Welcome Shoppers!

Quick Consumer Guide to Choosing High-Quality Food

You don’t need to be a farmer or a scientist to choose better food.
Use your senses, ask a few questions, and trust your body’s feedback.

 

SMELL

GOOD FOOD HAS NOTHING TO HIDE

  • Aromatic = Better. Quality produce has a noticeable, pleasant smell (think ripe peaches, tomatoes, herbs).



  • No scent = Grown for storage, not flavor.



  • Trust Your Nose for Off Odors
    Fresh Should Smell Fresh. Meats, fish, and dairy should have clean, mild scents. A sour, metallic, fishy, or ammonia-like smell means it’s past its prime—even if the date says its ok.

🎯TRY THIS: Smell a store tomato vs. a market tomato. The difference is obvious.

 

LOOK

REAL FOOD DOESN’T ALWAYS LOOK PERFECT

  • Rich, deep colors often signal higher nutrient density (e.g., dark green spinach).

  • Pale or washed-out produce? Often a sign it was picked early and ripened artificially.

  • Shape: Slightly irregular shapes are OK! Uniform produce often signals industrial farming.
    Nature isn’t perfect.

  • Avoid produce that looks overly waxed, shiny, or dried. Natural skin should feel alive—firm, not brittle; matte, not plastic.

🎯TRY THIS: At the market, find the ugliest tomato you can. Then find the prettiest. Which has best story?

 

ASK

CURIOUS SHOPPERS GET BETTER FOOD

“Was this grown for flavor and nutrition, or for yield and shelf life?”

“What items are your favorites?” Typically a farmer will eat what is ripe/delicious from their farm.

“Do you know when it was picked?” Freshness and flavor can change dramatically in just a single day.

🎯TRY THIS: Ask one vendor what they wouldn’t buy from their own stand today. You’ll learn more in 30 seconds than an hour of Googling.

 

FEEL

YOUR HANDS FEEL WHAT’S FRESH

  • Produce should feel alive and hydrated, not limp or spongey.



  • Heavier = Denser =
    Often more nutrients.



  • Tension matters. Snap a bean, bend a carrot top, press a leaf. Fresh produce resists gently.

🎯TRY THIS: Hold two oranges—same size, different weight. The heavier one is juicier. Your hand can tell what your eyes can’t.

 

TASTE

  • Farmers markets and grocery stores often offer samples.



  • Sweet, rich flavor usually = more minerals and better-growing conditions.



  • Bland or watery = likely lower quality.



 

STORY

  • Ask: “Do you know the grower?” “Where was this grown?” or “What are your farming practices?”



  • Food grown with care often comes with a name, a place, or a method (e.g., cover cropping, compost, no synthetic inputs).



🔍 7. Bonus (Optional): Use a Refractometer (link to Brix info)

• Measures Brix, a proxy for sugar + mineral content.



• Simple to use. A higher Brix reading usually = better nutrition.



• Buy one online for ~$25–$40 and use with a drop of juice. (become a member to purchase our Brix kit)

• Host a Brix party- comparing the flavor, aroma, and Brix reading of locally sources/purchased item (link to Brix chart)



Ask vendors if they’ve ever tested their produce—you might spark a movement.

8. Choose the perimeter: Stick to the outside aisles at the store. Challenge to create a shopping cart that resembles this (image of comparison of 1960’s groceries vs now)

💡 Final Tip: Go Slow, One Step at a Time

You don’t have to change everything at once.
 Start by choosing one high-quality item per week.
 Over time, your taste buds, energy, and health will notice the difference.

Add a QR code for people to share their stories. 

Sell: I choose quality bag

Link to Real Cost of Processed Foods: The Real Cost of Cheap, Processed Foods