Guide to Picking The Freshest and Best Produce
Learn how to pick everything from avocados to watermelon. Learn about what to look for in the texture, color, and taste of each fruit or vegetable so you can always make sure you’re picking only the best from the grocery store.
Knowing how to pick produce is a handy skill that everyone should have. This guide will show you how to pick fresh fruits and vegetables like a pro! With
No one wants to shell out money on fresh produce only to bring it home and find that it is overripe, rotten, or completely lacking in flavor. (If only learning how to pick a watermelon were as easy as grabbing the biggest, greenest one!) Fortunately, learning how to pick produce effectively can help ward off such disappointment—and help figure out how to save money on groceries by not wasting a single sprig or melon.
Avocados
Looks like: Taut skin; free of dents, dry spots, and shriveling.
Keep in mind: The avocado should yield to pressure, not be rock hard.
Blueberries
Looks like: Dark blue color with slight frosty-white sheen; free of stems or leaves and uniform in size.
Keep in mind: The berries should be plump and firm. Check the bottom and sides of the basket for crushed or spoiled berries.
Cucumbers
Looks like: Dark, uniformly green color, free of yellow spots.
Keep in mind: The cucumber should be firm, not soft or wrinkled.
Dates
Looks like: Shiny, uniformly colored.
Keep in mind: The date should be plump, not hard.
Eggplant
Looks like: For best results, choose firm and glossy produce with a green stem and intact leaves. Avoid any items that appear soft, shriveled, or have spots.
Keep in mind: Eggplants are heavy for their size, but best at less than 1 1/2 pounds. When gently pressed, the flesh of the eggplant should give slightly and bounce back.
Figs
Looks like: Intact, with bent stems. Minor markings in flesh are OK; colors may vary.
Keep in mind: Figs should be soft and plump.
Garlic
Looks like: Tight, firm head free of soft spots or green sprouts; white to off-white in color, not shriveled.
Keep in mind: The best garlic should be plump, dry, and firm.
Herbs (Such as Basil)
Looks like: Vibrant and fresh, not wilted, yellow, or bruised.
Keep in mind: Basil leaves should be aromatic and bright green. Avoid black spots and moldy stems.
Iceberg Lettuce
Looks like: Clean outer leaves, with tightly bunched leaves inside.
Keep in mind: When you squeeze a good iceberg lettuce, it should have a solid and firm head and feel heavy.
Jalapeño Peppers
Looks like: Clean and dry with smooth, unbroken skin.
Keep in mind: The presence of “stretch marks” on jalapeños is an indication of spicier peppers.
Kiwi
Looks like: Rough, fuzzy skin.
Keep in mind: The kiwi should be slightly firm and yield to gentle pressure.
Lemons and Limes
Looks like: Smooth, shiny skin.
Keep in mind: To get more juice, choose the heavier lemons and limes. Additionally, make sure they are fragrant.
Mango
Looks like: Feel is a much better indicator of ripeness than color is.
Keep in mind: The stem end of a ripe mango should have a mild fruity scent and feel slightly soft when gently pressed.
Nectarine
Looks like: Free of green coloring and wrinkly patches.
Keep in mind: Gently squeeze the nectarine to check if it’s ripe, it should give slightly.
Okra
Looks like: Fresh, green stem end.
Keep in mind: The okra pods should be firm.
Pineapple
Looks like: Fresh, dark green leaves.
Keep in mind: To determine if a pineapple is good, you should smell its stem end which should be sweet and it should feel heavy for its size. you should not rely on the ability to pull a leaf off the top as an indicator of ripeness as this is a myth.
Quince
Looks like: No spots.
Keep in mind: The quince should be firm. The fuzz will fall away as the fruit ripens.
Rhubarb
Looks like: Stalks that are mostly red and pink; green ones will be more sour and stringy.
Keep in mind: Stalks should be firm, not floppy.
Sugar Snap Peas
Looks like: Bright green, free of blemishes.
Keep in mind: Sugar snap peas should have a crispy and firm texture.
Tomato
Looks like: Bright, shiny skin, free of blemishes.
Keep in mind: For a good quality tomato, you should look for one with firm flesh that gives a little when touched. The tomato should feel heavy for its size, and the stem end should have a sweet and earthy smell.
Ugli Fruit
Looks like: Color is not indicative of ripeness, and small dents are normal.
Keep in mind: To determine freshness, look for heavy fruit relative to its size, with no dryness at the ends and a slight give when gently squeezed.
Vidalia Onion
Looks like: Medium-sized and free of bruises.
Keep in mind: A good onion should be firm and hard. Avoid onions with soft spots or green sprouts.
Watermelon
Looks like: Smooth surface, yellow underbelly, well-rounded ends, and a slightly dull rind.
Keep in mind: The best watermelon should feel both firm and heavy. The sound of a thump when tapped is also an indication of ripeness. Additionally, the yellow spot should be present and slightly creamy to indicate ripe watermelon.
Ximenia
Looks like: Orange, red, or yellow.
Keep in mind: Regular Ximenia plums should be deeply colored and shiny; a white sheen is natural. They should be firm, but not rock hard.
Yellow Squash
Looks like: Bright skins; less than eight inches long.
Keep in mind: Yellow squash should be firm at the stems. Avoid soft spots or any discoloration, which indicate over-ripening.
Zucchini
Looks like: Naturally shiny skin; free of cuts and bruises.
Keep in mind: A good zucchini is firm and heavy for its size, with no soft spots.