We all know that fruits and vegetables are healthy for us, but many fail to consider just how important it is to properly care for our produce. Farmers understand this all to well. This is why they make use of refrigerated trucks for market transport to ensure that stores have quality selections of their fruits and vegetables to offer their customers. Because produce is taken away from its natural environment once it is picked, it needs to be properly cared for until it is consumed. If this does not happen, you do not want to eat. This is why you will want to avoid these three common mistakes when choosing produce.
Choose by Touch
Many people pick up and touch their fruit before buying it, but they really don’t know what they are looking for. Take avocado for instance, it should be firm, but give in slightly when pressed. This will give you the produce that is the most moist and juicy. This means that the fruit should be firm to the touch. It should not be hard, and it certainly shouldn’t feel squishy or limp when you go to pick it up. This also works for vegetables such as carrots and broccoli. Feel the ends. They should not give up too easily when you try to bend them.
Choose by Color and Smell
Fruit needs to be picked correctly. Despite what you may have seen on Instagram, you don’t pick pineapples by breaking of the stem. That is their life source and it won’t continue to mature if you break it off. Remember, produce is natural. You have to smell, feel, it to tell If it’s ripe. Don’t be afraid to sniff it. This will give you the best pieces that taste great. The better the taste. You have to learn when it’s hit a proper maturity point for you.
Smell Matters
When it comes to produce, the smell does matter. If something smells rotten, pass it by. Vegetables that have a chemical smell should be avoided. On the contrary, an aromatic smell is what you are looking for as this indicates ripeness and great taste. When you’re used to buying super immature fruits a ripe smell can be confused with an over-ripe smell.
These are three ways to help you choose the right produce, no matter if you in a grocery store or a farmer’s market. The key is to let the fruits and vegetables talk to you. Get to know them well, and then you know what to choose. This will not only help to enjoy the flavor much more, but you will also benefit from enhanced vitamins that nutrients that your body really needs as well.