Misfits Market Review: This Produce Delivery Service Changed the Way I Shop
Updated: Jan. 29, 2024
My Misfits Market review taught me that organic produce doesn't have to break the bank. Here's why the produce delivery service is my new go-to.
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I spend boatloads of time and cash each week shopping for healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables for my seven-person family. Overspending on organic fruit and veggies is one of my worst produce mistakes because it tends to spoil before it gets eaten thanks to finicky taste buds and busy schedules. When I discovered that organic produce could be mailed directly to my door—and at a discounted price with Misfits Market—I knew I had to give the grocery delivery concept a try. Here’s my Misfits Market review.
What is Misfits Market?
Misfits Market is a grocery and produce delivery service devoted to ethical, sustainable foods with the added convenience of fast, direct-to-your-door shipping. It operates similarly to meal delivery services except instead of curated, ready-to-cook meal ingredients you get quirky-looking produce that often doesn’t sell in typical grocery stores.
They’re the “misfits” of the produce section, if you will. These products will likely land up in what is known as a salvage grocery store or salvage-type food delivery services such as Misfits to curb food wastage.
The Misfits
The most intriguing aspect of the veggie and fruit delivery service is it promises up to 40% off typical supermarket prices on mostly organic and non-GMO produce that would otherwise go to waste because, well, it’s a little rougher around the edges. The produce is in excellent shape, though. It’s not the almost spoiled stuff you imagine at 40% off retail. Rather, it’s just slightly imperfect in terms of visual characteristics that don’t matter one bit once you bite in.
My Misfits Market review uncovered that just about everything the service sends is perfectly ripe, crisp and ready-to-eat, but may have slight color or size inconsistencies that even the best grocery stores have trouble selling.
Akin to meal services like HelloFresh, Misfits Market gives customers options. They can choose the frequency of their orders and the types of produce they want in their box. Make note of foods you hate and even seasonal favorites you prefer and Misfits Market will keep your refrigerator—and produce keepers—stocked for days.
The most exciting part of my Misfits Market review was exploring the brand’s time-saving website. Instead of driving to the local store, which can turn into a two-hour long roundtrip affair, I shopped for fruit, vegetables and snacks on my wishlist in my pajamas. All I had to decide was a delivery day and window, and then bam! Healthy eats appeared on my doorstep without having to spend precious free time perusing the grocery store.
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We Tried It
Misfits Market
Save money and reduce food waste at once when you subscribe to Misfits Market, an online grocery delivery service.
How Does Misfits Market Work?
Ordering with Misfits Market couldn’t be easier. You start by entering your email address and zip code. Then, you fill out a short quiz detailing how many people you’re shopping for, desired delivery dates, dietary preferences, etc. Finalize your account with a password, delivery address and payment method.
Once your account is set, Misfits will automatically fill your cart with a bevy of options based on your quiz results. Your cart is fully customizable, so don’t worry if an item doesn’t fit your meal plan. Just know that there’s a $15 order minimum, and a $60 spend earns free shipping. Since inventory changes each week, you get a designated four-day shopping window to make your selections.
As you peruse the marketplace, choose from over 700 items—including produce, meat, dairy, bakery, snacks, pantry items, pet products and even wine! There are no frozen food options, though. Some items, especially produce, will include info on what makes it a “misfit”—such as discoloration, too big/small or scarring. Some items are also on sale, which can help you save even more.Â
Once you’re satisfied with your cart, simply wait for your shopping window to close. There’s no need to checkout. On delivery day, you’ll receive an email and/or text message when your order ships. A few hours later, get ready to dig in!
Next week’s shopping window typically opens the same day as your delivery, so it’s time to repeat the process. Inventory changes every week, but we noticed some staples stick around for repeat orders.
How We Tested It
I tested Misfits Market in June 2023. The most important part of my review was the eating, obviously. My family and I ate our way through fresh melon, bell peppers, a variety of salad greens and the best organic blackberries I’ve ever tasted. For context, I have a bounty of blackberry bushes in my yard that I wait for the sun to ripen each year so I can store them in my best glass storage containers for daily grazing—and the Misfits Market berries were somehow better.
I also received plump sweet potatoes that I immediately placed in my potato storage containers. When I finally got around to using them over a week later, the sweet potatoes were the richest shade of deep orange I’d seen in a long time. Better yet, they were naturally sweet, so I skipped the honey I normally add to my mashed sweet potato casserole recipe.
After receiving several Misfits Market orders, it was clear that each package was curated with love and care. That was especially important to me because produce is fragile, and the idea of shipping it in a box made me nervous. While Misfits Market claims their fruits and vegetables may be imperfect, I respectfully challenge that thesis with this: the produce is perfect in its own quirky and delicious way.
