What You Should Consider Before Buying Acorn Squash

The acorn squash takes its name from to the way its shape resembles an acorn. Besides its unique shape, this winter squash variety differs from others in the squash family with it's firm dark green rind. There are also orange and white acorn squash, the type with a green rind is the most common. When cooked, you can eat almost every part of the acorn squash.

As Live Eat Learn details, the skin becomes tender after cooking and you can roast and eat the seeds once you've scooped them out of the inner flesh. Because of it's distinctive shape, acorn squash are often served baked and stuffed with other vegetables, meat, cheese, or a combination of all three. And whether you choose to stuff it or enjoy it on its own, the flavor of the golden flesh is nutty and slightly sweet and goes well with many meats and vegetables. But before you buy your next serving of this versatile vegetable, make sure to pick the right size. 

Now that you know the ways you can cook and serve an acorn squash, you might be thinking about adding it to your grocery list. But before you pick one up at the supermarket, make sure you choose one of the right size. Too small, and you may not be able to fill it with much, if you plan on serving it stuffed. If you pick a larger one, use caution.

As Yes Organic Market notes, it's best to avoid an acorn squash that's over three pounds. The article further explains that finding a squash over this weight usually means it's been picked too late and the flesh inside may be stringy or dry. Another tip is to pick one that feels heavy for its size. The article explains that acorn squash are high in water content and if one doesn't feel heavy, it's probably been sitting around a while and could be dried up inside.