QUICK GUIDE:
No more
unripe
(OR MUSHY)
fruit!
Always stuck with overripe avocados and too-tough-to-eat melons? Some summer produce is
harder to select and store than others. Follow our cheat sheet for the
trickiest of fruits. –Emily Courtney
FRUIT
Apricots
LOOK FOR
Plump, vibrant-colored fruits with sweet
fragrance; avoid those with shriveled,
green-tinged, or bruised skin.
Avocados
Heavy, unblemished avocados; avoid those
that are overly soft or have cracked skin.
Blueberries
Firm, dry berries with deep-blue color
and silvery tone; avoid shriveled, leaking,
mushy berries.
Melons
Firm to slightly soft melons with symmetric
shape and fruity fragrance; avoid those with
cracks, bruises, or soft spots.
Peaches
Plump, medium to large peaches, with
unwrinkled skin and mild fragrance, that
yield slightly to pressure along seam; avoid
those with green undertones.
Strawberries
Berries that are plump, fragrant, brightly
colored, and firm, with fresh, green caps;
avoid green berries.
Plump, heavy tomatoes with smooth skins
and mild fragrance; they should be soft and
yielding. Avoid those with no fragrance.
TO RIPEN OR STORE
TO RIPEN: Keep at room temperature in paper bag away from
heat or direct sunlight. Refrigerate ripe apricots for 1–2 days.
Don’t wash until ready to eat.
TO RIPEN: Keep at room temperature for 3– 6 days or in paper
bag with a tomato; refrigerate for up to 3 days.
TO STORE: Refrigerate without washing; will last 7– 10 days.
The least perishable of all berries, these won’t get sweeter
after picking.
TO STORE: Keep at room temperature for 2– 4 days to soften
and make melon juicier but not necessarily sweeter;
watermelons don’t ripen after picking. Store in plastic bags
in refrigerator to protect other produce from the ethylene
gas that melons give off.
TO STORE: Keep at room temperature in a paper bag to bring
out the juice, but these won’t get any sweeter; then refrigerate
in crisper drawer for 3–5 days.
TO STORE: Strawberries won’t ripen after picking. To keep
fresh, spread on a shallow plate, cover with paper towel and
plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2– 4 days.
TO RIPEN: Place tomatoes in a paper bag with an apple or
banana. Once ripe, they keep well at room temperature out
of sunlight for 1–2 days.
