Which fruits ripen after you buy them, and which ones don't?
Do you ever purchase fruit at the store, only to have it go bad a few days later? This can be frustrating, especially if you don't know which fruits ripen after you buy them.In this blog post, we will explore the ripening processes of various fruits and discuss which ones continue to ripen after you bring them home.We will also look at examples of fruits picked fully ripe, so you'll know how to best approach your grocery shopping for fruit and vegetable!
Getting the most out of your fruit
It happens to the best of us: we go grocery shopping intending to buy perfectly ripe fresh produce, only to find that certain fruits have become overly soft, their skin turns from a vibrant red to yellow, and they've lost their taste in an unexpectedly short window of time.
Picking your produce can be tricky! Some fruit will stop ripening the moment it's harvested, while some fruit continues to ripen while it sits on your home counter. Although we know there’s a risk that a lot of our haul is going to end up going to waste, we still mean well. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, we often don't pick well or store fruits correctly.
And that’s often because we don’t understand how the fruit ripens. When it comes to ripening, most fruit falls into two categories: climacteric fruits and non-climacteric fruits. Climacteric fruit refers to those fruits that ripen off the plant through the production of ethylene gas. Non-climacteric fruits refer to fruits that must be fully ripe before they’re picked.
Fruits That Keep Ripening
Bananas
One of the more obvious entries on this list is the banana, as it's known for requiring a blast of ethylene within a "ripening room" before hitting the shelves to help remove the green from their peel and help some of the natural sugars and flavours come forth through the manual ripening process.
Bananas are picked before they’re ripe and only get riper as they sit. When shopping for a ripe banana, look for ones that aren’t fully green or deep yellow.A completely green banana may never ripen. A banana that is too yellow, on the other hand, can get mushy soon (but don't forget that older bananas are perfect for banana bread).
Bananas go from green to yellow to brown as they ripen. If you buy a green banana, you can let them ripen uncovered at room temperature. If you want to quickly ripen bananas, toss the bunch in a paper bag.This will allow for a contained atmosphere for the banana's natural ethylene gas to release into and increase the ripeness trajectory of the fruit. Don’t store bananas in plastic bags, as this will trap humidity, causing them to rot.
Once bananas reach your desired degree of yellow hue, just peel and eat. If you can’t get to them right away, store ripe bananas in the refrigerator to buy yourself an extra week. The peel may turn dark brown or black in the refrigerator, but this has no effect on the quality of the banana underneath.
You can also peel ripe bananas, mash or slice them, and store them in the freezer in airtight bags. This works well for use in baking or smoothies later on. There’s no need to wash bananas or blanch them before freezing. Just wash your hands before handling them.
Avocados
We all know how hard it can be to find the perfect avocado, let alone use it within the small ripeness window they often allow. This is because they are harvested before ripening and are sent to distributors and retailers in the hope that they will achieve peak ripeness by the time they reach consumers. They are soft but not too soft, so they are ready to eat after purchase. As we all know, this is not always the case, and avocados more often than not arrive in stores in a rock-hard state, which will not allow for them to be eaten immediately.
When choosing an avocado, use both colour and feel to find the best fruit. First, choose one with a dark but consistent colour. Take it in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze it. If it yields slightly, it is ripe and ready to use.
In general, you can store ripe, uncut avocados in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you eat your avocado just a tablespoon at a time and you hate to waste food, use smart storage tips to keep your avocados fresh. Many cooks add lime or lemon juice to their fruit so that they can eat just a small amount and save the rest for later.
To ripen an unripe avocado quickly, place it in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana for 2-3 days. You can freeze an avocado, but many cooks say that it changes the texture of the fruit.
Peaches
Fresh peaches are a great summertime treat. When buying peaches, choose fruits that smell sweet. They should have a creamy, yellow or yellow-orange color and unwrinkled skin. Just a word to the wise: red color doesn’t mean that a peach is ripe—red skin is normal for certain types of peaches.
