Show some avo love – please don’t squeeze!

It’s a common misperception that to check an avo’s ripeness you have to give it a squeeze. But squeezing avos damages them!

So how do you tell if that perfect-looking avo really is as good as it looks?

When buying loose avos, check the fruit stalk. Touch it gently and it should fall off into your hand if it’s ripe. If the stalk hole that is left behind has a soft greenish yellow colour, the fruit inside should be perfect.

If there is any sign of blackness or discolouration under the stalk, the fruit could be bruised or over-ripe. If the stalk is still firmly attached, the avo isn’t ripe and needs a few more days in the fruit bowl (or wrapped in newspaper or stored in a brown paper bag with a banana to speed things up).

The darker skinned Hass avos are usually picked without their stems, but you can easily tell when they’re ready to eat because their skin changes from green to purple/black when ripe.

If the avos are pre-packed and you can’t check the stalk, lightly feel the area at the top of the fruit around the stalk base; it should be soft and give slightly under your gentle touch.

Packed avos that are already ripe are labelled ‘ripe and ready to eat’. These avos definitely don’t need to be squeezed! But if you cut one open and it’s not ripe as promised, return it to the retailer for a refund or exchange.

Remember, add an avo to all your meals but whatever you do, please don’t squeeze!

Information: South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA)