How to Tell If It’s Ripe: The Ultimate Grocery Store Guide

Ever bought a rock-hard avocado or a mushy melon? We’ve all been there. Picking perfectly ripe fruits and vegetables at the grocery store can feel like a guessing game, but with a few simple tricks, you’ll never waste money on unripe or overripe produce again.

Here’s your go-to guide on how to tell if fruits and veggies are ready to eat—so you can always bring home the best!

Fruits: How to Pick the Perfect One

🍌 Bananas

✅ Best time to buy: Depends on when you’ll eat them!
🔹 Green bananas – Will ripen in a few days.
🔹 Yellow with a few brown spots – Perfectly ripe, soft, and sweet.
🔹 Mostly brown – Overripe, but great for banana bread!

👉 Pro Tip: Store unripe bananas on the counter, away from other fruits. If you need them to ripen faster, put them in a brown paper bag with an apple.

🍎 Apples

✅ Best time to buy: Anytime! Apples stay fresh for weeks.
🔹 Look for firm apples with smooth, unbruised skin.
🔹 A ripe apple should feel heavy and have a crisp texture.

👉 Pro Tip: Store apples in the fridge to keep them crisp longer.

🍑 Peaches, Nectarines, & Plums

✅ Best time to buy: When slightly soft but not mushy.
🔹 Gently press the fruit—if it gives a little, it’s ripe!
🔹 Unripe fruit is hard; overripe fruit feels mushy.

👉 Pro Tip: Let hard peaches or nectarines ripen on the counter for a few days. Once ripe, move them to the fridge.

🥑 Avocados

✅ Best time to buy: When slightly soft but not mushy.
🔹 Gently squeeze the avocado—if it gives slightly, it’s ripe.
🔹 Too hard? It needs a few days to ripen.
🔹 Too soft or wrinkly? It’s overripe inside.

👉 Pro Tip: If you need to ripen an avocado fast, put it in a paper bag with a banana for 24 hours.

🍉 Watermelon

✅ Best time to buy: When it has a creamy yellow spot on one side—this means it ripened on the vine!
🔹 Knock on it—a ripe watermelon sounds hollow inside.
🔹 Heavy = Juicy—A ripe watermelon should feel heavier than it looks.

👉 Pro Tip: Avoid watermelons with white or green spots (they’re underripe).

🍍 Pineapple

✅ Best time to buy: When the bottom smells sweet and leaves pull out easily.
🔹 Too firm? It’s underripe.
🔹 Too soft or has a fermented smell? It’s overripe.

👉 Pro Tip: Pineapples don’t ripen much after picking, so buy them ripe and ready to eat!

🍓 Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)

✅ Best time to buy: When they are brightly colored, plump, and firm.
🔹 Check the bottom of the container—if there’s juice or mold, they’ll spoil fast.

👉 Pro Tip: Wash berries only right before eating to keep them fresh longer.

Vegetables: How to Pick the Freshest Ones

🥑 Tomatoes

✅ Best time to buy: When they smell sweet and feel slightly soft.
🔹 Avoid rock-hard tomatoes (they’ll be flavorless).
🔹 Too squishy? They’re overripe.

👉 Pro Tip: Store unripe tomatoes on the counter (never in the fridge—they lose flavor).

🌽 Corn on the Cob

✅ Best time to buy: When the husks are bright green and the silk is golden brown.
🔹 Peel back the husk slightly—the kernels should be plump and juicy.

👉 Pro Tip: If the kernels look shriveled, it’s not fresh.

🥔 Potatoes

✅ Best time to buy: When they are firm and smooth.
🔹 Avoid sprouting or wrinkly potatoes—they’re past their prime.

👉 Pro Tip: Store potatoes in a cool, dark place (not the fridge).

🥦 Broccoli

✅ Best time to buy: When it’s bright green with firm stalks.
🔹 Yellow florets mean it’s starting to spoil.

👉 Pro Tip: Wrap broccoli in a damp paper towel and store in the fridge to keep it fresh longer.

Quick Cheat Sheet for Picking Perfect Produce

Final Thoughts: Always Pick the Best!

Now that you know how to pick perfectly ripe fruits and veggies, grocery shopping will be way easier—and your food will taste better!

Next time you’re at the store, try these simple ripeness tests and never buy bland, unripe produce again.

What’s your go-to trick for picking the best fruit? Drop a comment below! 🍎🍍🥑

AJ Marchetta

AJ is a seasoned professional in the wine and spirits industry with years of experience in promotions and brand awareness. Having worked with major brands such as Brown-Forman, Southern Wine & Spirits, and more, AJ brings a wealth of knowledge in marketing and campaign strategies that elevate brands and engage consumers. With a passion for the art and science of fine beverages, AJ enjoys sharing insights and expertise to help others discover and appreciate the world of wine and spirits.

See Full Bio