Flowchart Friday: Choosing an Avocado

To Buy or Keep Looking…

You’re at the local grocery store and come across the stack of avocados—now what? Recipes start going through your head; you realize you are craving some avocado toast or maybe some homemade guacamole. But did you know that this trendy fruit actually can’t ripen on the tree, making it a boon for both avocado farmers and you? According to this article from Popsci.com, though they reach peak ripeness for only a brief time, you can tell by:

• Brushing the calyx—the bit that looks like a tiny stem. If the calyx comes off easily, the fruit is nice and ripe (though if there’s brown underneath, it’s probably overripe). If the calyx doesn’t come off, it’s not ready yet.

• You can also check out the color, which should be a deep green, assuming you’re eating a Hass.

• If you want to squeeze it, you can, since a ripe avocado will have a little give to it, but produce specialist Patrick Ahern doesn’t recommend this because it’ll cause bruising when the fruit does ripen.

Here’s a great tip from the article: 

“Try looking for ones at the bottom of the pile, where ethylene has a better chance of building up (just make sure those on top haven’t crushed them). If you really can’t find one, toss hard avocados in a paper bag, maybe even with a banana, to trap the ethylene and quick ripening.”

Our Handy Flowchart for Picking Avocados

Still on the fence about whether to buy that avocado or not? Follow this chart and see if it’s the time!