Choosing Fresh Fruit

It's true that choosing delicious fruits is more of an art than a science, there are some guidelines that can help you make smart choices.

Apples

Apples should have a very tight, hard skin, and there should be no give when you press on them, says Wallendjack.

Color is also important. "You need to know what color an apple is when it's ripe," says Corriher. For example, look for really yellow golden delicious apples.

Oranges

Saunders suggests looking for bright, firm oranges. "A too-pale color can indicate that the fruit was picked a little early," she says. "A leather-looking peel indicates the orange is old."

Pears

"A ripe pear typically has a sweet aroma and is slightly tender to the touch," says Saunders. "If the fruit is hard, it's not ready." She also points out that pears ripen very well off the tree at room temperature.

Bananas

Bananas aren't grown in America so they're always picked when green and ripen on the way, says Kass-Johnson. He says it makes no difference if they are a little green when you buy them. It just depends on when you are going to eat them.

Mangoes

"You can take a mango that's not ripe and throw it in a brown paper bag on the counter and it will ripen on its own," says Wallendjack. "If it feels soft and if you press it in and it keeps the imprint of your finger, then it's ripe and ready to eat." She also says the skin should have a yellowish tint to it. Green on the outside means it's not ripe yet.