Picking Perfect Produce

KIMA

Story Published: Aug 4, 2008 at 5:45 PM PST

By Heather Reese

It’s happened to everybody. You bite into a piece of fruit–it looks so good, but then it tastes so bad. What a disappointment. And what a waste of money. Americans throw out about a half-pound of produce every single day. Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine says there are tricks to making sure you don’t bring home any duds.

Don’t just use your eyes when you’re searching for great fruits and veggies, also use your nose. For example, when you’re hunting for melons and berries, they should smell sweet.

Choose tomatoes with a vibrant color that are a little soft to the touch. As for beans, thin ones are better. And ones that bend are old. You can use the same bending test with celery, asparagus, and zucchini, too. Look for broccoli that’s dark green with tight buds. If you can separate the buds, or it’s yellow, it’s getting old.

With watermelons, you want to look for a nice sheen to its skin. You also want to look for a yellow patch on the bottom. That means it’s ripe but not rotten. Pick plums with even color and no brown spots. And look for ones that are slightly soft to the touch. The same’s true for peaches and nectarines. And choose ones with a creamy gold background color.

Also, no matter how fabulous the produce, resist the urge to buy more than you’ll eat, so you don’t end up wasting money. ShopSmart says that ideally, you want to buy fruits that are in season for great quality. And you can always ask the produce clerk what’s good today. They’ll know what shipments have just come in.

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