Question about dates and bugs

[Kris]

I found some FRESH dates at my local market, and tried them for the first time -- they are heavenly!! BUUUUT, when I cut one of them open to remove the pit and spoon in some almond butter (yum), I found it full, and I do mean full, of tiny little dead bugs that looked like ants. Needless to say, I was quite repulsed.

Now I am wondering -- is this a common thing with dates? Have all of my dates (fresh and dried) also been full of ants? I know it wasn't from my house because I was literally eating the dates from the bag having just come home from the store. I'm finding this all rather gross and am wondering #1, has anyone else experienced this with dates, and #2, is there a good way of choosing dates to prevent getting a mouthful of ants???

Blech!! :eek:

[Sharon in Colorado]

Sure - haven't you ever heard of date covered ants? :p

Now I'm thinking of the hundreds of medjools I've popped in my mouth, pit and all. :eek:

[VeggieMel]

I buy dates a lot, and I've never found bugs in them. I think it's unusual. I would take your dates back to the store. Hopefully you still have the receipt.

[ReneeSC]

I've never found a bug, either.

Sharon, you spit the pit out ....like an olive pit??

[Mystical]

I just bought dates for the first time from The Date People, and they are so much better than what I was getting at our local coop! No bugs, either.

[Jo-anne]

What I'm being ripped off.......there's no bugs in mine either!!!!! LOL

[Kris]

Yes, the bugs were definitely gross. ESPECIALLY gross is that, on the way home, I was eating them in the car and not even looking at them (it was dark out), and I bit into one of them and it just tasted weird and was a bit crunchy. So I thought, ah well, maybe it's just old. But after I found the buggies I thought, hmm, maybe age was NOT the problem.

I love dates though -- nature's candy and all. I will certainly be avoiding that source of dates in the future!

[rawpriestess]

Kirs, I must say that bugs gross me out, as I've bitten into them tons of times, usually when eating something like berries, but I've never bought anything at a store, and receive a bug present.

they can't hurt you, it's just that they are BUGS!!!! ICK

[Kris]

Does anyone know the website for The Date People? I Googled them, but without much success. All I could find was an old price list (2002-2003) on the Seattle Raw website.

Incidentally, I am amazed at the many varieties of dates! I have only seen 2 types at the store. Has anyone tried any of these many varieties?

[Kris]

RP, I agree...I'm not particularly upset about eating bugs cause I know they won't hurt me. I'm more just annoyed that the prospect of eating more bugs is turning me off from one of my favorite sweet snacks. My general opinion of bugs is that they are great little creatures, but I don't like being surprised by them in my treats! Yuck!

[rawpriestess]

Kris, I sooooooo understand, I too do not wish to end their little buggy lives early by consuming them.

Their little feeters tickly my tonsils, ICK

And I would certainly take them back, I might cut them all in half to check them out too.

I mean creepy crawly bugglies, ICK. I really don't care much for crawlie bugglies.

creeps me out a tad.

*********

on another note, I never even tried dates until this YEAR, WOW, I know, hard to believe, but I love them but never alone, too sweet for me, I like them with nuts in candies truffles, smoothies etc.

Dragggon eats them by the bag full, I prefere one in a smoothie, or 1/2 cup with nuts processed enough to hold them together then I munch down on the truffles, that I squish them into.

I also like raisins, as long as they are re-hydrated, then I don't care for them, how weird am I???
*************
OKAY, Dragggon just reaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyyy creeepped me out big time

HE said, "At LEAST THEY WERE DEAD, when you bit into them. "

ARGH< EEEEEEEEKKKKKK, oh can you imagine if they were alive? Oh, yuck, I've got to go and do the "ick" dance now.

Jumping up and down, going eeeeeewwwwweeeee, iiiiccccckkkkk, arrrggghhh!!!

and looking like a complete and utter nut.

bleck, spit, sputter, puke, ewe ick.!!

