Health Packages from Lidl

It is said that a good housewife can prepare a lavish table from the simplest products, spending minimal amounts on it.

And this is indeed true! And if such a housewife first stops by Lidl before starting to cook and buys the newly available products just before the Old New Year, there will truly be a "feast for the stomach" in the family, literally at minimal — especially by our times — costs...

However, let's take it step by step.

The food packages that Lidl started offering its customers on January 12 fully adhere to the win-win principle, where everyone benefits: both the customers and the company, and — importantly — our ecology.

First, let's talk about the benefits for the customer. They are obvious: for a symbolic two (!) euros, one can purchase a sizable three-kilogram (!!) bag of vegetables and fruits, the cost of which — if bought separately — would certainly be much higher. Well, the rest is a matter of imagination and cooking skills, as the bag can contain — depending on its contents — ingredients for soup, and/or vegetable stew, and for compote, and for vegetable or fruit salad, and for pie filling...

Let’s say right away: the contents of the fruit and vegetable sets in the stores will vary, as they are assembled based on which vegetables and fruits are ready to be moved from the regular shelves into the mentioned three-kilogram sets. It is also important to understand that each bag is filled with various vegetables and fruits that have some — very minor — defects. Somewhere the skin has wilted, somewhere there is a small dent, somewhere else there is some other visual defect... Yes, they are not top quality — but at the same time, the fruit or vegetable itself is exceptionally high quality and absolutely safe for consumption, or, as is sometimes said, "too good to throw away." They are unlikely to be suitable for display in a vase on a festive table. But if you peel off the not-so-pretty exterior and skillfully prepare them, the dish made from them will be no less delicious than one made from the same products, but only more visually appealing. And some fruits from the bag (let's say in secret) may even be tastier! Because they ended up in the bag not due to some visual defect, but because of their full ripeness, which means they should not be kept on the regular shelf for too long — they will overripe...

So what is the benefit for the company — selling good products at minimal prices? Meanwhile, there is a benefit — albeit somewhat different, non-material.

Firstly, Lidl Latvia is very active in charitable activities. This includes support for the program to assist lonely elderly people "Vecums nav vientulība" ("Old Age is Not Loneliness"), collaboration with the Children's Clinical University Hospital in implementing various projects for young patients, partnership with the "SOS Bērnu Ciematu asociācija" ("SOS Children's Villages Association"), and numerous special offers in the store chain for various groups of customers...

By offering three-kilogram bags for just two euros per bag, the company is essentially doing another good deed: providing an opportunity for customers, primarily those who are not very well-off, to purchase fruits and vegetables at a VERY friendly price. Secondly, thanks to the "health packages" for two euros, many tons of good and safe products will be used rather than disposed of.

Here it is necessary to clarify: the international Lidl chain actively supports the international eco-initiative "Don't Eat the Globe," which encourages people to rethink their eating habits and reduce food waste. The core idea of the initiative is simple — by including more fruits and vegetables in their daily diet, people start eating, firstly, consciously and healthily, secondly, deliciously and relatively budget-friendly. And thirdly, they create minimal food waste, thus benefiting not only their health and wallet but also the health and well-being of the planet as a whole. Thus, the current innovation will positively impact the improvement of the eco-situation in Latvia as a whole.

- A bag with a set of fruits and vegetables is a simple yet effective way to combine savings, health care, and eco-well-being. - says the head of the corporate social responsibility department at Lidl Latvia, Antra Birzule. - After all, if fruits and vegetables are first grown, transported, and then end up unwanted and thrown away, it negatively impacts the environment as well. But to throw away just because a fruit or vegetable has slightly lost its marketable appearance, while still retaining its taste, safety, and being quite suitable for consumption, is at least unreasonable. Last year we tested in several Latvian Lidl stores whether there would be interest from customers in such sets. And we saw that there was a great interest. The residents of Latvia understand well that a small visual defect does not make a product less tasty and valuable. So starting from mid-January, such packages are available in all Lidl stores; we are confident that they will become a popular product among our customers.

For the fruit and vegetable sets, store employees carefully select clean and quality products - apples, oranges, cucumbers, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, sweet potatoes, etc. It is clear that overly delicate and perishable "gifts of nature" that quickly lose taste and nutritional value are not sent in the bag. For example, berries that can get crushed, release juice, etc. The sets of vegetables and fruits are assembled in advance and packed in paper — that is, non-polluting — bags. A barcode is printed on the bottom of each bag, which can be easily scanned at both traditional and self-service checkouts. This makes the purchasing process as quick and convenient as possible.

It is important to understand that the contents of the bags may and most likely will differ, as they depend on the assortment available in a specific store at a specific moment. And there is an important condition that every customer must adhere to: if several bags are offered in the store, and each contains different vegetables and fruits, you can choose any bag to your liking. However, it is not allowed to transfer certain vegetables and fruits from one bag to another, thus changing their contents.

Customers also need to keep in mind that since Lidl store employees assess the condition of vegetables and fruits several times a day, bags may appear in stores at different times: sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, and sometimes in the evening, closer to closing. In other words, continuous availability is not guaranteed here; it depends on luck. But if you are lucky, you will see them in the fruit and vegetable department. And judging by the experience of other countries — for example, in Lithuanian Lidl stores, bags with sets of "not-so-pretty" fruits and vegetables have been available since 2023, and in the stores of the chain in Western Europe since 2016 — this product will also become one of the desired and sought-after items in Latvia.

RECIPES FROM LIDL KITCHEN

JUICE OF TURMERIC, ORANGE, CARROT, AND APPLES

INGREDIENTS FOR 1 LITER:

Turmeric (root) — 20 g, Oranges — 6 pcs., Carrot — 300 g, Apples — 500 g

PREPARATION

Thoroughly wash the turmeric. Peel and cut the oranges in half. Peel, wash, and cut the carrot into large pieces. Wash the apples, cut them into quarters, and remove the core. Juice all the ingredients in a juicer.