Pineapples are delicious, as long as they are fresh. But how can you tell if a pineapple is fresh? How do you know you are going to get the best from it and it’s not going to end up in the bin?
Here are are a few things you can do when choosing a pineapple to tell how fresh it is:
Sight
First of all, have a good look at the pineapple, it should be brightly coloured and have deep green leaves. If it the body of the pineapple looks dull, and the leaves are brown, it’s past its best so look for another.
It’s worth noting that pineapples do not continue to ripen after they are harvested, and once opened only last up to a couple of days in normal conditions.
Feel
Fresh pineapples are weighty because they’re full of juice. If you find one that isn’t, move onto another. If it is heavy, gently squeeze it. What you are looking for is a fruit that is firm, but with a little play when poked. There should be no soft bits or indents on the outside.
Smell
Our nose tells us a lot about the quality of food (and the world around us). A fresh/ripe pineapple gives off that wonderfully sweet pineappley smell.
If you can tick all these boxes then your pineapple is pretty fresh and good to go.