Peaches will continue to soften after they’re picked. In the store, look for peaches that are fragrant and have a slight give when you squeeze them. If the skin is green, this means that the fruit was picked too early and it likely won’t ripen—skip these. In addition, avoid peaches that have bruises or soft spots.
If you buy your peaches somewhat firm, you can place them on the counter to soften at room temperature for two to three days. To enhance ripening, place them in a paper bag with an apple or place them stem down on a dishtowel and lay another dishtowel over the top.
Refrigerate them when they are ripe. Once refrigerated, they will not ripen any further; eat them within two or three days. Do not wash peaches until they are ready to be used.
Plums
When shopping for plums, look for fruit that feels heavy in your hand and has a slight give. Soft plums are already past their prime. If your plums are slightly hard, you can keep them at room temperature in a paper bag for one to two days to allow them to ripen. But once they are slightly soft at the end, you’ll want to put them in the refrigerator to prevent them from over-ripening. Fresh plums can keep in the refrigerator for about two to three days.
Unlike bananas and peaches, a plum's flavor does not noticeably change as it ripens; only its softness alters. Plums can also be frozen in freezer bags, either whole or cut up. They’ll typically keep in the freezer for about 12 months. You can also store plums in the freezer as a plum sauce. Cook the plums down until the plum sauce is as thick as you like and freeze them in small, sealable containers.
Rockmelon
It’s hard to know how to tell if a melon is ripe. But when you know what to look for, you can be sure you’re eating yours at the right time! When shopping, look for a slight indentation on the stem. The netting (the pattern on the melon) should be raised, and the exterior should be golden (not green). Like plums, good rockmelons should feel heavy for their size.
If you pick one that's just a little too green, store it in a paper bag for a day or two, and it will mature. Once cut, store rockmelon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If possible, store it in the crisper. Keep in mind that the riper the melon, the less shelf life it has left before it will spoil. Leaving a cut melon at room temperature or in heat can lead to the rapid growth of harmful bacteria on the flesh.
If you’d like to keep melon for longer, you can cut ripe melon and store it in the freezer in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Blueberries
Choose firm, dry, well-rounded, smooth-skinned berries that are bright blue with a slightly frosted look. Reddish blueberries aren’t ripe and won’t ripen once picked, but you can use them in cooking. Avoid blueberries that are soft, shriveled, or have any sign of mold.
When out of season, fresh blueberries can be among the more expensive fruits. A cost-effective and equally healthy choice is to opt for flash frozen blueberries, which are an excellent addition to smoothies, baked goods, and even as a topping for overnight oats. Frozen berries are generally picked at peak ripeness (when they’re the most nutritious), and research shows that freezing helps preserve their nutritional content.
Tomatoes
Look for fresh tomatoes that are plump and firm with smooth, shiny skin. The colour should be uniform. The best tomatoes are those that are fully ripened on the vine, but tomatoes will ripen somewhat off the vine as long as they’re not exposed to the cold.
Contrary to popular belief, you should not store fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator. This can turn the flesh mealy and reduce the flavour. Instead, store tomatoes in a cool, dry place.
Avoid tomatoes with cuts, bruises, soft spots, or mould. Local tomatoes from the farmer’s market are best during the summer season.You can purchase canned and jarred tomatoes and tomato products at any time of the year.
Wash fresh tomatoes well before cutting into them. Once tomatoes are cut, store them in the refrigerator and use them within a few days. Dishes with cooked tomatoes should be refrigerated and consumed within a week.
Fruits That Don’t Ripen After Picking
Strawberries
Strawberries don’t ripen once they’re picked, so if they don’t look ripe, they never will be. How can you tell which strawberries are the freshest? Look for a bright red color, a natural shine, and fresh-looking green tops. Avoid berries with white tops or tips. Keep berries refrigerated, although they will taste sweeter if you let them come to room temperature before eating.
