How to Choose Your Fruit

So the grocery store can be a confusing place,  like Lady Gaga's mind.  Here are some easy to follow rules for selecting the best fruit in the store.

1) Buy in season.  There are many different seasonal charts for fruits and vegetables.  Here's one that I follow.

2) Buy from bins, not groups in bags. One spoiled apple will ruin the bunch.  Over-ripe fruit releases a gas that will make the fruit around them also begin to rot.

3) Use your eyes.  Make sure that you are selecting fruit that does not contain mold, soft spots or bruising. Also, make sure that you are picking appropriately colored fruit aka: not white watermelon or green strawberries.

4) Use your nose. Some fruit, such as melons, release a sweet aroma.  If the fruit is beginning to spoil, the fruit releases a sour odor.

5) Use your hands.  Gently feel the fruit to make sure that there are no bruises, no soft spots, and the appropriate firmness.  Some fruits such as apples and pears are supposed to be firm while other fruits such as peaches and plums should be slightly tender to the touch.

6) Choose the smaller fruits.  This seems counter-intuitive since you want to get the biggest produce for your money, however, the smaller the fruit, the higher the skin:flesh ratio.  This ratio is important because the highest level of nutrients are found in the flesh just under the skin.

7) Don't settle.  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE!  Make sure that you don't settle for an unripe fruit, there are many different types of fruits out there.  Try to mix up what you buy based on the season!