You might think it takes a discerning eye to determine if fruits and vegetables are fresh. But that’s far from true – really, anyone can do it! Fruits and vegetables are an important component of you and your family’s diet. 

HueTrition takes pride in providing valuable insights into the nutritional value and quality of your food so you can feel confident about your choices. In this article, we’ll guide you through some ways to tell if fruits are fresh so you can cook with nothing but the best for your family.

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Weight

Fruits become heavier over time as they ripen and become juicier. This process is prevalent in fruits like pineapple, melons, and oranges. Even lemons and limes become softer and heavier with time as moisture begins to accumulate.

Smell

Most fruits tend to have a distinct scent to indicate that it is ripe. Typically, the scent is sweet and a bit musty for juicy fruits. If they begin to develop a vinegary smell, this is a sign that they’re becoming overripe. The aroma will be more pronounced at the base of the stem, so if you’re using the scent test, focus on this area.

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Color

The color of the fruit changes with the level of ripeness. Typically, unripe fruit is green with a tinge of white. When it begins to ripen, it changes in color and becomes a brighter hue like red, orange, or yellow.

Firmness

Typically, ripe fruits are not very firm; instead, they are soft and squishy. If the fruit is too firm, then that means it is not yet ripe. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t buy fruit that’s perfectly ripe from the store unless you plan to eat it right away. Instead, buy fruit that’s almost ripe so you can eat it when it’s ready in a couple of days.

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Is it Fresh? Tips for Specific Fruits

A ripe watermelon 

Watermelons are very juicy, which makes them heavy when they ripen. In most cases, people tend to hold the melon and rotate it to see how heavy it is.

When you tap the outside of a ripe watermelon, it produces a hollow sound. In addition to that, a ripe watermelon should have a yellow spot on the area where it has been on the ground. If the melon is white, then that means it’s not ripe. It’s usually best to buy a watermellon when the bottom is yellowish-white.

A ripe mango

There are clues like color changes and squishy texture that reveals the ripeness of the mango. If the mango is ripe, it will change color from green and yellow to orange and red. Some still have a green tinge when they’re ripe, but you can tell when they’re ready if they are very squishy and smell sweet. The smell will be more intense at the base, where it was attached to the tree.

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A Ripe Strawberry

You can tell that a strawberry is ripe by smelling it. The scent is the most reliable way to ensure that it’s ready. A ripe strawberry will be red without any green or white patches.  Some of the sweetest ones are light orange in color and aromatic.

In supermarkets, grocers often pack the strawberries in a way to show off its dark red color and its conical shape. It’s advisable to smell and slightly squeeze the fruits before making a purchase. Look at some of the fruits beneath the top layer to make sure that they’re not too ripe yet.

A ripe avocado

When you squeeze an avocado and notice that it’s hard, then that means it is not ready to be made into guacamole. Since avocados have no scent and are not subject to color change, the only way to tell if they are ripe or not is to give them a gentle squeeze. As the avocado matures, it gets softer and more squishy.

Overripe avocado tends to have a rotten smell, which is very similar to a pumpkin that has been cracked open.

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A ripe pineapple

If a pineapple has a sweet and tangy aroma, then you know that it is ready for consumption. After the pineapple matures, it remains firm and slightly squishy. However, if it is overripe, then it will emit a vinegary odor. An unripe pineapple is practically odorless.

One way to test the ripeness of the pineapple is to try and pluck the leaves near the center of the fruit. If it comes off easily, the pineapple is ripe. If you experience any resistance while plucking the leaves, then that means the fruit is not mature enough.

A Ripe Bananas

A ripe banana is yellow and has an intensely rich scent that accompanies it. The smell is another good indicator you can use to differentiate between ripe and unripe bananas. That is why it is essential to smell your fruit before making a purchase. 

Some bananas have a distinct smell that deepens as it gets more mature. A ripe banan should be slightly fragrant, but not yet sickly sweet or tangy.

The most common misconception about banana ripeness is that squeezing it can help determine ripeness. People think that the more squishy the banana is, the more mature and ready it is for purchasing and consuming. Unfortunately, this is not the case because bananas can be a little bit soft, even if they are not fully ripe.

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Final Note

We know how vital it is to have an ample amount of fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet. Fortunately, HueTrition has all the insights you need to ensure that your child can eat nutritious meals. Quality food is the key ingredient to living a healthy lifestyle. 

Your kids will know the difference in taste when it comes to fresh fruits or vegetables. And obviously, the fresher they are, the more enticing. The easiest way to tell whether a fruit is ready to eat is by smelling, squeezing, and looking at it. 

Fruits can be deceiving, so make sure you have a pretty good sense of their freshness before digging in. Keep in mind that once peel or bite into a fruit, the ripening process will come to a stop. That means if you peel and eat unripe fruit, you will immediately experience a sour taste. If you peel a banana and cut into a fruit without finishing it, it will begin to rot quickly.

Fortunately, with the right information and support from HueTrition, you are on your way to healthy and delicious meals.
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