You're actually visiting your produce aisle. Congrats! That's an awesome start. But as any woman who has ever sorted through a bin of mushy tomatoes knows, taking a trip to the supermarket and walking out with the best-of-the-best produce is definitely not a given.
So, with the help of Eric Stone, FreshDirect's produce merchant, we dug into the worst fruit and veggie shopping habits. See which ones you're committing—and how to avoid them on your next stroll down the produce aisle.
Buying Produce Just Once a Week
You aren't shopping for dried goods here. Produce goes bad fast! And every day it sits around in your refrigerator or on your countertop, it loses a bit more of its nutrients. So shop for your fruits and veggies as close to when you plan to eat them as possible, says Stone. Sure, that might mean making a few more trips to the store, but your grub will taste so much better—and half won't end up rotten in the trashcan.
Shopping at the Start of the Season
It's tempting to load up on strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon as soon as they show their rose-y little faces in the supermarket. But it's better to hold off. "The first produce—especially fruit—of the season isn't necessarily the best to buy," says Stone. "It will often be very expensive and won't taste as good as later-in-the-season varieties." If you're not sure if your supermarket's produce is good yet, ask if you can try a sample.
MORE: The Best Spring Produce for Weight Loss
Buying Internationally
Where are your veggies from? If they're from overseas, they might not be as fresh as you'd like. "Usually, you'll get the freshest and best-tasting produce if you buy domestically or locally because it's getting from the farm to you faster," says Stone. If you don't have direct access to local farmers (think: farmers markets), he suggests checking the stickers on your produce for countries of origin.
Picking Pre-Sliced
If it's between buying some already-sliced pieces of watermelon and grabbing a whole melon you'll end up avoiding until it rots and you're forced to throw it away, then sure: Pre-sliced is better. But buying whole helps guarantee your produce is as fresh from the farm as it can be, says Stone. Plus, produce’s skin, rind, whatever, is there for a reason: It protects the plant from deteriorating.
Not Knowing What's Ripe
You can't judge every piece of produce the same way. With some, you know they're ready to go based on color. With others, texture is the indicator. With avocados, it's about whether or not their stem falls out easily. Learn how to tell when your produce is ripe.
MORE: The Foods on the Latest Dirty Dozen List
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