Tips on selecting the best fruits and veggies

I have learned a few tips recently on how to pick the best fruits and veggies in the produce aisle.  I thought I'd share since they are pretty basic but may help you walk away with something delicious rather than disappointing.  Some of these tips I learned by asking the grocer, other shoppers, etc.  Some of them I looked up this morning. 

Grapes: No matter what the grapes look like, I was told to pick the bunch that is on the greenest vine/stem.  When you get home, separate all of the grapes from the vine.  This will help them last much longer.  Best time to buy: July to December.

Bananas: Separate them into individuals rather than leaving them as a bunch on your countertop.  They turn brown more quickly when left as a bunch.  I also found out that if you store them on their backs they bruise more.  That's why some people hang their bananas.  Also, if you store them on their side, they will ripen faster.

Citrus: For grapefruits and oranges, pick the ones that are the smoothest.  The more textured peels suggest a thicker rind and an immature fruit.  Also, you want to pick the firmest, heaviest fruits which will have the most juice (a rule of thumb for nearly every fruit).  Color doesn't really matter.  A ripe grapefruit can still be greenish.  A ripe orange can be yellowish or even slightly green. 

Apples: Look for firm fruit with no bruises or wrinkles.  Apples last incredibly long in the crisper of your fridge so stock up when your favorite variety goes on sale.

Pears: Look for firm fruit with no bruises or wrinkles.  If they aren't all the way ripe, place near citrus on the counter to speed the ripening process.

Cantaloupe: Sniff the blossom end of the fruit (the end opposite the stem) and only select the fruit that has a full, fruity aroma.  Also, you want the skin to be yellowish, rather than greenish.  Best time to buy: June, July and August.

Watermelon (advice from a watermelon farmer): Go for the ones that are dull in appearance.  Shiny means they are not quite ripe.  Unlike cantaloupes, you can’t smell a watermelon to help determine ripeness. Instead, look for a symmetrically shaped melon without flat yellow spots, which indicates the melon has spent a fair amount of time being transported while resting on its side. Select a watermelon that seems dense and heavy for its size and produces a pingy hollow sound rather than a dull thud when thumped.

Honeydew: Should smell sweet.  Give it a knock on the side and listen for a deep sound - not a hollow, higher sound.  I am terrible at this because the thumps all sound the same to me but I thoughts I'd include this anyway.

Squash: The small to medium squash are the best.  The larger the squash, the larger the seeds.

Artichokes: The freshest artichokes will feel firm, heavy for their size, and squeak slightly when squeezed. Also, look for ones that are a bright shade of green with tightly closed center leaves.  Let me know when you buy artichokes and I'll come over and eat one with you.  These are, afterall, my favorite veggie.

Asparagus: The best asparagus bundles will have straight, bright green stalks with closed purpleish tips. If the stalks are curving or the buds are starting to open, keep looking. The thickness of the stalks is not a major factor in whether it will be more or less tender, so just go with your personal preference when it comes to size.

Peaches and Nectarines: Select a peach or nectarine that’s firm with only slight give at the seams - not rock hard. A ripe fruit will be orangey-red without any green patches. Beware of mushy spots.  Avoid them if they don't have a strong, peach-y smell.  Don't store them in the refrigerator because they will get mushy.  To ripen, place them in a brown paper bag.  Best time to buy: August and September. 

Tomatoes: The best tomatoes will be a bright red color and give a little (enough to bounce back and not remain indented) when pressed. A tomato that feels slightly heavy for its size indicates it’s dense and juicy and ready to eat. The skin should be smooth and not at all wrinkled or shriveled.

Avocados: A ripe avocado will be soft, but not mushy, and free of any brown spots (a good tip for just about every fruit or vegetable). A quick tip for picking an avocado is to remove the tiny stem at the top to see the flesh underneath, which should be a bright green. However, if you don’t want (or need) to use the avocado right away, the best thing to do is buy an unripe one and let it ripen in a brown paper bag on your kitchen counter.

Strawberries:  Smell it.  Buy luscious red.  They do not ripen further once picked so avoid any green.  Smaller strawberries have more flavor than bigger ones.  Do not wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them.

Corn:  Feel the tip through the husk.  The fatter, less pointed tip is the ear you want.  A very pointy tip means the ear hasn't filled out yet.

Do you have any tips to share that I left out?