Fruits and Vegetables

Vegetables are plants grown (or found) for food. Fruits are the reproductive parts of an angiosperm plant. Information presented here is adapted from food critic Jeffrey Steingarten's 1997 bestseller The Man Who Ate Everything. Fair use for educational purposes.

Vegetables

Fruits

Climacteric fruits ripen quickly. Nonclimacteric fruits ripen slowly. The only fruits that can ripen off the parent plant are climacteric, using stored reserves of starch.

Fruit Ripening Storage Nutrition Tips

Apple Climacteric, will get sweeter after picked. Room temperature to ripen. Potassium 260 mg

Avocado Ripens only after picked. Room temperature to ripen. Potassium 700 mg

Banana Climacteric, will ripen after picked. Room temperature to ripen. Potassium 450 mg

Blackberry Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Blueberry

Canteloupe Climacteric Room temperature to ripen. Netting will be raised when ripe.

Cherry Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag. Buy cherries only with stem attached.

Grape Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Grapefruit Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Lemmon Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Lime Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Litchi Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Mango Will get sweeter after picked. Room temperature to ripen.

Olive Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Orange Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag. Potassium 250 mg
130% DV Vitamin C Color is unimportant.

Papaya Will get sweeter after picked. Room temperature to ripen.

Peach Climacteric Room temperature to ripen. Skin should show no trace
of green.

Pear Will get sweeter after picked. Room temperature to ripen.

Pineapple Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Raspberry Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Strawberry Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Tomato Refrigerate in plastic bag.

Watermellon Climacteric, but never ripens after picked. Refrigerate in plastic bag. White seeds indicate immaturity.

Fruit	Ripening	Storage	Nutrition	Tips
Apple	Climacteric, will get sweeter after picked.	Room temperature to ripen.	Potassium 260 mg
Avocado	Ripens only after picked.	Room temperature to ripen.	Potassium 700 mg
Banana	Climacteric, will ripen after picked.	Room temperature to ripen.	Potassium 450 mg
Blackberry	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Blueberry
Canteloupe	Climacteric	Room temperature to ripen.		Netting will be raised when ripe.
Cherry	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.		Buy cherries only with stem attached.
Grape	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Grapefruit	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Lemmon	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Lime	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Litchi	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Mango	Will get sweeter after picked.	Room temperature to ripen.
Olive	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Orange	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.	Potassium 250 mg 130% DV Vitamin C	Color is unimportant.
Papaya	Will get sweeter after picked.	Room temperature to ripen.
Peach	Climacteric	Room temperature to ripen.		Skin should show no trace of green.
Pear	Will get sweeter after picked.	Room temperature to ripen.
Pineapple	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Raspberry	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Strawberry	Nonclimacteric, never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Tomato		Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Watermellon	Climacteric, but never ripens after picked.	Refrigerate in plastic bag.		White seeds indicate immaturity.

Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com