There are so many different types of apples, that all look and feel and taste a little bit different from the rest! But, I’m here to encourage you to find the kinds you like, and to help you figure out the best apples to select at the store, the best way to store them at home, and even some really yummy tried and tested recipes to share with you! This post is all about how to select and store apples in order to be able to enjoy them to their fullest.
(This post is an excerpt from The Produce Nerd’s Grocery Guide. You can learn more about the Grocery Guide, which covers this information for 55 different produce items, with input from 26 crop-specific companies HERE.)
What to look for when picking the best quality apples?
- Firmness and color indicative of the cultivar you are selecting. Regardless of the cultivar (including the Golden and Red Delicious), you do not want a soft and/or mushy apple.
- When growers are checking apples to see if they are ready for harvest, they cut open a sample size of apples to check the sugar, starch and/or acidity content inside of the fruit to see if it has reached optimum maturity for harvest. As a consumer, we don’t have that option, but we can observe the apples to make sure they are firm to the touch, and free from defects.
Common issues to avoid when selecting apples?
- Bruising
- Stem punctures, which occur when the stem of one apple pokes a hole into the flesh of another apple, and can commonly occur when apples are stored in bulk bins, stacked, or sold in bulk bags
- Cracking, either near the stem of near the blossom end (the part on the opposite end of the stem)
- Finger nail marks, that can occur during packing or when workers are putting the apples out on display
Are there any new cultivars that are being grown that might have different quality indicators or common issues to look out for?
- New apple cultivars are being introduced all the time, that all have different color and firmness characteristics. For example, a Granny Smith compared to a Golden Delicious or a Fuji apple will all have different firmness and skin color expectations.
- Two notable new introductions in recent years include the Cosmic Crisp, which is my most favorite apple to eat. It is firm and the perfect mix of sweet and tart! The second notable cultivar is the Kissabel apple. It has pinkish flesh, which looks super cool, but it is a bit on the mealier side (think of the texture similar to a Red Delicious apple), and it browns quickly, to where the pinkish flesh actually turns a brownish color!
What is the best way to store apples at home?
- You should always store apples in the refrigerator. If you store then on the counter, the shelf-life drastically decreases and you will want to eat them within one week before they start aging out.
What is your favorite way to eat and prepare apples?
- I love eating fresh apples with bananas, apples in homemade apple pie, and apples in homemade cinnamon rolls! My kids will also just eat plain cut-up apples with cinnamon sprinkled on top and think it is the greatest treat!
Some of my favorite apple recipes are as follows:
If you enjoyed this post and would like to learn more about how to select and store some of the most common produce items, I recommend checking out my Grocery Guide!
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