How to Buy a Good Avocado

Last Updated: November 18, 2022 References Approved

If you love a tasty bowl of guacamole or plate of avocado toast, you know how delicious avocados can be. But the key to any recipe is starting with good avocados. It can be tricky to pick out the best fruit when you're at the grocery store or farmer's market, but once you know what to look for and how to determine the best level of ripeness for your needs, you can always come home with a good avocado.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Testing Avocadoes for Ripeness

1
Pay attention to the avocadoes' color. The first thing that you'll probably notice about avocados at a store is their color. Ripe avocados are typically a dark, almost black color with hints of green when they're ripe. If you want to use the avocado as soon as you get home, choose one that is dark. If you plan to use one in a couple of days, select one that's more green.^{[1]
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- Some varieties of avocado such as the Fuerte, Ettinger, Reed, and Sharwill stay green when they are ripe, so it's important to know the type of avocado that you're looking at.
- Keep in mind that color isn't the only factor that you should consider when looking for a ripe avocado. Always test it by touch too.
2
Squeeze the avocados. If an avocado looks ripe, you should still feel it to test its ripeness. Hold it in the palm of your hand, and squeeze gently. A ripe avocado should yield to firm, gentle pressure, but shouldn't feel overly soft or mushy.^{[2]
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- If an avocado feels firm or hard, it isn't ripe yet. Purchase it only if you plan to use the fruit several days in the future.
- If an avocado feels soft, it's overripe so you should avoid it.
- The harder that an avocado is, the longer that it will likely take for it to ripen.
- If you're purchasing several avocados, it's a good idea to choose them at various stages of ripeness. That way, you'll have some that you can use right away, some that you can use in a couple of days, and some that you can use four or five days in the future.
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3
Check the avocadoes' skin. In addition to the color of the avocado's skin, you should examine its texture. The skin should be slightly pebbled, but make sure that there are no large indentations that may indicate the fruit's been bruised.^{[3]
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4
Examine the avocados' stems. To ensure that the avocado you're choosing is ripe and creamy on the inside, peel back the small stem or cap at the top. If the area underneath is green, the avocado is good to buy. If the area is brown, the avocado is overripe so it's best to avoid it.^{[4]
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- Keep an eye out for mold as well. If the stem area is black or dark brown, the fruit is likely moldy.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing the Right Avocado Variety

1
Select an avocado-based on your flavor preference. While all avocados have a similar taste, there are subtle differences in their flavor that may make you prefer one over another. Some have a nutty flavor, while others have a lighter taste. Choose an avocado based on what flavor will work best for your recipe or use.^{[5]
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- Hass, Lamb Hass, Gwen, Reed, or Sharwil avocados have a creamy, nutty flavor.
- Bacon and Zutano have a lighter taste.
2
Choose an avocado-based on its peeling characteristics. Some avocadoes are easy to peel, while others require a little more effort to remove the skin. If you're in a hurry, purchase avocados that are easier to peel to save yourself some time. If you don't mind putting a little more work into peeling the fruit, you can opt for any variety.^{[6]
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- Pinkerton avocados are the easiest to peel, but Bacon, Fuerte, Hass, and Gwen don't pose many difficulties either.
- Zutano avocados are moderately easy to peel.
- Ettinger avocados are the most difficult type to peel.
3
Buy an avocado-based on its oil content. Some varieties of avocado have more oil in them than others, which means they have a higher fat content. If you want to maintain a healthy low-fat diet, choose a variety that has a lower oil content.^{[7]
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- Avocados with the highest oil content are the Hass, Pinkerton, Sharwil and Fuerte varieties.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Storing and Ripening Avocados at Home

1
Keep unripened avocados in a paper bag. If you purchase an avocado that hasn't ripened yet, you can leave it out on your counter to ripen in four to five days. To help the fruit ripen more quickly, place it in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana, which release ethylene gas that helps the avocado ripen in two to three days.^{[8]
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- Keep the paper bag with the avocados out of direct sunlight to ensure that they don't become overripe.
- When you remove the avocados from the bag, test their ripeness by pressing against the skin lightly. It should be tender but not mushy.
- If you want to soften avocados quickly, then put them in the freezer and then thaw them right away.
2
Store whole, ripe avocados in the refrigerator. If you bring ripe avocados home from the grocery store or ripen them in a paper bag but don't plan to use them right away, leave them intact and uncut. Store them in the refrigerator for up to three days.^{[9]
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- Because the cold slows down the ripening process, never store unripe avocados in the refrigerator.
3
Sprinkle cut ripe avocados with lemon juice before refrigerating. If you eat or use half of a ripe avocado and don't plan to finish the rest, you should store it in the refrigerator. However, it's important to squeeze a fresh lemon or lime over it to stop it from browning. Seal it in plastic wrap or an airtight plastic container, and keep it in the fridge for no more than a day.^{[10]
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- You'll have a better chance of keeping the avocado from browning if you leave the pit in it when you cut it.

Community Q&A

Question

Will it make me sick if I eat an avocado that's been in the fridge for 3 days or more?

Community Answer

No, it won't. Just make sure it's green or yellow and it doesn't smell bad.
Question

What is the redness on the inside of the avocado peel? Some of it is on the avocado. Is it too ripe? Is it okay to eat?

Community Answer

That means your avocado is overripe. Use a spoon to remove these parts and eat the green/lightly yellow mushy parts.
Question

How do you know if an avocado is rotten?

Maggie Peterson

Community Answer

Rotten avocados are very shrunken and wrinkly in appearance and texture. The insides become so mushy they are like liquid. There also might be mold on the avocado.