I tried Misfits Market, an affordable produce subscription that sells imperfect-looking produce that would otherwise go to waste

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

• I ordered groceries from Misfits Market and loved how easy, customizable, and efficient it was.
• My produce, oat milk, and snacks arrived safely and everything was fresh and delicious. 

If you're someone who doesn't have time or simply hates to go grocery shopping, online grocery delivery is a game-changer. Misfits Market is a delivery service worth trying if you care about shopping ethical and sustainable groceries in particular.

Not only is it really convenient to use, but it also focuses on organic and non-GMO produce that would've gone to waste for a variety of reasons (e.g., cosmetic imperfections or surplus inventory). Everything's reasonably priced, too. 

I tried Misfits Market for the first time recently and loved how easy and affordable it was. Learn more details about how the grocery delivery service works and what to expect below. 

How to order groceries with Misfits Market

Once you sign up for an account, you'll choose a day of the week you'd like for your groceries to be delivered every time. You can change this day at any time, skip upcoming orders, and pause or cancel your account easily. 

You can only shop and pick out your items during a three-day shopping window before your box ships out. I recommend shopping as early as possible once your shopping window opens (you'll get an email reminder) because some items sell out quickly. 

If you don't build your box or meet the $30 order minimum within the three-day window, your order will be automatically skipped. 

The majority of Misfits Market's produce is certified organic and non-GMO, with items clearly labeled if they're not. The grocery stock is also based on location and seasonality. I shopped in the middle of summer, which meant I could load up my cart with cherries, tomatoes, watermelon, mangoes, and cucumbers. 

In addition to fresh veggies, fruits, herbs, and proteins, Misfits Market carries milk (and milk alternatives), snacks, and drinks. Like the farmers that Misfits Market works with to source produce, these pantry brands operate with sustainable values. In my order, for example, I added tortilla chips from Garden of Eatin', which are made with organic, sustainably harvested corn, and oat milk from Minor Figures, a carbon-neutral brand. 

Here's a sampling of the pricing for part of my grocery order:

After confirming your order, you'll get notifications for when it's shipped out and delivered. There's a flat shipping rate of $5.50 to all delivery area locations. You can find a full list of the states that Misfits Market delivers to on its FAQs page. 

Misfits Market unboxing and review

On the scheduled day, my box arrived safely and on time. My box of arugula was a little banged up, but everything else looked good and undamaged. 

As packaging goes, there was no more than usual for a fresh grocery delivery: an insulated liner, ice packs, and cardboard dividers to protect all the goods and keep them chilled. It's certainly more packaging than if you went grocery shopping in person, but it's at least recyclable. 

For the actual produce, some items, like the plums and potatoes, were a little smaller than I was used to, but for the most part, there weren't any peculiar items or surprises.

As with any online grocery delivery service, you're relinquishing the control of picking out the exact zucchini or bunch of cilantro that you want, and you just have to trust the service to pick out ripe, fresh produce for you. In return, you save on time and energy. After my experience with Misfits Market, I think the tradeoff is well worth it, especially because all the produce tasted fresh and delicious. 

Misfits Market vs. Imperfect Foods — which one should you try?

Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods have similar missions of offering produce and other groceries that could've gone to waste otherwise. They both offer fresh produce, proteins, dairy, snacks, and pantry staples. Imperfect also sells some household and beauty items. 

Imperfect is a little different from Misfits in that Imperfect recommends items based on your preferences, and then you can customize your order by replacing or taking out items. In addition, Imperfect assigns a specific delivery day to you based on your ZIP code in order to make delivery routes as efficient and carbon emission-friendly as possible. Meanwhile, Misfits lets you choose and edit your delivery date. Imperfect's delivery fee is $4.99-$8.99 depending on your area and delivery date, while Misfits' delivery fee is a flat $5.50. 

Lastly, the two operate in different states. Imperfect, for example, delivers in California, while Misfits is not yet available in California. Here's the full list of Imperfect Foods' delivery areas. 

Overall, we recommend Misfits Market over Imperfect Foods if you like more customizability in your grocery ordering and delivery experience. 

The bottom line

Even as a first-time user, I was able to quickly order everything on my grocery list — from greens to snacks to a whole watermelon — thanks to the organized, easy-to-navigate site. I loved that most options were organic and non-GMO, yet the prices weren't outrageous. The delivery's reliable and on top of that, it's not a headache to adjust your future deliveries or account settings for your needs. 

Pros: Large variety of mostly organic and sustainably sourced grocery items, flexibility to choose or adjust your delivery date, safe and reliable shipping

Cons: Some items sell out quickly, limited shopping window