Eating good fruits comes with the responsibility of choosing good fruits. How many times do we find ourselves staring at the produce section in the grocery stores, not knowing how to select the best fruits! Not only do we need to find the most delicious and good-looking fruits. We also need to choose the ones that best suit our needs, whether that is choosing ripe fruits to be consumed right away or greener ones for later in the week.
Keep in mind that there are fruits that continue ripening even after they were picked. As well as there are fruits that don’t! Therefore it’s important to know what are these fruits so you are not having the wrong expectations.
Our friend and Lovely Mango subscriber, Luz Villanueva, says it would be useful to read about how to select the best fruits. She has a family of five, including three kids. The below list is not only helpful for her entire family, but it can also help anyone who consumes the basic fruits, and a little more!
BANANAS
In order to select the best fruits, let’s start with bananas which are must-haves. To eat bananas immediately or within the next day, make sure to get yellow ones with a little green around the edges and very few brown spots. Some people prefer to eat less ripe bananas, so for those, look for almost no brown spots and a little more green. To eat them in the next 3 to 5 days after you purchase them, go for a bunch that is green with a few yellow spots. Don’t forget to store them at room temperature, otherwise, if you put green bananas in the fridge it will stop the ripening process.
APPLES
Another favorite on the grocery lists and a must-have on our how-to select the best fruits list are apples! When buying apples, avoid the ones with bruises and cuts. But if you find small bruises and cuts after you purchase them, you can cut around them. Colors don’t always define if the apple is the best to eat. However, brighter color apples are usually more flavorful than dull-looking apples and it also means they are fully riped. In case you end up with unripped apples in the house know that they continue to ripen after they were picked. If you find apples with the stem on them, that helps last longer. Lastly, a good apple should feel firm when you gently squeeze it.
GRAPES
How do we select grapes and avoid the temptation of tasting them? Just like apples, good grapes should feel firm when you press on them. They shouldn’t feel too hard otherwise they haven’t ripened yet. Avoid buying unripe grapes as they don’t continue ripening after they have been harvested. But they also shouldn’t feel mushy either! If their stems look dark and brittle that means they are getting old and they are too soft. So, another important sign of freshness is when their stems look green. Additionally, don’t worry if you see white, waxy spots on grapes. They are called blooms and they are a natural coating that protects them from decay.
Check out this cozy pillow with green grapes on our boutique: Our Nook square pillow
WATERMELON
When buying pre-cut watermelon, look for bright red flesh and darker seeds. Keep in mind that once a watermelon has been cut, it will only last for a few days in the refrigerator. So unless you are planning on consuming it right away, you better off buying a whole one. In this case, look for a dark green watermelon with a yellow spot. Having a white, rather lighter color spot means it hasn’t been sitting on the field long enough and it is unripe. Another way to know it has ripening at its best is if the watermelon has a uniform shape. Avoid watermelon with bumps, dents, and asymmetrical form, which may have received irregular amounts of water and sun. Finally, a watermelon should feel heavy compared to another one of the same size, because it means it has a lot of water, it’s juicy and delicious!
STRAWBERRIES
For ripe strawberries to taste sweet, they need to look red from top to bottom. Strawberries with yellow or green spots are not as sweet! Depending on weather conditions, strawberries can be small or big, but they will be delicious either way. Look for green leaves as they are a sign of freshness. Even if you see only one mold strawberry inside a box, avoid buying that box as the other strawberries are getting old too! They also should feel firm when you gently squeeze them, like any other type of berries. Don’t expect strawberries to look or taste better than they are after you buy them as they don’t ripen after they are picked. Organic strawberries are not only more nutritious and free from toxins, but they are also better for the environment.
PINEAPPLE
Just like watermelons, a pineapple should feel heavy if compared to other pineapples of the same size. In addition, put your nose next to its bottom to expect a sweet smell. The bottom should also look lighter in color, usually yellow, and the top half of the pineapple, light green. Avoid pineapples that are completely green or brown, with bruises and soft spots. Try to follow these tips to find the best and ready-to-eat pineapples! But if you end up with a greener one, leave it at room temperature and chances are it will ripen in a few days. Watch this experiment that shows it is possible to ripen pineapples and eat them sweeter.
CHERRIES
When you are buying cherries, look for green stems as they are a sign of freshness. If they don’t have stems they can still taste sweet but stems will keep them fresh for a longer period of time. There are many types of cherries and with these, different colors as well. Look for deep, dark saturation, regardless of the color or type they are. Cherries also need to be firm. Soft, mushy cherries are getting too old. It is also important to know that when selecting Rainier cherries, the reddish-yellow ones, are naturally less firm than the black cherries. It’s well-known that fresh cherries are found during the summer months. But if you are looking for cherries during the off-season for baking or other recipes, you can find great options in the freezer section and in jars or cans.
PEACHES
Another Summer fruit, peaches should actually look beautiful in order to be ready to eat! Bright yellow color with some redness is a great sign of ripeness – check out the yellow peach on the left. They shouldn’t have bumps or look too mushy. However, peaches with small wrinkles mean they are perfectly ripe and soft enough to enjoy! You can also gently press on them. They should feel entirely firm but a little soft on the spot that you are giving a gentle squeeze. When selecting white peaches (photo on the right) make sure there are no green spots on the white areas as these would still be unripe. Summertime is definitely the best time to find fresh peaches. Hope you find these and more as you select the best fruits!