Missouri Fresh Produce Market- How To Purchase The Best Yield

By William Baker


For the freshest produce, try to find locally grown, in-season fruits and vegetables. The closer you are to where the produce is grown, the less time it sits in a truck and warehouse. If you're shopping for harvest at a farmer's market, shop early in the day. Scan the farmer's entire produce offering to get a general idea of the quality before you purchase. Choosing the best Missouri Fresh Produce Market and crop means knowing what to look for and what to avoid when buying fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables and fruits - has to be firm on touch, with its natural color almost glowing. Don't be afraid to touch the food. What you feel is often the best indicator when buying freshly harvested fruit and vegetables. It should look amazing just as good as it looks in cartoons - full body and colors. Fresh fruit should look like it will burst out of their skin any time and vegetables should be firm and healthy looking. Shy away from tyred and saggy!

Watermelon should be firm and heavy with a smooth skin. Watermelon should have a yellow area on one side, from where it rested while ripening. If it doesn't have a well-defined yellow side, it may have been harvested too soon.

Meat - the surface of the red meat should look matte and dry, with a dark, rich red or slightly purplish color. Good quality red meat should be marbled nicely, with thin threads of white fat spreading through the meat. Often you can tell a lot about the quality by just looking at it; bright red pieces of beef or lamb that are wet with blood haven't been hung properly and will probably be tough and tasteless. Chicken should be glowing and bright skin color. Try to avoid any meat wrapped in plastic foil; it's likely the meat will smell sweaty.

Fish and shellfish - if you don't like the looks of it in first two seconds; don't buy it! Very simple but is works every time. Fish should never smell fishy; when it's fresh, it should smell like the sea. Eyes should be clear, bright and shiny, not cloudy or glazed over. Gills should only be a deep red color. Also fish should look moist and shiny like it just came from the sea. Same goes for shellfish.

What benefits can you derive from freshly harvested crops? The produce can help to improve your health. Below is a list of just a few health benefits for each. There are tons more that could not be listed in this one article; but as you can see, eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis does have its advantages!

Bananas can be greener and less ripe than you like them because they ripen fairly quickly. You can extend the life of your bananas by refrigerating them when they reach the perfect ripeness stage. The peel will darken, but the flesh will be unaffected, and their freshness will be extended. Tomatoes should be bright red, firm and free of bruises.

Sweet Banana Peppers - Most dietary research have found that women who consume high amounts of nutrients from vegetables and fruits have less risk of cervical dysplasia. Broccoli is a versatile veggie loaded with down-home goodness and super nutrition.




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