"I am beautiful": Meet the special fruits and vegetables

When was the last time you bought a crooked cucumber? Or a two-headed carrot? What about the pepper that can't stand up straight because its sides are different? In an age when we strive to look perfect - beautiful, slim, tanned, chic - our kitchens are also following this trend. The development of the culinary world outside and inside the home, along with a boom in social media, have created a new standard of beauty: the aesthetically-perfect dish. We fill the pantry with a variety of products, buy the best cookbooks, and purchase the most beautiful produce.

What’s the worst case scenario in the food industry? A soufflé that doesn't rise, chicken nuggets that get burnt or overdone risotto? As in the beauty and fashion industry there are negative repercussions. About 40% of all agricultural produce grown in Israel is thrown away. Sometimes it gets left on the ground and sometimes it ends up in the trash, but either way it does not reach consumers. Fruits and vegetables that do not meet the standard of beauty that we have created - an ideal out of touch with natural growth - are thrown away despite being tasty, nutritious and high quality. Each time we choose fruits and vegetables solely by appearance, we become part of the problem. We harm farmers and harm consumers and contribute to food shortage among vulnerable populations. Our choices can make a real difference and reduce food waste in Israel.

So come and get to know the fruits and vegetables you don't see in the stalls, and the next time you go shopping adopt a special fruit or vegetable!

For the list of vegetables keep scrolling

Pepper - the pepper is also a fruit that has turned into a vegetable in our mouth, but despite this it is still a star in the kitchen: a fresh salad for the filled Shabbat. The origin of the pepper is in South America, and from there it is common to the rest of the world in its many colors - red, green, yellow and orange. The pepper is rich in vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C - all of them are important for our body. In Israel, most crops are grown in the Arava or the Jordan Valley, because of the peppers' great fondness for heat.

All that is said is true for any pepper, small or large, whose edges are equal or different, and even those that find another pepper inside. Pepper always remains pepper!

The cucumber - the cucumber is actually a fruit, but you can continue to call it a vegetable, that's acceptable. Its color is usually green, its skin is rough and bumpy and contains all the vitamins and minerals, so the next time you prepare a salad, skip the peel. The cucumber is rich in water, and is an excellent source of potassium and antioxidants, so it is very worthwhile to include it in your daily menu.

All that is said is true for any cucumber, long, short, slightly plump or bent. A cucumber always remains a cucumber!

The strawberry - the field strawberry is part of the rose family, and its fruit is not the sweet red flesh, but the seeds that are on it and make it rough. Strawberries have great nutritional value, they are a source of vitamin C, vitamin A, group B vitamins, and are also rich in potassium, iron and calcium. You can eat it with cream, sugar, covered in chocolate or completely natural.

All that is said is true for any strawberry, small and large, or one that looks like several strawberries stuck together. A strawberry always remains a strawberry!

The carrot - the carrot is part of the root vegetable family. And although we are used to its orange version, you can find carrots in other colors: white, yellow and even purple. The carrot is rich in beta-croton, which gives it its orange color but is also an ingredient for creating vitamin A. It is rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and minerals, and is an important component of our meal. You can cook it, or eat it fresh and crunchy from the garden.

Everything that is said is true for any carrot, thin and pointed, extra large, or a wonderful carrot that is combined with another small carrot. A carrot always remains a carrot!

The fungus - fungi are actually a separate kingdom, they are neither a plant nor an animal. To date, about 100,000 species of mushrooms have been discovered, but only some of them are intended for food: champagne, portobello, shii-taki, king of the forest, porcini, and more. Each type of mushroom has its own unique taste, and you can fry them, sauté them, bake them or eat them fresh. The mushrooms are rich in vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and many minerals.

All that is said is true for any mushroom, long or short, with a straight or bent stem. A mushroom always remains a mushroom!

The tomato - like its step brother, the cucumber, the tomato is also a fruit known as a vegetable. It was born in Central America, and over the years it has become a central ingredient in every kitchen: in salad, as a sauce for pasta, the juice for a Bloody Mary and of course ketchup! The origin of her name in Hebrew is from the root עגב, which corresponds to her popular European name "Love apple", but there were those who were confused by the name and Rabbi Kook suggested "peony". The tomato is rich in antioxidants and lycopene that helps prevent various types of cancer.

All that is said is true for any tomato, round, elongated, smooth or a little scratched. A tomato always remains a tomato!

The peach - the peach is from the rose family, and originates in China, from where it is widespread to Persia, Greece, the countries of the Mediterranean basin, and from them to America. Over the years, additional varieties of peaches were created, with each variety growing in the right place and under the right conditions. Its basic color is green, and when it ripens its flesh turns yellow or white. Its skin is hairy, but there is a smooth version known as nectarine. The peach is rich in carotene, which turns into vitamin A, as well as potassium and iron.

All that is said is true for any peach, small or large, with a nose or an ear. A peach always remains a peach!

The potato - it's hard to imagine life without potatoes, in the form of mashed potatoes, in the fire, baked in the oven and of course fried into chips! The potato is a central component in every kitchen, and an important source of comfort food. There are 5,000 different varieties of potatoes in the world, and each variety is suitable for a certain way of cooking, and they come in a variety of colors: brown, yellow, pink and purple. The potato is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium and iron, and its skin is full of dietary fiber.

All that is said is true for any potato, long, wide, peanut-shaped or with a chopstick at the end. A potato always remains a potato!

The apple - Apples also belong to the rose family, and originate in Central Asia. The apple needs a cold climate to grow and protection from winds. There are currently 7,500 varieties of apples in the world, red, green, yellow, sour and sweet, hard and soft. Apples are not only stars in the kitchen, they are also a central element in culture: from Snow White and Newton to New York and the Apple company. In addition, apples are good for our body, they help control cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

Everything that is said is true for all apples, small, big, with a scratch or a hole. An apple always remains an apple!

The orange - oranges belong to the citrus fruit family, and since they love the Mediterranean climate they are a significant crop in Israel. Its taste is sweet and sour, and you can peel and eat it, squeeze it into fresh juice, make jam, cakes and more. The name of the orange is actually an acronym of the original name given to it "golden apple". The orange is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E.

Everything that has been said is true for all oranges, with thick or thin skin, with spots or recesses. An orange always remains an orange!

"I am beautiful": Meet the special fruits and vegetables

For inquiries regarding Food Waste Week contact us at fwd@thenaturalstep.co.il

הצטרפו לניוזלטר שלנו.