Supermarket fruit

[andyoxon]

Not good in general.  How often do you get this kind of scenario?  Pack of 'ripen at home' nectarines (or the like), half of which gradually ripen one at a time over the course of several days, the rest stay hard and slowly shrivel/ develop mould etc etc; then eventually get composted.   

[Mrs Pingu]

Ripen at home is a lie. If it's not a fruit you can eat hard there's not much point in buying it, IME. (due to the phenomenom you describe)

[Cudzoziemiec]

Fruit and veg are almost always better quality and cheaper in greengrocers than supermarkets. The only ones generally worth buying in a supermarket are potatoes, bananas (which are cheaper in supermarkets), and citrus.

[T42]

Same goes for meat. Which, however, does get a lot riper at home.

[woollypigs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCXNp-XWA6g

[ian]

Ripen at home is a lie. If it's not a fruit you can eat hard there's not much point in buying it, IME. (due to the phenomenom you describe)

This. The majority of fruit need the appropriate conditions and stimulus to ripen. Fruit picked prematurely and left to ripen spontaneously usually doesn't – it either stays hard and unripe or goes directly from hard to mush without any intervening ripe stage. I suspect the majority of this ripen-at-home stuff goes in the bin or compost and the supermarkets and growers know it. It's cheap and fulfils the notion of healthy eating. Like an unused gym membership, it's the thought that counts.

You can try putting them in a bag with a banana but it's a bit hit and miss. Better to buy ripe fruit and eat it quickly.

[contango]

Not good in general.  How often do you get this kind of scenario?  Pack of 'ripen at home' nectarines (or the like), half of which gradually ripen one at a time over the course of several days, the rest stay hard and slowly shrivel/ develop mould etc etc; then eventually get composted.

All the time, it either goes from unripe to mouldy in no time flat, or it tastes of nothing. Or both. Take your pick.

The best way to avoid it is not to buy fresh produce from supermarkets at all. If you can find a local farmer buy it from them directly.

Gloating time - I bought a big box of peaches for $5 and they actually tasted like peaches. Most of them got made into a compote that tasted so intensely of peaches it almost hurt. That went with the gallon of blueberries for $8.

[Crumbling Nick]

Took time to think about this irritation. IME it's only a problem with fruit that was not grown in these islands. The UK plums (a super harvest) & cherries (not as good a crop as last year, but that's how farming is) have been ready to eat, or ripe within a day or two. I haven't seen many UK apricots this year. The strawberry, raspberry & blackberry crops have been good; some of the supermarket produce has been nearly as good as the friut I've bought from the local markets.

By way of contrast, the supermarkets have messed up a promising crop of English apples. Beauty of Bath should have been available early in August. Worcester Pearmain should be an early variety (by the end of October they usually become indistinguishable from cotton-wool), but have only just appeared (Waitrose). The supermarket shelves have been full of apples from the southern hemisphere at precisely the time when UK fruit are at their best .  Meanwhile, the local market has provided a choice of Lord Lambourne, Laxton's Fortune & Newton Wonder - Fresh, crisp & ripe. I hope to replenish on Friday .