Grocery store tomatoes: Are they actually any good?

Chris Gomez3 said:Look,
...

It’s definitely about more than just timing. There's so much work involved! You have to commute somewhere every single day just to dig, weed, and water everything...
plus, you actually need land to plant in—you might even have to move out of the city entirely.
I mean, if you live right in the heart of things and try growing tomatoes in the middle of Brooklyn, the whole "organic" idea kind of falls apart. 😬

But hey, everyone lives differently, and digging in the dirt isn't for everyone!

Some people would much rather spend their time at the beach. 🤣

jadesailor14 said:It isn’t just about the time commitment, though that’s a massive factor since you have to commute every single day just to dig, weed, and water everything...
plus you actually need land to plant in. You might even have to move out of the city entirely...
because if you’re living in the heart of the metro area and trying to grow tomatoes right in the middle of somewhere like Brooklyn, the whole "healthy eating" argument falls apart immediately.😬

But hey, everyone has their own lifestyle. Not everyone wants to spend their life digging in the dirt.

Some people would rather head to the beach.🤣

🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

No, it's not just Brooklyn...
On second thought, it's not even Washington, D.C....🤣 🤣

Carol Roberts59 said:even the ladies at the local farmers' market sell them, along with the stuff in big-box retailers....

Yeah, I know...
Or you can grab them at the street markets...

Chris Gomez3 said:🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

No, it’s definitely not Brooklyn...
Actually, thinking about it now, it's not even Washington, D.C. either...🤣 🤣

That's really the heart of the matter!😁
Most of us don't live out in the countryside, and let's be honest, it wouldn't even make sense for most people to drop everything just to eat homegrown produce.

For those complaining about greenhouse-grown stuff, my advice is simple: go buy some land and get your hands dirty!
If you aren't ready for the physical grind or the headaches of unpredictable weather and pesky bugs, then just pay the premium for organic at the grocery store.
Then everyone stays happy, just like little golden nuggets!😁 😁 😁

Was out at a buddy's place in Brooklyn digging up peppers in the heat the other day 😲 😲
Man, what a nasty, miserable job 😬

Of course, my friend had already sprayed them because he didn't want bugs eating the whole crop ☕

jadesailor14 said:That's the whole point. 😁
Not everyone lives on a farm. For most of us, it isn't even worth quitting our jobs just to eat homegrown produce.

To those whining about this plastic-wrapped produce: buy some land and start farming. Simple as that.
If they can't handle manual labor or the shock of bad weather, pests, and disease, they should just pay the premium for organic. Simple as that.
And everyone’s just blissfully happy, like a bunch of little golden potato nuggets. 😁 😁 😁

I don't live in the sticks either.
Not even on the outskirts of some small town...

Look, I’ve got my own little garden plot 22 miles a bit of a drive from my house. I spend all my time out there weeding, spraying, tidying things up... but honestly, I don't mind. It's satisfying.
The thing is, you can't really get by without the sprays. There are pests everywhere; aphids absolutely decimated my beans (even though the folks at Home Depot swore that wouldn't happen), and blight wiped out my tomatoes because the humidity and heat were just the perfect storm. The only thing that hasn't touched me is the Colorado potato beetle. Not a single one of those.
I suppose I could try telling people that you can grow potatoes without any chemicals, but it's really just a matter of living in an area where the conditions are right for them. Nothing more to it.

swiftscout8 said:They inject a ripening hormone into them. Without it, the tomato would still be green inside. Those types end up being spongy and waterlogged because they're basically just pumped full of water to increase their weight.
There are certain sprays used at least a week before harvest. I can't recall the specific name offhand (I'll look into it). If a tomato tastes chemical, bitter, or just plain wrong, toss it immediately. It usually means it was harvested too soon after spraying and hasn't cleared the mandatory waiting period.

So, what does a healthy tomato actually look like? A real one should have a potent aroma—especially near the stem. You just can't fake that natural scent. When you slice it open, the flesh shouldn't be spongy or leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown and the solid advice.

Since we're talking about that tomato scent 😁
have you guys noticed that certain tomatoes—I can't even remember the specific variety right now!—smell most intense when they grow in those big clusters?
Even in the middle of winter, you can find them at the grocery store, but I honestly get the feeling they aren't exactly all-natural. 😬

That rule definitely seems to hold true for your standard backyard garden tomatoes, too.

jadesailor14 said:Where can you even find them? Honestly, seeing them out in the middle of winter makes me wonder if they're actually all-natural. 😬

They mostly come from those Italian greenhouses down in Sicily and the South in general.
I stick to a simple rule: I only buy fruit and vegetables that are actually in season. If I need something out of season, I don't mind importing it—like grabbing some plums from South America or Africa, or maybe some pears from Chile.
I’ve seen those greenhouses in the Netherlands where they grow tomatoes, too. Honestly, they aren't great in either the winter or the summer—just doesn't taste like the real deal we're used to back home.
I can't stand hearing people complain about off-season produce quality. I heard someone at the farmer's market here in Washington, D.C. tell a vendor, "Louis, make sure you pick out the really ripe ones for me." It's January—it’s practically peak tomato season. 😂

What really gets to me about those mass-produced "hybrid" tomatoes is the flavor profile. A real tomato—the kind I grow in my own garden—has this incredible sweetness, almost like an apple, and no two look exactly alike. But these premature ones you see at the local farmer's market? They’re all predictably sour. In my opinion, they’re nothing more than plastic imitations.

Honestly, I kind of envy the clueless guy—kudos to him for being so blissfully unaware of how lucky he actually is.
-But seriously, what about those of us stuck in cities where your only food options are a corner bodega or some old lady's roadside stand selling literal garbage?
-Get this: I haven't eaten a single tomato in my entire life that wasn't mass-produced industrial sludge, and man, I really wish I could change that...
-I spent years forcing myself to eat fruit and veggies, thinking I was being "healthy" and getting my vitamins... blah, blah, blah. Turns out I was just making things harder on myself. Reading all these posts—especially from people who don't seem to have a single issue with all this processed crap—it’s honestly nauseating.
So, what, we should just stop eating produce altogether? Why would anyone even bother? I don't eat fruit and veg just to kill hunger; I eat it because it's supposed to be good for you. Are we supposed to just swap it for meat every single day and take vitamin supplements to get the nutrients we're missing? Is that the plan?? Does anyone actually have a smart answer for once??🙂