Fresh Fruit – Your Summer Shopping Guide

(CARLSBAD, CA) – Thumping a watermelon. Grandma swears by this method when picking her fruit for the annual family Fourth of July picnic. This year, it’s your turn. You scurry to the grocery store, dash over to the fresh fruit section, and start thumping. There’s only one problem. You have no idea what sound your “thump” is supposed to elicit in the giant melon!

The good news is that you’re not alone. Plenty of women across the globe feel dazed and confused when it comes to selecting just the right melons and berries. Do you select a fruit by its color, texture, or smell? How do you know if one nectarine is better than another?

Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett offers this five-step “how-to” guide for picking the best fresh fruit this summer. Use these simple tricks, and you’ll be the hit of this year’s summer picnic, even if your watermelon thumping skills aren’t up to par.

1. Go seasonal – Your first rule of thumb when shopping for summer fruit is to select goods that are in season. Blueberries and strawberries kick-off the summer season from mid-June to July. Then, peaches and raspberries lead the pack from mid-July through September. Grapes are best from August through September. When in doubt, bananas are always a safe bet, since they’re in season year-round.
2. Smell the produce – When produce is at its peak, it smells as good as it tastes. So, go ahead. Take a whiff! If it doesn’t smell delectable, then move along to the next one
3. Touch the goods – Fruit should have some “give” to the touch, without being mushy. Check a fruit’s texture for uniformity. Soft spots often mean that the fruit has started to spoil.
4. Talk to the farmers – If your summer shopping takes you to the local farmers’ market, get to know the vendors at each stand. Ask them what tricks they use to determine the best of the bunch. Most farmers love sharing their know-how with fruit-picking newbies.
5. Hold off on the wash – Once you’ve selected your produce, wait to wash your goods until it’s time to prep and serve them. Excess moisture left on the surface of fruits and veggies can cause them to rot prematurely.

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 7,800 instructors teaching 32,000 classes weekly in all 50 states and 32 countries. For more than 40 years, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive fitness program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com