Select strawberries that are rich and uniformly red. Avoid mushy berries that exhibit signs of mold. You can find fresh strawberries in the grocery store any time of the year, but they’re best during spring and summer, fresh off the farm. Check your local farmers market or find locations to pick your own berries for the sweetest and ripest fruit.
If possible, choose organic strawberries to avoid pesticides commonly used in conventional growing. You can also purchase frozen organic strawberries for extra sweetness and a boost of nutrition at any time of the year.
Pineapples
Pineapple is another fruit that’s picked when it’s as ripe as it’s going to get. Pineapple can be kept on the counter for up to three days after bringing it home. After that, it should be stored in the refrigerator. How can you tell when a pineapple is ripe? Look for pineapples with green leaves and firm flesh. There should be a faint sweet aroma at the base. Don’t worry about the colour or whether the leaves pull out easily; neither is a true indicator of ripeness.
Choose fruit that is heavy for its size. It should have a strong, sweet aroma and a rich color. Avoid pineapple that smells fermented or sour. Skip fruit that has dried leaves, bruises, darkened areas, or soft spots. Always wash fresh fruit before cutting. Store it in the refrigerator once it’s been cut and consume within three to five days.
Watermelon
Watermelon is in season in summer. A ripe watermelon is one that feels heavy for its size. The outside should be firm and free of nicks or dents. You need to know how to tell if a watermelon is ripe because this fruit won’t ripen off the vine. Look for a buttery yellow spot on the melon. This indicates that the melon ripened in the field. A white or green underside means the melon was picked too soon.
Once you get it home, it will stay good for about two weeks in the fridge. Once you cut watermelon, you can keep it in the fridge for up to five days if it is in a closed container or sealed plastic bag. You can also freeze watermelon that’s been cut up into chunks.
Apples
Apples, no matter what variety, should be picked at peak ripeness and kept in the refrigerator. They should last for several weeks. You can also use produce freshness balls to absorb ethylene gas and keep the fruit ripe for longer. Modern storage techniques make apples available all year, with peak season being in the fall.
Nothing quite compares to the taste of an apple straight off the tree. No matter the variety, apples should be firm to the touch and free of holes, bruises, and soft spots.
Cherries, Grapes, and Citrus fruits
Like the other non-climacteric fruits, cherries, grapes, and citrus fruits don’t ripen once they’re severed from the plant. What you see in the store is what you will get at home, and all of these fruits should be stored in the fridge to keep them from going bad.
Frozen, dried, or preserved cherries can be purchased at any time of the year in most grocery stores, as can fresh cherries that have been imported. Cherries are generally in season during the hot summer months, and certain varieties have longer growing seasons than others. Visit your local farmer’s market to find out when cherries are available in your area.
Choose fresh cherries that are free of damage or mould. Fresh cherries should appear plump, never shrivelled. Look for cherries that are shiny and firm with green stems still attached.When purchasing grapes, avoid grapes with mould or those that are shrivelled. Choose grapes that are rich in colour. Green grapes are the sweetest and best flavoured when they are yellow-green in colour. Red and black grapes are best when they have full, rich colour.Grapes that have a powdery-white coating are safe to eat. In fact, that coating is actually referred to as bloom, a naturally occurring substance that protects grapes from moisture loss and decay. Sometimes it doesn’t wash off easily, but it is safe to eat.
Citrus fruits, such as oranges are available year-round. To choose an orange, look for fruits that feel plump and heavy for their size. The heavier the fruit, the juicier it will be.Much like bananas, oranges often require a blast of ethylene gas during the ripening process to help with the colouring of its peel.
An orange should have unblemished skin that’s free of nicks. Don’t be afraid of oranges that have a green rind, as the colour of the skin depends on weather conditions, not ripeness or taste. You can also test for freshness by smelling an orange: If it doesn’t smell like orange, move on to the next one.
Summary
Now that you know a little bit more about the ripening processes of various fruits, we hope you'll be able to shop for fruit with confidence.Be sure to check out our fruit fact videos and free online courses for more information on all things fruit. Thanks for reading!