Why You Should Never Buy Produce At A Gas Station

Gas stations range from the monstrously huge and sparklingly clean — see Buc-ee's as a prime example — to the super small and dingy, with shades of gray in between. You can typically count on a public restroom, strong, hot coffee, and a variety of prepackaged snacks. As an alternative to the greasy breakfast sandwiches and pizza slices, some offer produce, typically in the form of bananas, apples, and oranges, but some more enterprising chains might offer potatoes, onions, or even avocados. While these efforts to keep the traveling populace healthy are to be commended, you should maybe skip these options.

The reason? Gas station produce does not see a lot of turnover, nor are the quality and storage situations as stringent as they would be at, say, a supermarket. Buy an apple at a gas station, and don't be surprised if you bite into it and find the flesh is mealy, or the bruising goes deep, because it is simply not fresh. You could be eating something that has not only sat in its basket for at least a few weeks, but was also handled by the dozens of people who picked it up and then didn't buy it (did you even wash the peel before your first bite? Didn't think so).

Perhaps the most glaring monstrosity in the gas station food world is sushi. Gas station convenience stores barely have actual kitchens, let alone the proper conditions in which to prepare the delicate rolls, so you're almost always getting the pre-packaged stuff. You should definitely pass on gas station sushi if it's made with raw fish, but cooked fish varieties are actually pretty low-risk (the quality is just going to be...not great; see if you can't find a Wegmans, if you're in the Mid-Atlantic region, a Trader Joe's, or even a Kroger if you have a hankering for sushi while on the road).

Unlike at, say, Buc-ee's gas stations, where there are entire jerky counters and walls of candy that get replenished regularly, you might end up at a smaller or independently owned gas station. If it looks like the snacks on the shelves are mostly just for show (e.g., there's a layer of dust on everything) you might want to think twice before reaching for that Hostess cupcake — or at least check the expiration date to make sure it's still good.