FRUITS & VEGETABLES
VEGETABLES
- ARTICHOKES
- Look for compact, tightly closed heads with green, clean looking leaves. Avoid those with leaves that are brown or separated.
- ASPARAGUS
- Stalks should be tender and firm; tips should be close and compact. Choose the stalks with very little white; they are more
tender. Use Asparagus soon because it toughens rapidly.
- BEANS, SNAP
- Those with small seeds inside the pods are best. Avoid beans with dry looking pods.
- BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, & CAULIFLOWER
- Flower Clusters on broccoli and cauliflower should be tight and close together. Brussels sprouts should be firm and
compact. Smudgy, dirty spots may indicate pests or disease.
- CABBAGE AND ICEBURG LETTUCE
- Choose heads that are heavy for their size. Avoid cabbage with worm holes and lettuce with discoloration or soft rot.
- CUCUMBERS
- Choose long, slender cucumbers for best quality. May be dark or medium green, but yellow ones are undesirable.
- MUSHROOMS
- Caps should be closed around the stems. Avoid black or brown gills.
- PEAS & LIMA BEANS
- Select pods that are well-filled but not Bulging. Avoid dried, spotted, yellow, or flabby pods.
FRUITS
- BANANAS
- Skin should be free of bruises and black or brown spots. Purchase them green and allow them to ripen at home at room
temperature.
- BERRIES
- Select plump, solid berries with good color.
Avoid stained containers which indicate wet
or leaky berries. Berries with clinging caps,
such as blackberries and raspberries, may
be unripe. Strawberries without caps may
be overripe.
- MELONS
- In cantaloupes, thick, close netting on the
rind indicates best quality. Cantaloupes are ripe when the stem scar is smooth and the
space between the netting is yellow or
yellow-green. They are best when fully ripe
with fruity odor.
Honeydews are ripe when rind has creamy
To yellowish color and velvety texture.
Immature honeydews are whitish-green.
Ripe watermelons have some yellow color
on one side. If melons are white or pale
green on one side, they are not ripe.
- ORANGES, GRAPEFRUITS, & LEMONS
- Choose those heavy for their size.
Smoother, thinner skins usually indicate more juice. Most skin markings do not affect quality. Oranges with a slight greenish tinge may be just as ripe as fully
Colored ones. Light or greenish-yellow
Lemons are more tart than deep yellow ones. Avoid citrus fruits showing withered,
Sunken or soft areas.
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