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.
