KDKA.com Consumer Web Extras
Aug 4, 2008 5:45 pm US/Eastern
Tips On Picking The Perfect Produce
(KDKA)
It's happened to everybody. You bite into a piece of fruit–it looks so good, but then it tastes so bad.
It's not only a disappointment... it's a huge waste of money.
Americans throw out about a half-pound of produce every single day.
Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine says there are tricks to making sure you don't bring home any duds.
Don't just use your eyes when you're searching for great fruits and veggies, also use your nose.
For example, when you're hunting for melons and berries, they should smell sweet.
Choose tomatoes with a vibrant color that are a little soft to the touch.
As for beans, thin ones are better. And ones that bend are old.
You can use the same bending test with celery, asparagus, and zucchini, too.
Look for broccoli that's dark green with tight buds.
If you can separate the buds, or it's yellow, it's getting old.
With watermelons, you want to look for a nice sheen to its skin.
You also want to look for a yellow patch on the bottom. That means it's ripe but not rotten.
Pick plums with even color and no brown spots.
And look for ones that are slightly soft to the touch.
The same is true for peaches and nectarines. Choose ones with a creamy gold background color.
Also, no matter how fabulous the produce, resist the urge to buy more than you'll eat, so you don't end up wasting money.
ShopSmart says that ideally, you want to buy fruits that are in season for great quality.
And you can always ask the produce clerk what's good today.
They'll know what shipments have just come in.
Here are the experts recommendations for choosing and storing some of the most popular produce: Apples should have smooth clear skin, which should not wrinkle when you rub your thumb across it. Store in a cool dark place or the refrigerator, away from strong smelling foods that may spoil the taste.
Avocados should have dark-green to black skin and "give" when you squeeze it without feeling soft. Store in a brown paper bag at room temperature, and speed up ripening by putting an apple or banana in the bag.
Berries should be plump and dry with a sweet aroma. Store unwashed, in the refrigerator, in a covered contrainer.
Grapes should be large and plump with bright color and attached stems. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, unwashed, and remove any bad grapes since they can cause the whole bunch to spoil.
Melons should have a clean stem area and a sweet aroma. Store in the refrigerator and wash skins before cutting to get rid of bacteria.
Peaches should have a background color that's creamy gold. Store in the refrigerator, at room temperature, and speed up ripening by puttin gthem in a paper bag.
Pears should be firm or slightly soft and sweet smelling. Store in a paper bag to speed ripening, then refrigerate.
Tomatos should have a sweet smell and vibrant color and be softer to the touch. Store at room temperature.
Beans should be thinner, not soft, wrinkled, lumpy or "bendy" (an indication that the beans are old). Store in an air tight container.
Beets should have greens still attached, and be smaller, with smooth, firm skin. Store in the crisper with the greens cut off.
Broccoli should have tight buds and dark green, almost blue sprouts (open, yellowish buds means the broccoli is old). Store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.
Corn should have bright green husks and kernels that produce slightly cloudy juice when you pop one. Keep them in the refrigerator in the husk.
Mushrooms should have caps that are closed around the mushroom stem to indicate freshness. Store unwashed in a paper bag in the refrigerator (plastic bags will cause them to spoil).
Onions should be firm with paper-thin skins. Store in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place, not in the refrigerator, and not near potatoes.
Peppers should have deep colors and fresh looking, unwrinkled skin. Store in a plastic bag, unwashed, in the refrigerator.
Potatos (red) should have bright red, smooth skins and few eyes. Store in a cool place away from light for up to 2 weeks (storing in the refrigerator will encourage sprouting).
Zuccini and Yellow Squash should be small, with firm, smooth, shiny skin. Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and used in two or three days.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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