I don't know how many times you've returned from the supermarket with an avocado you thought was perfect only to discover it wasn't yet ripe? The fact that you're not the only one who feels this way is encouraging. It might be difficult to get a perfectly ripe avocado, but it doesn't have to be! Color, texture, and hardness are the most crucial characteristics to check for but don't only rely on one of these characteristics. All three are necessary for a great avocado!

How to Pick a Ripe Avocado

1. Keep an eye out for the colour of the avocado's skin. Is it environmentally friendly? What colour ranges from dark green to nearly black? Is it a dark green colour with black speckles? Avocados with ripe fruit will have skins that range in colour from dark green to nearly black.

2. Feel the avocado. Is the skin smooth? Or is it bumpy? In addition to their dark green skin, ripe avocados will also have skin with a bumpy texture.

3. Squeeze the avocado gently. Is the avocado firm or squishy? Does it budge when you apply hard, mild pressure? Does it have a mushy texture? Avocados that are fully ripe should yield gently to light pressure without leaving indentations or becoming mushy.

How to Tell if An Avocado is Bad or Overripe

Color is sometimes misunderstood as the primary sign of avocado maturity. While colour may be used to determine if an avocado is ripe, the "feel" approach is a more accurate way of determining the freshness of fresh avocados. When held in the palm of your hand, a ripe avocado will give slightly to mild pressure without leaving indentations or feeling mushy.

An overripe avocado will often display some of the following characteristics:

• A mushy or dented outer skin;
• The avocado will feel very soft like a very ripe tomato and will not have that slight firmness when held;
• When cut, the avocado will have darker yellow or brownish colored flesh throughout the inside of the fruit. If the browning is only in certain spots, this is known as bruising and is not an indicator of the fruit being overripe;
• The avocado will have a rancid smell; and/or,
• The avocado has the beginnings of mold starting to form.

If any of the above indicators are present or occurring with your avocado, especially the latter three, I do not recommend eating the fruit.

Conclusion.

Ripe fresh avocados that yield to gentle pressure should be eaten within a day or two. For events, four to five days out, purchase firm avocados instead. Unripe, firm or green fruit can take four to five days to ripen at room temperature, perfect for celebrations that are a few days out. Just be careful to watch the fruit to make sure the temperature in your kitchen does not cause them to ripen too quickly. If they begin to yield to gentle pressure, place them in the refrigerator to slow the ripening process.