The Trick For Finding The Freshest Produce At The Grocery Store

We've all experienced the disappointment of buying fresh produce at the grocery store, say a head of lettuce, only to discover that it has started to go bad after a day or two after being unpacked at home. The plan of making fresh salads all week goes out the window, along with the money spent on the lettuce.

There are tricks to selecting the freshest produce at the grocery store that will let you have that bowl of mixed greens with shaved carrots, diced tomatoes and sliced radishes all week if you want. But it's important to be educated about what you are buying in order to make the best purchases.

While shopping in the produce section, Reader's Digest warns that produce is often older than the consumer thinks. One example thy provide is apples, which are primarily harvested in the autumn, yet can still be found filling store produce sections in the summer. Other fruits may have been ripened with chemicals, such as tomatoes, bananas, peaches, and pears, according to NPR.

When selecting perishable items at the grocery store, dig deep for the freshest items. According to Taste of Home, store stockers put the new items behind the old items to encourage the sale of the items that have been for sale the longest. This tip applies to fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, and baked goods or any other perishable items.

Men's Health recommends using your senses when selecting which items of produce you want to purchase. Utilize your sight to check if fruits and vegetables are irregularly shaped and blemished, while also touching them to check for sturdy produce with tight skin, which they say is a sign of freshness. Don't forget to use your nose to smell the item for its level of ripeness. 

It's also important to understand what's in season. Buying fruits or vegetables out of its growing season could mean it was either stored for a long time or traveled many miles to get from its point of origin to your store shelves. By shopping in-season, Men's Health says you can save money on your groceries and get tastier produce items.

With the use of your senses and by digging deep, the freshest produce can be found at your fingertips.