People who live in a tropical or subtropical climate can enjoy produce that is harvested at peak ripeness. In contrast, many people who live in temperate regions, where the growing season is short, must rely on produce that is shipped in. Many fruits and vegetables are harvested green and shipped to supermarkets where they are sold under- or overripe. However, if you know what to look for and when to purchase it, you can find the best that your local store has to offer and experience your foods in a new way.
Step 1
Select fruits and vegetables that are in season, especially those that are grown locally. Produce that is allowed to ripen on the vine rather than being picked green and transported long distances may be higher in vitamins and often tastes better, too.
Step 2
Gently squeeze soft fruits, such as peaches, plums and mangoes. Ripe fruit will give slightly, but will not be mushy.
Step 3
Smell the fruit at the site where the stem attaches. Ripe fruits often have a strong, sweet odor, while unripe ones have little to no scent.
Step 4
Select fruits that are heavy for their size. This rule also holds for so-called vegetables that are in fact botanical fruits, such as tomatoes, squashes and eggplants.
Step 5
Choose deeply colored apples, bananas, peaches, plums and berries, but do not rely on color to judge citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits. Select these according to weight and scent, as outlined in steps 3 and 4.
Step 6
Thump watermelons with your flat palm. Ripe ones sound hollow, while unripe ones sound solid. You may see a patch of yellow on a vine-ripened melon; this is where it sat on the ground.
Step 7
Select beans, carrots, asparagus, broccoli and leafy vegetables that are crisp. Avoid any that bend instead of snap.
Step 8
Choose vegetables that are deeply colored and unblemished.
Step 9
Judge vegetables that still have their leaves attached, such as beets and celery, by the health of their leaves. They should appear fresh and well-colored, never yellow or wilted.
Step 10
Pull back the shucks on ears of corn and examine the kernels. They should be firm and plump and should explode with milk when you puncture them with your fingernail.
Step 11
Ask your grocer when the store receives its produce shipments. Try to arrive later that day for the best selection of fruits and vegetables.
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