geekhack Community > Off Topic
Should we buy tomatos at all?
tp4tissue:
If it takes approximately 5lbs of tomatoes to make 24oz of sauce average price $2.00-3.00, $1.50 on sale.
Whereas it costs $1-1.50 per pound of fresh tomatoes.
Shouldn't we ALWAYS buy the sauce, and skip fresh tomatoes all together, especially considering how unripe most of them are picked for purpose of shipping.
You'd almost always come out ahead if you buy sauce. Or even better the Costco Tomato Pastes.
fohat.digs:
I would have imagined that you would generally advocate for fresh food. And for non-commercial, unprocessed food.
It is true that growers select the most perfect fruits for the fresh market, and "process" the damaged and unsightly ones for the "preserved" market. That is part of the reason that canned sauce is much cheaper, and another part of the reason is that there is no careful handling and rush to market required to preserve freshness.
But generally, unless you have a garden or access to near-market fruits and vegetables you have little choice.
Isn't New Jersey "The Garden State"?
tp4tissue:
NJ is alot of things. Tp4 will neither confirm nor deny any allegations until proper documents have been stamped and passed in roundabout to the relevant state agency signatories.
Respect and enjoy the peace.
Findecanor:
--- Quote from: fohat.digs on Tue, 23 September 2025, 09:36:15 ---It is true that growers select the most perfect fruits for the fresh market, and "process" the damaged and unsightly ones for the "preserved" market. That is part of the reason that canned sauce is much cheaper, and another part of the reason is that there is no careful handling and rush to market required to preserve freshness.
--- End quote ---
I'd think that is true but a relatively small effect.
It's about the distribution chain. Canned fruits and vegetables are more often grown, picked and canned in season when the conditions are the best for doing it.
Varieties that are delivered fresh are also different varieties that are made to be grown all year round, survive shipping and look good for longer in stores. And they are refrigerated more, so they lose their taste.
When I was a small child, store-bought tomatoes tasted much more but they were not available all year round.
tp4tissue:
The taste comes from the ripeness of the fruit, the biggest difference is the starches in the tomatoes breaking down into "sugars" along with other chemical changes which reduce bitterness and acidity.
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