Avocados are hard to buy. From being mushy and dark on the inside, or perfectly green and creamy, avocados are super difficult to nail. Their appearance and texture can be deceiving, so making sure you know some simple tricks will help you find and enjoy the right avocado. The key to finding your perfect superfood avocado is in these three simple steps.
Photo by Molly Krohe
Stem check
Photo by Erin Thomas
The first step to checking out your avocado is by pulling out the stem. If the avocado is ripe the stem should be able to fall out on its own or by the touch of your thumb and index fingers. If the avocado is unripe, the stem should be a little harder to take out. If your avocado came without a stem, use the next two steps to test if you should eat it or not.
Give it a squeeze
Photo by Lily Lou
Place the avocado in your hand and gently squeeze the avocado. You should be able to notice the avocado’s consistency. If the avocado bruises to the slight squeeze, then it is ready to eat. If the avocado appears hard and does not start bruising once you’ve pressed it, then the avocado is unripe and not ready to eat yet. The mushiness or noticeable dents an avocado can have means it should be thrown out soon.
It’s all about the appearance
Photo by Emma Delaney
The last and probably best way to test the avocado’s ripeness is by its appearance. One thing to keep in mind is there are many different avocados and many different seasons in which they are grown. So depending on the season, some avocados will be ripe and some will not. It is good to ask the grocer or look here for the seasons of different avocados.
The size and shape are also very important. Most dark-colored and medium-sized avocados are called ripe but once again, depending on the type of avocado, the size and shape will vary. Too bright or too dark can indicate an overly or under ripe avocado. Make sure to check for browns spots too which is an indicator of gone bad avocado’s.
Now that you’ve successfully found the right avocado, its time to eat. Make sure you know how to cut your avocado and take care of it before its ready with these easy to use tips. Enjoy!
To keep your avocados ripe:
- Stick in the fridge in a plastic bag
To speed up the ripening process:
- Store at room temperature
- Wrap your avocado in foil
- Put it in a brown paper bag with a ripe banana
Photo by Gabrielle Levitt