Buying Fresh Produce At The Grocery Store? Follow These Tips
Over the years, the quality and quantity of fresh produce at grocery stores have really improved. These days, you can buy all sorts of rare and exotic fruits and vegetables. They also tend to be quite fresh and close to ripeness. However, there are definitely still some tips you can follow for a better experience when buying fruits and veggies at the grocery store.
Buy what's in season, first.
If produce is in season, it is often sourced from close by. By comparison, produce that is not in-season may be shipped in from other countries. There's nothing wrong with this shipped-in, out-of-season produce, but it does not tend to be as fresh or tasty as produce that's in season. So, a good strategy is to buy mostly items that are in-season and fill in with some out-of-season items as necessary to make the dishes you desire.
Check for bruises.
Stores do their best to avoid putting bruised produce on the shelves. However, sometimes another customer will pick up a piece of fruit, put it down with some force, and cause bruising. As such, there may be some bruised produce in the displays, and it is worth checking before you buy. A bruised piece of fruit will spoil within a few short days, and sometimes it will cause the other fruit around it to spoil.
Look for smaller pieces of fruit.
There are exceptions to this guideline, of course. For instance, if you have two kids and like to give them both half a banana in the morning, you may want to look for bigger bananas. But in general, when you want a piece of fruit, you don't want one so large that it feels like a whole meal. Storing fruit that has been cut is not always easy. So, you tend to get more "bang for your buck" by buying three or four smaller pieces of fruit rather than two big ones.
Don't be afraid to smell it.
When it comes to fruits like melons, peaches, and plums, don't hesitate to get your nose in there and give the fruit a whiff before you buy. You want it to smell sweet, as this is an indication that it is ripe. Fruit that does not yet smell sweet may need to sit on your counter to ripen for a few days before you enjoy it.
For more info, visit a local fresh produce grocery store.
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