By Jessica Domel
Squeeze. Thump. Sniff. I’ve seen, and tried, it all. But what is truly the best way to pick good produce for your family? How do you get the best bang for your buck? Today, our Texas farmers share their tips for selecting good fruit.
When checking out grapefruit, look for a nice, pink blush. Feel for firmness and look for one with thinner skin.
The pinker the outside of the grapefruit, the redder and riper it is on the inside. A firm grapefruit is juicier and a thick skin is likely all rind, according to Dale Murden, president of Texas Citrus Mutual.
Be mindful of what time you buy the fruit as well. The later it is in the season, the sweeter the grapefruit will be.
Eyeing the peaches? Don’t squeeze them! It just leaves a mark on the fruit for the next person, Jimmy Duecker, a peach farmer and owner of Berg’s Corner near Fredericksburg, says.
Instead, look for a consistent color on your peaches. And avoid those with soft spots. If you can, ask the grower or someone in the produce department if you can taste one.
When selecting strawberries, take note of their coloring. You want a berry that’s totally red without green “shoulders,” according to grower Cora Lamar from Oak Hill Farms in Poteet.
Strawberries come in different shapes and sizes, and Lamar says the best way to pick a strawberry is by ensuring it’s nice and red all the way to the cap.
Need a melon? Listen for the thump. Watermelon grower Russell Boening of Poth explains you’ll hear a dead sound if the melon is overripe.
If it’s just right, it will make a drum-like sound.
No matter what produce you’re looking for, we hope you enjoy it! Have other tips you’d like to share? Leave them for us in the comments.
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