Update: Additional Testing
To see if Misfits Market continues to meet our rigorous standards, we tested the service again in January 2024. This time, our Senior Shopping Editor, Katie Bandurski, ordered a variety of groceries—including dairy, bakery, snacks and, of course, produce.Â
“I typically love going to the grocery store. But in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, I don’t always enjoy leaving my house!” Katie says. “Misfits Market is such a cool concept because I can shop for organic produce and groceries while keeping sustainability top of mind. It’s a win-win!”
As a vegetarian, Katie ordered a bunch of veggies, plus cheese, eggs, bread, muffins, chickpeas, bread flour, yogurt, tofu and a few other odds ‘n ends. “I was really impressed by the selection. There were plenty of items I typically add to my grocery cart to choose from. Plus, many recognizable brand names,” Katie shares. “While I don’t eat meat, my husband does, so it was nice to know that I could add items for him to enjoy, too.”
Order & Delivery
Katie’s order shipped in two boxes and arrived mid-afternoon on her designated delivery date. “All the produce looked so fresh—akin to what I’d find at the farmers market.” She admits she was a little worried about the best-by dates on the packaged items, like cheese and yogurt, but they were several weeks, if not months, in the future.
The only downside? Two of her eggs arrived broken despite bubble wrap packaging. And, unfortunately, they did leak over the packaged cheese. “I would love to see items like eggs and meat fully sealed in their own wrappings to prevent possible cross-contamination,” she says. “While I was able to wipe down packaged items, I’d be wary of eating produce that came into contact with egg residue.”
As for taste, Katie’s order earned five stars. “Everything was delicious and so fresh,” she says. “It was also fun to try new-to-me brands.”
Pros
- Fresh, perfectly ripe produce delivered directly to my door
- Up to 40% off supermarket prices
- Mostly organic and non-GMO foods
- Wide variety of groceries available
- Flexible delivery options
- Easy online ordering interface that’s fun to use
- Saves time and money on weekly grocery shopping
Cons
- It takes a few days to fulfill each order and have it arrive at your doorstep, so if you have immediate recipe needs, Misfits Market may not be your best bet
- Misfits Market’s packing team chooses your produce, so there’s no control over the size of produce you receive
FAQ
Is Misfits cheaper than the grocery store?
It’s cheaper if your typical grocery run includes a basket of organic produce and healthy snacks. Misfits offers reduced prices on all sorts of gourmet groceries. However, if you typically stick with loss leaders and conventional produce, you likely won’t save.
Can you customize Misfits Market?
Misfits Market is 100% customizable. You have a three-day shopping window to add items to your box before it ships.
Is Misfits Market easy to cancel?
In our experience, no. You can easily downgrade to a non-subscription “flex plan,” which means you won’t receive a personalized cart every week and your card is only charged when you choose to shop. But to fully cancel, you’ll need to submit a form to the customer care team.
Product Comparison
There are not only various online grocery delivery services from which to choose but, at this point, most supermarket chains also offer some form of online grocery delivery or pickup. Misfits Market is more comparable to those in the former category.
Thrive Market, which has an annual membership fee of $59, does not offer any produce, but rather supplemental grocery items like grains, snacks and other nonperishables. You can read our full Thrive Market review here.
This leaves, then, Imperfect Foods, Misfits Market’s most apples-to-apples comparison. In fact, they recently merged. Neither service requires a membership, and they both sell flawed yet quality cheap groceries like produce, as well as dairy, meats and pantry staples. Delivery fees for both services vary by location and order total.
Final Verdict
Here’s my final Misfits Market review: It not only simplified my shopping, it dramatically cut down on my grocery planning time and left me much happier than I could’ve imagined. For anyone who feels like organic produce is pricey and out of reach, I recommend giving this produce subscription box a try.
It’s especially useful for busy types without time to spare for careful grocery shopping. I saved hours each week not having to drive to and from my local supermarket and farmers market stands, as well as plenty of cash on the fuel to get there and overpriced produce in general.
I’ll continue to order Misfits Market’s organic salad greens and fresh veggies to drizzle my favorite Graza olive oil over all year long. If you’re a fan of wine, Misfits Market even offers sustainably-produced, organic wines for customers over the age of 21.
Where to Buy Misfits Market
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We Tried It
Misfits Market
Slash your grocery bill with Misfits Market. In every delivery, discover quality produce, dairy items, meat and more on your doorstep.
Ready for cheap groceries delivered straight to your door? Build your box of mouth-watering produce on the Misfits Market website, where prices are up to 40% off retail. Orders can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they arrive directly at your door within a few days. It’s an unbeatable delivery service for my family.
For more edible goodies delivered straight to your doorstep, check out Wildgrain, Green Chef and Gobble.