[Sharon in Colorado]

I've never found a bug, either.

Sharon, you spit the pit out ....like an olive pit??

LOL - yes, well more like a cherry pit! I would just pop those babies in my mouth one after the other. Can't do that so much now, my teeth are sensitive to sugar, hurts like a mother.



ESPECIALLY gross is that, on the way home, I was eating them in the car and not even looking at them (it was dark out), and I bit into one of them and it just tasted weird and was a bit crunchy. So I thought, ah well, maybe it's just old. But after I found the buggies I thought, hmm, maybe age was NOT the problem.

Well at least you got some extra protein out of it!

Do call the Date People, they are excellent. They take phone orders only and run their business the old fashoined way. I usually have to leave a message and Jaime calls me back.

Their dates are actually organic, just not certified because it's an added expense. And they harvest Guano (that's bat poop folks) in nearby caves to fertilize their palms. Hey, you can't get more natural than that!

[ReneeSC]

Hey, you can't get more natural than that!

rotfling... well.. now that you mention it... uhhh.. no.

decomposed fecal matter, clean and unadulterated, is a great source of soil nutrients.

I'd just rather forget it was plant food. hahahah

[yeahbethany]

The Date People don't have a website. You need to call them. I just got an order of dates from them (a wetpack of fresh dates!) and they are AMAZING!!!!!!

They do things by phone and live pretty simply, from what I can understand. Even factoring in shipping, their prices are very reasonable. Give them a call! =)

[dhammala]

Could someone post the number for the Date People? I would love love love to try some.. (the kind with OUT the bugs)

[Punky]

Yes, I once found bugs-weavel like and dead in some dates I got from a very prominant health food grocery store. Yes I was gagging and grossed out too.
And checking all my dates very carefully after that for a long time...
But it only happened once and I haven't bought that variety again.
Also I find dates from my coop much fresher than the bulk bins at the HFS.
I think it was the Halawi (sp?) type of date; not the Medjool's which are
bigger and more moist. I use to get honey dates from my coop that were ordered from the Date People and they never had bugs! They were the best.
I'm going to order some from the Date People too.

[sport]

I have never eaten a date in my life that I did not inspect first, inside and out and I have never found a bug so you can assume that it is not common and probably did not happen before.

[Mystical]

Date People
630 E Beal Rd
Niland, CA 92257

(760) 359-3211

[Kris]

Thanks, Mystical! I wonder if they are able to ship internationally...dates being fruit and all. I will have to call and see!

[NoGMO!]

I know bugs on/in produce, atleast every once in a while, are just a natural part of eating plants- especially organic produce... and, oh well, I'd rather eat a bug than say DDT! ;)

Bugs! No escaping'em - but at least you have the chance to inspect whole plant foods for insects and remove them or return the food to the store.

just think, in food processing factories there are also bugs - many, many bugs, and more - (see: Fast Food Nation) - But you can't always find them once processed into something for market- right? now that's ick!!!

I've never found bugs in the many dates I've consumed, but I can relate.
I often find tiny insects on leafy greens or broccoli - that are sometimes difficult to remove - which psychologically creeps me out on that particular vegetable for a little while before I can eat that specific food again... kinda silly of me though, since a bug or worm could be in absolutely anything, even an apple!

sorry about your disturbing ant fiasco - it happens. if it's any consolation, atleast no harm was done - to you, that is, not the poor litttle bug. :p

[Kris]

Oh I agree, noGMO...I find bugs in my organic food quite often actually. It's not exactly appetizing, but it doesn't freak me out -- what's good for bugs is good for me. However, this time was a bit different, mostly due to the sheer quantity of bugs. The big date was literally filled with the little guys. And when I bit into it, the taste was weird and so was the texture...almost crunchy but not quite...just not right for what is supposed to be a sweet, creamy date. I have eaten only one date since then, but I'm feeling quite confident about these Date People. :p