Small Food, Big Flavor
By now you’ve been introduced to our three smallest stars in the Tomato, Pepper, and Cucumber categories: the Tomberry® Tomato, Mini Sweet Pepper, and Mini Cucumber. But don’t let their size deceive you! Every one of our tiny Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers is packed full of great flavor and a crisp crunch.
When we first discovered these products, we knew they were worth growing. Their unique size, consistent quality, and convenience factor make them attractive to kids and parents alike. Whether you’re trying to please a picky eater, or you’re an on-the-go snacker looking for convenient and healthy options, our Tomberry® Tomatoes, Mini Sweet Peppers, and Mini Cucumbers are up to the challenge.
But it’s only natural to have a few questions about these unique foods. How are they grown? Do they taste the same as the other vegetables you buy? What’s the best way to enjoy them? Let’s take a closer look at these three products so we can get your questions answered!
Tomberry® Tomatoes
Big things came from launching this tiny Tomato! In 2017, we first brought the Tomberry® Tomato seed into the Discovery Center, our 2.5-acre trial greenhouse and research center, to begin trialing this new product. After one year of extensive research, we introduced the Tomberry® Tomato to store shelves across North America!
One of the most unique features of this Tomato is its size. Hailed as the World’s Smallest Tomato, it measures approximately 0.5 to 1 centimeter in diameter, and weighs only 1 to 2 grams. But this tiny Tomato’s size is more than matched by the fresh burst of sweet flavor you’ll enjoy in every bite!
How Tomberry® Tomatoes Grow
While some may question whether a Tomberry® Tomato is just a larger Tomato picked early in the growing process, or even a berry variety (and not a Tomato at all!), that’s not at all how this unique Tomato grows.
The Tomberry® Tomato is in fact grown from a completely unique Tomato seed, and it gets its name both from its berry-like size and the way the plant grows. Tomberry® Tomato plants grow in bushels, similar to wild berry or grape plants. This is very different from most Tomatoes, which usually grow in neat clusters on a vine. With this type of growing, Tomberry® Tomato plants require a lot more de-leafing and plant maintenance.
Harvesting these Tomatoes is also done in a unique way. After a lot of trialing, our teams discovered that the easiest way to harvest the Tomatoes was by cutting off an entire bushel – leaves and all – and letting it dry out. Once the leaves and stem are completely dry, we can shake off our tiny Tomatoes, pack them up, and ship them out to a store near you!
You will find two different colors of Tomberry® Tomatoes mixed together when you buy them at the store. The Red Tomberry® Tomato and Yellow Tomberry® Tomato are in fact two different Tomato seed varieties–but both still have the same great flavor!
Best Uses & Recipe Ideas
Just like Cherry and Grape Tomatoes, Tomberry® Tomatoes are an excellent option for healthy snacking. Taking just 10 seconds to wash and pack up, these Tomatoes are the perfect addition to lunches or for eating on-the-go.
One of the biggest benefits to serving your dishes with Tomberry® Tomatoes is cutting down on prep time. These Tomatoes don’t need to be cut up: it’s simple enough to add a healthy helping to a salad, soup, pasta, or another one of your favorite dishes!
Here are some of our best recommendations for what to prepare with Tomberry® Tomatoes:
- Top off your Shrimp Tacos
- Mix them into a hearty Bell Pepper Lentil Soup
- Add to your One Pot Gnocchi Bake
- Toss them into your Spiralized Mini Cucumber Salad
- Give your Shrimp Pasta a pop
And here are a few easy lunchbox ideas featuring Tomberry® Tomatoes:
Mini Sweet Peppers
These Sweet Peppers may be small, but they still offer all the great health benefits and flavor you love from your Bell Peppers and Long Sweet Peppers! Mini Sweet Peppers are small and pointy, usually measuring between 2-4 inches long and weighing roughly 40 grams. Their crisp crunch and sweet flavor make Mini Sweet Peppers ideal for snacking or serving as part of an appetizer.
How Mini Sweet Peppers Grow
Mini Sweet Peppers grow in a similar way to their Bell Pepper and Long Sweet Pepper counterparts, but with a couple small differences.
Just like Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers, Red, Orange, and Yellow Mini Sweet Peppers are three unique seed varieties. This explains why some Mini Sweet Peppers are longer than others, and why a Red Mini Sweet Pepper plant can be a different height or have different foliage compared to an Orange or Yellow Mini Sweet Pepper plant.
There are also a lot more Peppers that grow on a Mini Sweet Pepper plant compared to a Bell Pepper plant. On average, a Bell Pepper plant will produce just over 40 Peppers per season, whereas a Mini Sweet Pepper plant can grow well over 100 Mini Sweet Peppers in the same amount of time!
Best Uses & Recipe Ideas
If you’re looking for quick and healthy snacks that take as little time as possible to prep, Mini Sweet Peppers should be on your list. Since you can skip slicing up these petit Peppers, they’re easy to pack in school lunches or to snack on while on the move.
Mini Sweet Peppers also bring great flavor to a variety of appetizers–here are some of our favorites:
And if you’re looking to get a little more creative with your Mini Sweet Peppers, try pickling them or baking them into muffins!
Mini Cucumbers
Mini Cucumbers are our smallest Cucumber variety. While all our Cucumbers are marked by their irresistible crunch, Mini Cucumbers are often considered to be on a whole other level. Since Mini Cucumbers measure around 4-6 inches long, they have all their crunch concentrated in a smaller form! And their refreshing flavor and high water content makes them incredibly hydrating.
How Mini Cucumbers Grow
Mini Cucumbers look like they could be a Long English Cucumber picked early, but they are in fact a completely unique seed variety! And there are a couple key differences between how a Mini Cucumber plant and a Long English Cucumber plant grow.
Much like Long English Cucumbers, Mini Cucumbers grow incredibly fast. While a Long English Cucumber plant can take up to 21 days to start producing its first Cucumbers after we’ve planted it in our greenhouses, a Mini Cucumber plant can take only 10 days!
We also pick Mini Cucumbers every day – sometimes even twice a day! – because one plant produces so many more Cucumbers compared to a Long English Cucumber plant.
Best Uses & Recipe Ideas
If you want to skip slicing up your Mini Cucumbers, we won’t stop you! This makes them a great option for on-the-go snacking while at the park or on a hike.
But Mini Cucumbers are very versatile. Check out some of our favorite recipes that include Mini Cucumbers in drinks, appetizers, salads, and more:
- Lemon Cucumber Virgin Cooler
- Cucumber Melon Sangria Mocktail
- Mini Cucumber & Peach Salad
- Tropical Kale Smoothie
- Mini Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
- Spiralized Mini Cucumber Salad
More Fresh Products
Now that you’ve gotten to know a few of our smallest products, visit our Product pages for more info on the rest of our Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers!
Explore our Tomato product pages.
