The #1 Way To Choose a Perfect Avocado, According To a 6th Generation Farmer

I was eating mashed-up avocado on toast long before it became a trend on brunch and coffee shop menus. My Chilean father grew up eating avocado on toast and naturally made it for me when I was a child.  

Whenever I went grocery shopping with my dad, we would find either too many overripe avocados in the produce aisle or ones that were rock hard. Neither was a good option. This seems to be a pretty universal problem. Avocados are seemingly either bruised and mushy or woefully underripe. But finding the perfect avocado is possible! You just have to know how and where to look.

Why Are Avocados Like This?

"Avocados don’t ripen on the tree. They only start to ripen once they are picked," says Rachael Laenen, Sixth generation farmer and Director of Farming and Operations at Kimball Avocados. Avocados can be found in the produce section year-round because they are flown in from across the globe when they are in season in other regions of the world. 

“The issue with long distance travel is that once an avocado is placed in cold storage the ripening process is halted and can be stopped and started numerous times over the journey,” says Laenen.  "How they are handled post-harvest has a huge effect on how they ripen and how their flavor develops."

What Makes a Truly Great-Tasting Avocado?

The oil content and dry matter of an avocado are ways growers test if a fruit is mature before harvesting.These factors also influence flavor. "Oil content and dry matter are what gives avocados their great texture and flavor," says Laenen. "So always look for a piece of fruit that is as local as possible." Local or US-grown avocados tend to have better flavor because they are harvested when mature and can ripen naturally, keeping their oil content and dry matter high.

The Ultimate Avocado Toast

How to Choose the Perfect Avocado

"Select firm or hard fruit if you will not be eating them for a few days," says Jeff Salchenberg, the produce program and category manager for New Seasons Market. Inspect the avocado for any blemishes before placing it in your cart, too. "Check the avocado all over to make sure there aren’t any bruised spots or places where the avocado is softer than others," says Laenen. 

Her recommendation is to always choose avocados that aren't ready to eat yet. "My top tip is to buy an unripened avocado, bring it home, leave it at room temperature and only refrigerate once it is ripened," says Laenen. "Pick one that is firmer than you think; it will ripen quickly and that’s easier to manage than one that’s already past its prime."

You may see an “Apeel” sticker on your produce in some grocery stores. Salchenberg, who doesn't use these stickers, says, "Apeel is an organic approved additive that is applied to fruit and vegetables that prolong the shelf life." Extending the life of an avocado is helpful in reducing food waste, especially if someone has purchased more avocados than they are able to consume before they become too ripe.

What About Going By Color?

Relying on the skin color of an avocado isn't the best way to determine ripeness since there are different varieties of avocados all with skins of different hues of green to black. "Hass, the most commercially available variety, will turn black and yield softly to the touch around the stem," says Laenen. "Fuerte or a Bacon [variety] will always stay green, so the only way to tell is by a gentle squeeze."

Think About How You’ll Use The Avocado

Slicing it or putting it in a salad? "The fruit should give slightly at the stem end," says Salchenberg. This means the avocado is ripe but not so ripe that it will become mushy. Making guacamole? "The fruit should be soft like a ripe peach," he says.

How To Store Them

Unripe avocados should be kept on the kitchen counter at room temperature. Only place them in the fridge once the avocado is ripe, explains Laenen. "A good quality avocado can last in the fridge for up to a week once it is ripe."