How to Pick the Perfect Watermelon: 5 Key Tips To Pick The Freshest Fruits, Everytime

Most people don’t know how to choose fruit that’s properly ripe. There’s a huge variety of fruits and the methods for determining their ripeness are as varied as their flavors and textures. Here are some helpful tips and tricks, things you can look out for when trying to find the freshest fruits.


1. WATERMELON

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  • Pick It Up: Big or small, the watermelon should feel heavy for its size.
  • Look for the Yellow Spot: Watermelons develop a splotch where they rest on the ground. When this splotch is creamy yellow, it’s ready to be eaten.
  • Tap the melon with the palm of your hand. A ripe one will have a deep hollow sound. Under-ripe or over-ripe melons will sound dull.

2. APPLE

  • Picking ripe apples is pretty simple: It should be firm all around and heavier in size.
  • Dents, wrinkles, and bruises are signs you have an over-ripe apple. Press on it, if it leaves a mark, you should definitely pass.
  • Leave the ones with brown marks at stem’s base.

3. CITRUS

  • Oranges, sweet lime, tangerines,—they’re all variations on a single theme, and the rules for all of them are the same.
  • You want to find ones that have smooth and firm skin but not hard.
  • The rind should be stretched tightly, like the fruit inside is trying to burst out. Overripe citrus has skin that’s wrinkled.

4. POMEGRANATE

  • A good, ripe pomegranate should feel heavy, as if it’s very full of juice and the skin should be firm and taut.
  • The skin color varies from medium red to deep red with a fresh leather-like appearance
  • Ripe ones have slightly angular sides; perfectly round means unripe
  • A small crack is a sign of ripeness
  • If the petals at the crown are slightly inwards, it’s ready to eat.

5. STRAWBERRIES

  • Look for a dark red color and a glossy skin. If there’s white around the stem, it’s unripe
  • Smell it for the sweet strawberry scent. Ripe strawberries smell sweet and fragrant.
  • The farther the seeds (the dots on the skin), the sweeter.
  • Also note that larger berries usually suffer in flavor compared to smaller ones.

6. BANANAS

  • Bananas are ripe when they are yellow.
  • Contrary to some common beliefs, brown spots aren’t signs of over-ripeness. But if the peel is more brown than yellow, then it’s over-ripe.

7. GRAPES

  • The plumper the better, but avoid leaky, wrinkled clusters.
  • Bunches that are firmly attached to the stem are best.
  • Green varieties should have a slight yellow tint.
  • Red grapes should take on a rich, red shade.

8. PAPAYA

  • Look for mostly yellow with a bit of green
  • The base/stem area should smell nice and sweet
  • Avoid fruit that is overly soft, has blemishes or soft spots.
  • Ripe ones will yield a little when gently pressed. Source