Fruits and Vegetables Key Terms

Study fruits and vegetables terms to get top products for your restaurant or shop

Whether you run a restaurant, food-service company or food-related store, knowing key industry terms relating to fruits and vegetables is vital to ensure you’re on the same page as your product vendors, local produce sources and customers. In addition to brushing up on the names of less-common fruits or vegetables that your customers may request for their meals or your menu, knowledge of additional terms and phrases like “flash frozen,” “sustainable,” and “organic” will indicate you know the type of produce you’re ordering and what you’re offering to your clientele.

 

Fruit and vegetable calendar

To ensure you order the freshest produce, you'll need to rely on a fruit and vegetable calendar to determine the availability of products from season to season. Although most vegetables and fruits are available all year long, the schedule will help you get them when they look and taste their best.
Try: Check out the fruit and vegetable calendar at CF Fresh to determine when seasonal fruits will be available from the United States, Canada, Chile and Argentina.

Grade

To determine the level of produce that vendors are offering, study each seller's quality-control guidelines. Most offer grade products based on such factors as mechanical or insect damage, size or shipping quality.
Try: Benton Harbor Fruit Market discusses what qualifications fruit and vegetables must meet to receive its Grade 1 and Grade 2 designations.

Flash frozen

If you're unable to obtain fruits or vegetables during their peak season, consider ordering flash frozen. The freezing process claims to maintain freshness and nutritional value by freezing the produce immediately after the harvest.
Try: Coming Alongside provides articles and guides on organic, fresh produce. The site discusses flash-frozen produce as a way to avoid imported produce and pesticides.

Organic produce

Stock a selection of organic produce for customers concerned about pesticides. Farms participating in organic food production typically avoid pesticides and herbicides, as well as the genetic modification of fruits or vegetables.
Try: Organic.org discusses organic produce and related topics like reasons to buy and eat organic produce and myths surrounding it.

Sustainable agriculture

Consider buying produce offered by farms that use sustainable agriculture practices if you're concerned about the ecosystem. Some growers use special farming methods that minimize damage to natural resources like soil or water sources.
Try: The UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program has articles discussing the practice and benefits of sustainable agriculture.

Climate-controlled warehouse

Consider ordering produce from vendors that make use of a climate-controlled warehouse and delivery vehicles to keep fruits and vegetables at the proper temperature from harvest to delivery.
Try: Consumers Produce discusses the benefits and practices of using a climate-controlled warehouse and maintaining different temperature zones for specific types of fruits and vegetables.

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