How To Pick Out The Best Avocados At The Store Every Time

Avocados are a delicious but finicky little fruit. People have all kinds of tips and tricks for telling when an avocado is ripe and ready to be eaten, like pressing on the more bulbous end to see how soft it is. Ultimately, there are two things to keep in mind when browsing for a good avocado: color and texture. Check the texture by pressing against the top or bottom or simply setting the whole fruit in your hand and giving it a light squeeze like it's a stress ball. You're looking for an avocado that has a bit of give. Think Goldilocks: not too firm, not too soft.

Color-wise, just remember that avocados darken as they ripen, going from bright to deep green, purple, or almost black. Ideally, you want a brighter green color. Buying an under-ripe avocado will give you time to take it home without it turning to mush. If you need a ripe avocado immediately, go for one with dark skin but some firmness.

So you've picked out the perfect avocado. Great! That's step one done. But the challenges don't end there. In fact, some may say they're only just beginning. Now you have to face the avocado's infamous number one magic trick: the ability to shoot straight through every stage of ripeness and enter the realm of freakishly overripe, all in the five seconds you happen to turn your back on it. So, how do you deal? How do you keep your avocado fresh for as long as possible?

Well, whatever you do, don't store avocados in water. Instead, leave them whole on the counter until they ripen, and then move them over to the good ol' fridge, where they'll keep a little longer. This tragically won't let you wring more than a few days max out of your fruit, but it's better than letting them languish on the counter and potentially spoil in a matter of hours. If you need to eat up tons of avocados quickly, toss them on the grill and add them to your guacamole for a more luxurious texture. Bulk up the recipe and freeze the leftovers so not a single delicious bite goes to waste. You can't ever go wrong with avocado toast, either; it's a staple for a reason. Between your wizard-like ability to always pick good avocados and use them before they go bad, you'll have a fresh reputation as an avocado whisperer in no time.