Eating in Season - Spring & Summer Fruits and Veggies

Spring Fruits and Vegetables

Apricots

• Apricots should be slightly soft, but unbruised.
• Ripe apricots are fragrant and golden orange.

Artichoke

• Look for artichoke with compact head and ripe green color.

Asparagus

• Buy bright green stalks.
• Tips should be closed and compact.

Avocado

• Gently squeeze an avocado in the palm of your hand to see if there's a little give.
• Solid avocados take 2-3 days to ripen at home.

Carrots

• Healthy-looking tops are an indication of freshness.
• Carrots should be crisp, and not look tired or limp.

Collard Greens

• Fresh collards have a dark green color and feel vibrant and firm
• Avoid wilted or yellowed leaves.

Fava Beans

• Find firm pods without many markings.

Mango

• Ripe mangoes' skins are more orange/red than green.
• Squeeze gently in the palm of the hand to determine ripeness.

Morels

• Avoid dried out morels, as they spoil quickly.
• Morels will last at most two days, refrigerated.

Mustard Greens

• Buy fresh-looking and crispy greens.
• Check for yellowing spots or wilting.

New Potatoes

• New potatoes only last a few days, and are not as hardy as the regular sort.

Pineapple

• Sniff the bottom for sweet aroma, and check for firmness.
• Pineapples cannot be ripened at home.

Rhubarb

• Select bright, crisp stalks.
• Try baking Fat-Free Rhubarb-Strawberry Crisp

Spinach

• Avoid dried-out or yellowing-stemmed spinach.

Strawberries

• Pick fragrant, slightly soft strawberries.
• See "Rhubarb"

Sugar Snap/Snow Peas

• Should be bright green when ripe.
• Make sure they're not limp, and feel like they'd have a snap.

Summer Fruits and Vegetables

Beets

• Buy beets with greens still attached.
• Greens should be colorful and not wilted.

Blackberries

• Look for dark, plump berries.
• Lift container to check for mold in the bottom.

Blueberries

• As with all berries, check container for mold.

Broccoli

• Fresh broccoli has a compact head and dark green color.

Cherries

• Sort through cherries by hand.
• Pick mold-free, plump cherries with vibrant color.

Corn

• A green husk, tight around the cob, indicates freshness.
• Eat as soon as possible after shucking.

Cucumber

• Avoid limp or bruised cucumbers.

Eggplant

• Choose firm, unblemished eggplants.
• Use within a few days of purchase.

Green Beans

• Avoid picking dried-out beans.
• Use quickly, since they don't keep long.

Nectarines

• Find nectarines soft to the touch.
• Check for bruises and/or green spots.

Peaches

• Pick peaches without bruises or marks.
• Ripe peaches will give to gentle pressure.

Plums

• Ripe plumbs feel plump and not too hard.

Raspberries

• Raspberries should be plump and deep red.
• Look for squashed berries inside containers.

Summer Squash

• Check firmness and look for blemishes.

Tomatoes

• Look for firm, bright, strong-smelling tomatoes.
• Never refrigerate, as this destroys taste and texture.

Watermelon

• Ripe watermelon is yellowish on the underside.
• A good watermelon has a dried-out stem; a green stem indicates under-ripeness.

Zucchini

• Select shiny, blemish-free zucchini.