has become "Not In Time" as soon as there's any problem.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

But isn't this discussion rather pointless as you don't seem to be able to hold of veggies there at the moment, packed or otherwise?

Those pictures are from England: here in Scotland there are plenty of veg on the shelves .... guess why?
However, lately I have noticed an egg shortage.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Those pictures are from England: here in Scotland there are plenty of veg on the shelves .... guess why?
However, lately I have noticed an egg shortage.

Must be an east / west split as shelves are very sparse in the east.

 

[Alex321]

I always buy my fruit and veg loose in the supermarket and take the small plastic bags back with me and re-use them to stop the cashier from giving me more.

None of the supermarkets round here have the small plastic bags any more. They all have the re-useable net bags, which you have to pay for the first time, but are then re-useable many times (haven't worn one out yet).

We tend to buy pre-packed apples, pears, potatoes and tomatoes, but almost everything else loose.

 

[annedonnelly]

Those pictures are from England: here in Scotland there are plenty of veg on the shelves .... guess why?
However, lately I have noticed an egg shortage.

Pancake day effect

 

[tyred]

None of the supermarkets round here have the small plastic bags any more. They all have the re-useable net bags, which you have to pay for the first time, but are then re-useable many times (haven't worn one out yet).

We tend to buy pre-packed apples, pears, potatoes and tomatoes, but almost everything else loose.

That's a good idea. It will save endless frustration and finger-licking to try and open those stupid plastic bags!

 

[icowden]

So far I've had to give up buying their apples, oranges, lemons, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, and garlic because they're no longer sold loose, if Sainsbury's follow suit I'll be stuck.

Why Garlic? It keeps really well!

I buy the ugly garlic for 30 or 40p and when I need a clove split all the cloves from the bulb into a little tupperware container. The bulbs themselves last for ages provided you keep them somewhere dark. You can also freeze the cloves.

You can freeze apples, oranges and lemons also (whole if you are using them for juice, or chop into segments then freeze the segments on a baking sheet before bagging) . But a bag of 3 or 6 apples will last more than 3 or 6 days in the fridge.

You can plan to use the surplus - e.g. turn apples into apple crumble, tomatos into tomato puree or a pasta source etc.

Of course you can also look for your local greengrocer...

 

[simongt]

The other bugbear is the time it takes for stuff to ripen.

On that point, I was in a Tesco superstore a while back whilst on leave, thus unable to locate a 'local' greengrocer. I wanted soft fruit I could eat within the next day or two; i.e., none of the 'ripen at home' stuff. Saw towo lads filling the f & v shelves, each wearing a t-shirt with the logo 'Ask me about F & V'. When I asked put my requirements to them, the best they could offer among their vast selection was - grapes.
Hmm.

 

[FishFright]

Those pictures are from England: here in Scotland there are plenty of veg on the shelves .... guess why?
However, lately I have noticed an egg shortage.

Eggs were in short supply here last week , at the supermarkets at least.

 

[vickster]

On that point, I was in a Tesco superstore a while back whilst on leave, thus unable to locate a 'local' greengrocer. I wanted soft fruit I could eat within the next day or two; i.e., none of the 'ripen at home' stuff. Saw towo lads filling the f & v shelves, each wearing a t-shirt with the logo 'Ask me about F & V'. When I asked put my requirements to them, the best they could offer among their vast selection was - grapes.
Hmm.

Grapes are the BEST fruit period! Raspberries are normally ripe as are strawberries especially in the summer months (although I can't eat them anymore). Victoria plums, greengages, apricots can also be great at the right time of year.
In the winter, very little soft fruit will be great in the UK

 

[ClichéGuevara]

But isn't this discussion rather pointless as you don't seem to be able to hold of veggies there at the moment, packed or otherwise?

View attachment 679062

I asked for my kebab to be without salad, and they said they didn't have any, so I'd have to have it without something else instead.

On a serious note, I've not found a shortage of anything at all around here on my visits to the shops, and others I know are wondering where the photos are coming from, because they've not had a problem either.

 

[Reynard]

Tesco in Ely was picked clean of eggs and most fruit & veg today, though I did get the oranges, bananas, grapes, celery, onions and peppers that I wanted. Albeit the latter was the penultimate pack in the shop, and they've gone up massively in the last fortnight.

Enough to be had on the market however, but the prices are more than double - £1.10 for a kilo of carrots, and £2.50 for a cauliflower for example.

 

[annedonnelly]

Tesco in Ely was picked clean of eggs and most fruit & veg today, though I did get the oranges, bananas, grapes, celery, onions and peppers that I wanted. Albeit the latter was the penultimate pack in the shop, and they've gone up massively in the last fortnight.

Do you think that's just people panic buying?