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Shoppers have been getting used to buying misshapen vegetables as they look ahead to cooking their Christmas dinner later this month.
One Tesco customer was left shocked after finding carrots that look like a naked man and woman in her weekly shop.
Georgina Emin was using the vegetables to make a batch of soup but when it came to chopping, she noticed one appeared to have a pair of legs.
She thought it looked a bit like a naked woman, before pulling another from the 58p bag.
The second carrot looked like a well-endowed vegetable — shaped like the bottom half of a man showing off his genitals — she said.
Earlier this year, leading supermarkets announced they would sell ‘wonky’ produce to support drought-hit harvests and prevent food waste.
Homegrown farmers saw their crops devastated by the blast of warm and dry weather this summer — leading to an influx of smaller potatoes, apples, onions, Brussels sprouts and carrots.
Experts warned that produce would be smaller and not meet usual standards for food on supermarket shelves as a result of the drought.
Georgina Emin was left shocked after finding carrots that look like a naked man and woman in her weekly shop
The 34-year-old, from Basildon, Essex, joked she had found a Mr and Mrs pair of carrots.
Social housing worker Ms Emin said: ‘I couldn’t stop laughing. When I saw the first one I joked it was trying to run away.
‘When I saw the male parts on the other one. I obviously had to stop to take a photo to show friends.
‘Then I was torn as to how to cut them. I felt bad chopping them up.
‘But I eventually decided to slice down the middle and my husband said I was being brutal.
‘It turned out to be delicious soup and it gave us a laugh while making it.’
Other shoppers have also spotted carrots that appear to be shaped like genitals.
Other shoppers have also spotted carrots that appear to be shaped like genitals
Morrisons has been selling wonky vegetables since 2015, with its range including courgettes, potatoes, avocados, mangoes, pomegranates and berries
Two Morrisons shoppers shared images of their wonky produce online, with one writing: ‘Morrisons have excelled themselves with this Wonky carrot!’
‘Thanks to Morrisons wonky veg I shall be enjoying something with carrots tonight…’ the other wrote.
The supermarket has been selling wonky vegetables since 2015, with its range including courgettes, potatoes, avocados, mangoes, pomegranates and berries.
Another Morrisons customer saw a different kind of variety in his bag of wonky carrots, which had a potato in the bottom.
Writing on social media, Phil Pinfold said: Gotta laugh Morrisons, no veg gets left behind. This bag of lovely wonky carrots contains carrots…and err..a potato.’
Another Morrisons customer saw a different kind of variety in his bag of wonky carrots, which had a potato in the bottom
Shopper Caroline Smith also shared an image of a carrot that appeared to resemble something human.
The carrot had split it two as it grew underground, resulting in two branches of the root which looked like a crossed pair of legs.
She shared the image online, writing: ‘I think my wonky carrot is desperate for the loo!’
Another carrot also sold to a customer became thin in the middle where it had twisted while growing in the ground.
Jennie Rose described it as ‘the wonkiest wonky carrot I have ever seen!’
The carrot had split it two as it grew underground, resulting in two branches of the root which looked like a crossed pair of legs
Another wonky carrow was thin in the middle where it had twisted while growing in the ground
Parsnips have also been spotted in unsusal shapes, with shopper Vic Carr finding one that had grown in two sections, as she prepared a meal in the kitchen.
In August, Lidl and Waitrose announced that they would start selling ‘stunted’ produce which has been severely affected by a record-breaking summer of heat and national drought.
The discount supermarket chain wrote to its British fresh produce suppliers in the face of the record heat and the driest summer for half a century to ask how it could help.
It followed the National Farmers’ Union’s rallying cry urging more support for Britain’s beleaguered growers in light of tough weather conditions.
Speaking at the time, Lidl GB’s chief executive Ryan McDonnell called on other supermarkets to sell wonky produce.
‘Farmers across the country are facing a big challenge this year due to the extreme weather conditions experienced over the summer months,’ Mr McDonnell said.
Shopper Vic Carr found a parsnip that had grown in two sections, as she prepared a meal in the kitchen
‘Whilst the crop coming out may look and feel a bit different to what we’re all used to, it’s still the same great British quality.
‘We therefore want to show support for our suppliers by working with them to find solutions to help.’
He said the company has always tried to work with suppliers to be flexible with variations in specifications at different times of the year, but said that it is ‘critical’ that Lidl and the rest of the sector get behind farmers.
Waitrose has also been diverting millions of units of wonky carrots and other misshapen vegetables into its own label soups, ready meals, smoothies — ensuring that no food that’s good to eat is wasted.
Paul Bidwell, Fresh Produce Buyer at Waitrose, said this summer: ‘Our Little Less Than Perfect range is nothing new — we’ve done it for years, but we constantly look at ways we can support our farmers through challenging conditions and often that means altering our specifications.
‘Many of our UK suppliers have managed through the drought thanks to back up water supplies from reservoirs or rain water capture systems so we’ve focused our efforts on those that need the most help.
‘What’s in store may look a bit different at times but it will always represent the same great quality, taste and high standards our customers are used to.’
Have you seen any wonky fruit or veg? Email:jessica.warren@mailonline.co.uk
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