Chris Mittelstaedt, one of The FruitGuys

Chris Mittelstaedt and Erik Muller are on a mission: In their world, no office worker will have to resort to preservative-laden snacks from a vending machine when hunger hits; no committed dieter will find herself in her kitchen clawing through cabinets looking for something healthy come dinner time. Because there, on the counter or the fridge, is—behold!—the juiciest, most succulent local fruit and in-season veggies you can get your hands on!

Chris and Erik, otherwise known as The FruitGuys, started delivering local produce to offices and homes in the San Francisco Bay area in 1998. Today, they source from local farmers in six major cities to deliver to offices, schools and homes in most parts of the country. They also donate thousands of pounds of produce to food banks. The Best Life spoke with Chris about which fruit is the most underrated, what produce he’d take to a deserted island, and more.

Q: What is the biggest mistake a person makes when choosing produce (other than not buying enough of it)?
A: People fall into the trap of thinking a bumpy or off-color fruit is a bad thing. We’re used to equating fresh, ripe fruit with looking perfect—a smooth, shiny, round red apple, for instance. But take the case of heirloom apples, like the pink pearl—so named because its flesh is pink instead of white. It’s a delicate fruit, and it can get marked up from tree branches. Those marks affect the appearance of the fruit, but not its flavor. The fruit gives the eater a more unique experience and can produce new and interesting tastes that they might have never been exposed to before had they not looked past those little visual imperfections. In addition, people may shy away from fruit that doesn’t come in traditional colors, but they shouldn’t. Carrots, for example, come in many colors besides orange—white, purple, yellow—and each color has its own unique taste profile. And remember: When you buy the unusually shaped or interestingly colored fruit, you’re supporting farmers who are working to preserve these lesser-known varieties. Shop with your taste buds, not just with your eyes!

Q: What would you say is the most underrated fruit?
A: I’m going to say the satsuma, a type of mandarin. It has a bumpy peel, which can look off-putting, and it’s often mistaken for being overripe because it feels squishy. But it’s not—that’s just because there’s more air between the peel and the flesh. It’s super easy to peel and it’s seedless! It’s a fall/winter fruit, so look for it then.

Q: How do you sneak extra servings of fruit into your day?
A: I try to get at least three whole pieces of fruit with my yogurt and granola for breakfast, whether it’s a nectarine, a banana, strawberries, whatever is in season. So by 7:30 a.m., I’ve already had several servings of produce. It jump-starts my metabolism and gives me energy first thing. Clearly I’m at an advantage because of my job, but I try to have produce around all the time. I’ve observed that when people have access to healthy food, they’ll work it into their meals.

Q: My biggest problem, though, is that I’ll buy the produce, and it ends up rotting because I can’t use it all. Then I’m wary of buying it the next time I shop.
A: If you buy the fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, you will make a habit of eating them. We deliver weekly, and I’ve discovered that it usually takes three or four weeks for customers to make a habit of eating produce regularly. That’s why we do promos where we offer three deliveries and make the fourth one free. That fourth one cements the pattern. We also include recipes with the fruits and vegetables so people know how to prepare them. And now is the perfect time to start incorporating more produce into your diet, because there is so much variety and abundance in the summer. Everything is sweet and delicious.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, what fruit and/or vegetable would you take with you?
A: I wish I could take a variety, but for nutrition I’d probably say the banana—it gives me the energy I need for exercise, with the right balance of starches and sugars. From a taste standpoint, I’d desire dark cherries. And they’re loaded with antioxidants to boot. On the veggie side, carrots—they’re sweet and you can eat them raw. Though I’d really miss my salad greens, too.

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