Fruit & produce
Ripeness, seasons and the small differences between one supermarket fruit and the next.
Supermarket Produce Ripeness Guide: How to Pick Good Fruit
A fast, mobile-friendly guide to picking ripe fruit. Simple checklists for watermelons, cantaloupes, peaches and avocados.
Open the guideFall 2026 Produce Guide: Apples, Pears, Grapes & Figs in Season
What fruits are in season in fall? Compare apples, pears, grapes and figs by peak months, ripeness signs and local harvest timing.
Open the guideApples vs. Pears: Which Fall Fruit Should You Choose?
Compare apples and pears by ripeness, storage, texture and peak fall harvest. Find the better fruit for a snack, salad or baking.
Open the guidePeaches vs. Nectarines: How to Choose Late-Season Fruit
Compare peaches and nectarines by skin, ripeness and late-season availability. Learn what to look for when the Northern Hemisphere harvest is winding down.
Open the guideFuyu vs. Hachiya Persimmons: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons by shape, ripeness and best use. Learn which persimmon to eat crisp and which must turn soft first.
Open the guideClementines vs. Mandarins: What Is the Difference?
Find out whether clementines and mandarins are different fruits, when their seasons overlap, and what to check when choosing easy-peel citrus.
Open the guideCranberries vs. Pomegranates: Which Fall Fruit Should You Choose?
Compare fresh cranberries and pomegranates by flavor, prep, storage and fall season. Choose the right fruit for a sauce, snack or salad.
Open the guideAcorn vs. Butternut Squash: Which Is Better for Your Recipe?
Compare acorn and butternut squash by shape, prep, texture and fall season. See which one to roast in halves and which to peel and cube.
Open the guideGrapes vs. Figs: Which Late-Summer Fruit Should You Buy?
Compare grapes and fresh figs by ripeness, storage, uses and fall season. Learn which fruit keeps longer and what a ripe fig should feel like.
Open the guideSweet Potatoes vs. Yams: What Are You Buying?
Learn why U.S. grocery-store yams are often sweet potatoes, how true yams differ, and which root to choose for your recipe.
Open the guideKale vs. Spinach: Which Green Is Better for Your Meal?
Compare kale and spinach by texture, cooking time, storage and cool-weather season. Choose the right leafy green for salads, soups and sautés.
Open the guideTurnips vs. Rutabagas: How to Tell These Roots Apart
Compare turnips and rutabagas by size, flavor, cooking and fall season. Learn how to choose the sweeter root and use its greens.
Open the guideCan You Refrigerate Tomatoes? Whole, Ripe and Cut Fruit Differ
Ripen whole tomatoes at room temperature, consider cold storage once ripe, and refrigerate cut fruit. A sourced chart separates the decisions.
Read the postWhy Potatoes Turn Green: Light, Solanine and Storage
Green potato skin comes from chlorophyll but can signal increased solanine. Learn the inspection limits, when to discard, and how dark storage helps.
Read the postCan You Refrigerate Bananas? Start With Their Ripeness
Green bananas need time to ripen. Learn when ripe bananas can go in the fridge, why the peel browns, and when to plan a freezer batch.
Read the postWhen to Wash Strawberries: Before Eating or Before Storage?
Keep whole strawberries refrigerated and wash them before use. A sourced handling chart separates storage, cleaning and mould decisions.
Read the postHow to Store Cut Melon: Rind Washing, Cold Storage and Serving
Wash the rind before cutting and refrigerate melon promptly. Follow household time and temperature guidance for leftovers and picnic servings.
Read the postWhy Asian Pears Stay Crisp: When to Eat, Wait or Refrigerate
Start with the variety: Asian pears stay crisp, while European dessert pears can soften after harvest. A sourced decision chart helps you choose what to do next.
Read the postHow to Tell if a Cantaloupe Is Ripe: 4 Signs to Check
A ripe cantaloupe gives you four useful clues: a clean stem scar, raised netting, a sweet aroma and surprising weight.
Read the postHow to Tell if a Peach Is Ripe: Color, Feel & Aroma
Red blush varies with cultivar and growing conditions. Check background colour, gentle firmness and aroma, then choose a peach for when you plan to eat it.
Read the postWhich Fruits Ripen on the Counter? A Practical Ethylene Guide
Some fruits keep ripening at home. Others only get softer. Sort them before the produce drawer makes the decision for you.
Read the postDo Apple Lenticels Mean an Apple Is Sweet? What to Check Instead
Lenticels are real. The claim that they measure sweetness is not. Here is a better way to choose fruit.
Read the postApple vs. Peach: Calories, Sugar, Fiber & Nutrition Compared
Compare USDA apple and yellow peach nutrition per 100 g and by medium reference fruit, including calories, sugars, fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
Read the postHow to Tell if an Avocado Is Ripe: Feel, Colour & Storage
A ripe avocado yields slightly. Skin colour helps with Hass, but firmness is the better test.
Read the postHow to Tell if a Mango Is Ripe: Feel, Aroma & Colour
A ripe mango gives slightly and smells fruity near the stem. Colour alone is not a dependable test.
Read the postHow to Tell if a Watermelon Is Ripe: Field Spot, Rind & More
A creamy field spot and an undamaged rind are useful clues. A watermelon will not become sweeter on the counter.
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