Writings How to Pick the Right Fruits
For the past year, I’ve been working in HappyFresh—a groceries delivery startup. Last week, I was trusted by my friends to pick the best fruits but I have no idea how to do it.
This post is my attempt to catalog the key to get the best fruits. Keep in mind that this would be a growing list.
Sorted alphabetically:
Apple
- No defects; inspect its looks. There should be no bruising, soft spots or cracks.
- Firm; avoid taking apples that are soft, discolored, or easily indented when lightly pressed.
- Shiny red or yellowish color; most of the time, get the most red you can find. Find green and yellow for Granny Smith and Golden delicious apples.
- Pleasant aroma; smell the apple. A good and fresh apple should have a pleasant aroma.
Banana
- No defects; inspect its looks. There should be no sunken moist-looking dark areas, have their stem ends and skins intact, and not dull.
- Bright in color; choose those mostly yellow with a small amount of green at both ends.
- Brown spots for immediate consumption; the fullest flavor is derived from bananas that begin to develop tiny dark specks, known as sugar specks.
- Full and plump; depressed, moist, and dark areas on the skin usually signal the fruit inside is bruised.
Melon
- No defects; inspect its looks. There should be no bruising, soft spots or cracks.
- Smell sweet; good melons should smell sweet and fragrant on the part where the vine is attached.
- Dull skin; a ripe melon has shiny skins with a green or white color. Always choose the yellowish dull colored melons.
- Heavy for its size; pick up a handful of melons, and if you find one that feels relatively heavy for its size, pick that one.
Orange
- No defects; inspect its looks. There should be no bruising or soft spots.
- Heavy for its size; heavier oranges are juicier. Pick up a handful of oranges and find one that feels relatively heavy for its size.
- Smell citrusy; a quick sniff of the stem area at the top. It should smell like orange peel.
- Firm smooth skin; hold it in your hand and check if it feels firm and smooth.
Watermelon
- No defects; inspect its looks. There should be no bruising, soft spots or cracks.
- Sounds hollow; tap the watermelon. If it sounds hollow, that means your watermelon is ripe, watery, and sweet.
- Yellowish bottom; the bottom part of your watermelon, the opposite part from the vine, should be creamy yellow. This is where it touches the ground.
- Heavy for its size; pick up a handful of watermelons, and if you find one that feels relatively heavy for its size, pick that one.