Have you ever been in a grocery store looking for a citrusy snack, but you don’t know how to pick out the perfect fruit? Not only can it be frustrating to come home thinking you’ve picked out a ripe fruit only to find out it’s sour or overripe, it also can ruin your meal plans!



That’s why we’ve created this visual to make things easy. No more guesswork or squeezing random fruit in the grocery store until you can figure out which one is ripe. This guide will show you how to pick out the perfect fruit every time.

Whether it’s figuring out how to pick out a good watermelon or cantaloupe during the summer months, finding that perfect lime for your cocktail or grabbing the best avocado for your guacamole, there really is nothing more satisfying than picking out the perfect fruit.

For some fruits, appearance is enough to help you determine which one is ripe. For instance, a yellow spot on a watermelon is a good sign, whereas most berries should be completely uniform in color. However, all fruits are different, and it can be tricky to figure out if some fruits are ripe based on appearance alone. With citrusy fruits like oranges or lemons, features such as weight or firmness also are a factor, since the exterior of the fruit bears little information about its juiciness.

That’s why using our handy guide makes finding the perfect fruit easy. It can be hard to keep track of all the signs that a fruit is ripe when there are so many different ways to tell, so be sure to save this tool for future trips to the grocery store and other occasions!

Now that you know exactly what to look for in every fruit, you can confidently visit your grocery store on the hunt for that perfect fruit! But what’s even better than a sweet, juicy fruit? A sweet juicy fruit covered in chocolate, like strawberries or cherries. Or, if you want something less rich, you can never go wrong with a caramel apple!

Sources:

The Kitchn 1, 2, 3, 4 | Stemlit | The Spruce 1, 2 | Healthy Living How To | Berkley Wellness 1, 2, 3 | Real Simple | Brooks Tropicals | Epicurious | Livestrong | Leaf.tv | Mango | LA Times | Paleoista | Spark People | Harvest to Table