One of the challenges when we are buying fruits is knowing whether they are ripe or not. And let’s face it, it’s not always easy to know how to tell when fruits are ripe.
You may be wondering, What does ripeness mean? Why is it important? Ripeness is the quality of any fruit that makes it ready to be collected or eaten. It’s important because you want to eat your fruit when it’s perfectly ready to get the best taste.
Though we must admit, it’s not easy to check for a fruit’s ripeness. Avocados are among the fruits that might confuse us, but don’t worry. It’s possible to learn how to tell when fruit is ripe or not.
In fact, we have listed six helpful tips that you’ll definitely appreciate.
Smell the Fruit
Did you know that it’s possible to learn how to tell if fruit is ripe by smelling them? Ripe fruits give off sweet aromas, while a vinegary smell means it’s already too ripe.
Though, keep in mind that smelling a fruit for ripeness only works at the farmer’s market. The refrigerated conditions fruit is under in supermarkets eliminate any aroma from the fruit.
Check the Weight of the Fruit
Weight can also help you in checking the ripeness of fruit. For example, it’s one way how to tell when passion fruit is ripe.
Heavy and dense fruits typically contain a lot of water weight and should be juicy, which means it’s ripe. While light or puffy fruit, on the other hand, usually lacks a ripe, moisture-laden interior.
How to Tell When Fruits are Ripe: Check the Fruit Size
Another way to check for a fruit’s ripeness is its size. A normal-sized fruit indicates ripeness.
On the other hand, an undersized fruit could indicate an unripe fruit. Likewise, an oversized fruit indicates it’s grown out of season, usually has no taste, and should be avoided.
Touch the Fruit
We may have noticed this with our moms or generally most people in the market. People would often give a fruit a light squeeze as they choose their fruits.
You see, this is one of the most common methods when looking for ripe fruits. It’s the best method if you want to know how to tell if peaches are ripe.
Perfectly ripe fruit should “give a little” when you squeeze, but it shouldn’t be too soft. As a rule of thumb, fruit should feel like the cartilage at the end of your nose.
In addition, to check larger fruit, such as watermelons, hold the fruit in one hand while thumping the outer fruit skin with your finger from your other hand. A ripe watermelon sounds full when thumped this way.
Check the Fruit Sticker
Some fruits, such as avocados, can have stickers that would let you know if they are ready to be eaten.
Though, if the sticker is not available, the best way to check a piece of fruit for ripeness is to check it with your hands by using the simple methods listed above.
Compare the Fruit Color
As a piece of fruit ripens, it also changes color to indicate just how ripe it is. The ripest fruits tend to display bright colors due to the acids within the fruit breaking down into sugars and turning the skin of the fruit from green to brighter colors as the ripening process takes place.
This is exactly what happens to strawberries. What color is a ripe strawberry? It’s bright red, indicating that the acids had broken down and are ready to be consumed.
Fruit that has discolored spots also indicates a ripe piece of fruit. Bees and other insects prefer sweeter fruit and leave black spots on the fruit’s skin as a sign of their presence. In addition, some fruits, such as pears, actually develop brown spots, indicating that they are ripe.
However, if you come across unripe ones? Do you know how to ripen strawberries naturally?
The easiest way for you to easily ripen strawberries is to place them in a paper bag with either a banana or an apple.
Takeaway
Now that you know how to tell when fruits are ripe, you will be able to pick the freshest fruits of your liking.
You would also be able to know which ones you could eat and the ones to save for later.