How To Choose Blueberries at the Store Learn The Secrets

How To Choose Blueberries at the Store

Blueberries are one of the most popular fruits all around the world but especially in America and blueberries are one of the most vibrant blue foods. Not only do they look delicious, but they also taste wonderful and can be incorporated into different kinds of dishes. You can also eat them fresh after washing them in your sink.

How to Buy Top Quality Blueberries at the store

In this article, we’ll talk about the right way of buying blueberries from the store so that you can find the juiciest, plumpest and sweetest ones.

How to Buy Good Blueberries at the Store?

When you’re in the grocery store, in the fruit section to be specific – learn how to choose blueberries and try to look for the blueberries that are blue (obviously), plump, and do not have any dents or mold showing on them.

Here is the way fruit professionals choose and evaluate blueberries

Table of Contents

Blueberry Size
1. Look at how big the berry is not the sole indicator or berry quality. However, if the size is small then almost universally the taste is not sweet. First-grade blueberries are medium to large size.
Color of the Berry
1. The color needs to be a deep to dark blue. Liter colors indicate they may not be ready for eating
Berry Skin
1. Check the skin, is it wrinkled – this may indicate they are old or have not been stored correctly. Also look for blemished or mold.
The Bloom
1. This is a color that is a white hue and is protection naturally on blueberries. If this is present you know they are fresh

A lot of stores put out blueberries that are still not ripe and when you eat them, there’s a displeasing taste.

While when you see blueberries on a special or deal – this often (not always) means they are close to being overripe and must be eaten or used with a day or two.

How Many Blueberries do I need for 5 people? — The white indicates the blueberries are fresh

In supermarkets, the packaging of blueberries varies and we highly suggest that you go for those placed in transparent ones. However, a lot of stores, especially those that have a luscious produce section, package their fruits only when you buy them off the racks which means that you can check their texture and inspect if there are dents and scratches.

Should Blueberries Be Firm or Soft?

Another question that people often ask is picking between blueberries that are firm or soft. To answer this, you need to buy firm blueberries. Just like in any other fruit, too much softness only means that the blueberries are over-ripe and are not in their best state to be eaten raw.

However, if you are looking for blueberries that you might want to include in your blueberry pie, buying soft (but not too soft) blueberries is fine. This will help you liquefy or melt the blueberries into a paste or filling.

Which Is Better Dried or Frozen Berries?

Before buying blueberries from the supermarket, you need to ask yourself first how do you want to consume them? Are you craving some frozen blueberries to put on top of your oatmeal and pancakes or do you want to eat dried blueberries while driving or watching a movie?

But be aware that the calorie and sugar content of one cup of frozen blueberries is different from its dried counterpart. Dried will typically have a lot more sugar as they are concentrated as they dry, so oz per oz dried contain more sugar than fresh frozen blueberries.

To avoid consuming too much sugar, bear in mind that one-third (⅓) of a cup of dried blueberries is more than enough for a single person.

How Do You Know if Blueberries Are Good

You know blueberries are good when they have a nice deep blue color without shriveled skin. Furthermore, the berries should be plump and juicy. They should also smell sweet.

If you find that the berries are hard, then you should not buy them. The reason why they get hard is that they were picked before they ripened fully.

How to Choose Sweet Blueberries

Choose a sweet blueberry by looking for a plump berry with smooth dark blue skin. In addition, look for a strong scent of fresh sweetness.