Apricots only ripen on the tree. Once picked, they become softer but not more flavorful. Look for fruit that is bright with no green tinge.
Many brambles growers are not certified organic but do not spray their crops. Get as local as you can and ask the grower about their growing methods.
Look for firm, dry, plump blueberries with smooth skin and no shriveled or moldy bits. Pass on greenish or red ones — they're underripe.
Boysenberries are a delicious reddish-purple bramble developed in the 1920s. They're a cross between the blackberry, raspberry and loganberry.
The word "bramble" is a catch-all term for several different fruits, including raspberries, blackberries, marionberries and many more varities.
Red and green cabbage should have a firm, tight head and feel heavy for their size, with no black or soft spots. Savoy and Napa cabbage are generally a bit "looser".
Look for a canteoupe with no nicks in the rind or mold on the blossom end. If it's perfectly ripe, the end should smell nice. Avoid melons with soft spots.
Carrots come in all shades of purple, red, white, yellow and of course, orange. If they have the greens attached, look for feathery, perky leaves with no wilting, black spots or yellowing.
Cherries can be sweet (even the sour ones), delicious, and eaten raw or cooked. Look for cherries that are firm and have no bruises or browning.
For both Chinese and European chives, you’re looking for pert green blades without signs of yellowing, moisture or mildew.
Select citrus that is of medium firmness. If the fruit is too hard or has green spots (except limes), it is not yet ripe. If it is too soft or bruised, it is past its prime.
Look for ears that are firm, plump and unblemished. Instead of stripping down the husks to examine, just gently squeeze cobs down the length of the ear to feel for bald spots.
Since cucumbers are mostly water (about 96 percent water by weight), their cell walls break down quickly and turn into mush. Look for ones that are firm with no signs of discoloration.
Look for soft but not mushy fruit that is indicative of ripeness and flavor. Hard figs will not continue to ripen. If the figs have a sour smell, they are past their peak.
Mature garlic heads should have a paper-like skin that covers all the cloves, which ideally are firm and free of mold or bruises. Green garlic has a light green stalk and white bulb at the base with darker green tops.
Scapes are the curled shoots of hardneck garlic varieties. Scapes should be firm but somewhat flexible and free of blemishes or moldy spots.
Grapefruit should feel heavy in your hand and the skin should feel smooth. Avoid browning or squishy spots.
Look for fresh grapes with no brown spots, mold or large numbers of shriveled grapes on the cluster. Keep grapes as dry as possible in the refrigerator.
Fresh green beans should have a snappy crispness when bent in half. They should be free of blemishes and mold and the pod should not be hard or dried out.
These sweet, tart yellow-orange fruits grow in a papery husk, and are often covered in a sticky substance that should be washed off. Leave the husks on until you’re ready to eat them.
This wild-foraged leafy green packs a nutritional punch with lots of protein, fiber, omega fatty acids and Vitamins A and C. Look for leaves that are perky.
Tangy and sweet, loquats are reminiscent of citrus fruits. Ripe loquats are bright yellow-orange and should be soft to the touch.
Avoid washing the melon exterior until you are ready to eat it as they are prone to mold. Once cut, store leftover melon in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Used both in cooking and herbal medicine, mint should have perky stems and leaves with no black spots or wilted parts. Fresh mint should also be very aromatic.
There are several varieties of mushrooms and they can be purchased fresh or dried. Look for fresh mushrooms without slimy, moldy or black spots.
A variety of peach with fuzzless skin, be sure to choose a fruit that has a strong perfume and is free of blemishes and bruises.
When purchasing dried onions, avoid brown or mushy spots and choose onions that feel heavy for their size without any signs of sprouting.
Oregano and marjoram are both available as fresh or dried herbs. To preserve freshness, store dried herbs in a cool, dry place and store fresh herbs in the refrigerator.
Parsnips are a root vegetable that look like a pale carrot, usually a shade of pale yellow or ivory. Look for parsnips that are firm but not tough.
Pea shoots are very young pea plants. They can be eaten like a green - braised, sauteed or tossed into salads - or made into pesto. Look for bright green pea shoots that are not wilted.
Conventionally grown peaches often contain high levels of pesticide residue, so it's wise to choose local varieties so you can understand how they were grown.
Peas are a type of legume and come in a variety of sizes and colors including green, yellow and purple. Look for pods that are plump and bright green.
While there are several varieties of peppers, all should have very glossy, fim skin with no brown or mushy spots on the surface on the fruit.
When choosing a plum, look for firm, taught skin and fruit that has no bruises or blemishes. Unripe fruit can be ripened on the counter in a paper bag.
No matter the variety of potato, be sure to store them in a cool, dark place with low humidity where they can be stored at least one month and up to three months.
The pummelo, the grapefruit's ancestor and the largest of all citrus fruits, has a spongy green pith and a sweet seedless pink or green interior.
Purslane has the most omega-3 fatty acids of any green vegetable. Its flavor is slightly tart and a bit lemony - perfect for summer salads.
Good raspberries should be evenly colored and intact; squished berries will quickly go bad.
With its pine-like flavor, rosemary pairs well with roasted vegetables and grilled meats. Look for strong-smelling bunches and avoid withered leaves.
With its distinctive smell, sage adds a savory note to many dishes. Look for sage that has perky, silvery green leaves and a strong smell, avoiding any withered or dry leaves.
With their delicate, sweet flavor, shallots look like small red onions. When buying shallots, make sure to feel under the papery husks to make sure the bulbs feel firm.
Although you can sprout many seeds, the two most common sprouted types are bean and alfalfa. Look for sprouts that are perky and smell fresh. Avoid any that smell off or that appear slimy or wilted.
Summer squash comes in many shapes and sizes, but smaller squash typically have a better texture and more concentrated flavor. Larger squash are better suited to baking and stuffing.
Sometimes called Jerusalem artichokes, sunchokes are the roots of a native North American plant in the sunflower family. Look for roots that are firm to the touch, with no spongy or mushy areas.
Tarragon is an herb with a pungent, licorice-like flavor. Look for leaves that are perky and light green, avoiding any mushy or wilted bunches.
Fresh thyme imparts a bright, almost lemony flavor to soups, roasts and other dishes. When buying thyme, leaves should be fresh, green and firmly attached to the stems. Thyme with lots of wilted leaves is less fresh.
Herbal, tangy, citrusy and sweet, tomatillos are like no other fruit. Tomatillos should feel plump and unbroken under their papery husk.
Tomatoes come in a dizzying array of colors and shapes, so rather than relying on color alone, look for tomatoes that are heavy and fragrant. Some scarring is normal on heirloom varieties, but avoid tomatoes with freshly torn skin.
Watercress is a leafy green vegetable with a peppery flavor that pairs really well with duck and other game meats. Try to avoid any mushy leaves, as they can spoil the others in storage.
When choosing a watermelon, look for darker green melons that feel heavy and sound hollow when tapped.
Like other kinds of summer squash, smaller zucchini have a better flavor and texture for most cooking, while large zuchinni are best saved for baking or stuffing.