Buying fruit at the supermarket is often a process of prodding and squeezing to pick out the best quality produce, but Aldi is advising against such methods when it comes to choosing avocados.
Giving the fruit a firm squeeze is widely considered an effective way to determine the ripeness of an avocado, with a slight yield to gentle pressure being a good indicator that the fruit is ready to eat. But the budget supermarket is urging shoppers to think twice about using this practice to check if the fruit is ripe, as it can lead to bruising before the avocado reaches your plate. Instead, Aldi says there is an alternative simple technique that is equally effective at determining ripeness without damaging the lovely green flesh inside.
According to Aldi, rather than squeezing an avocado with your fingertips, you should instead simply hold it in the palm of your hand to check for softness, or remove the small stalk. If the stalk comes away easily and reveals green flesh underneath, this means the avocado is ripe and ready to eat.
By avoiding applying pressure, it means you’re less likely to damage the fruit and be left with brown bruising when you cut into it.
Sharing the top tip, Aldi said: “Resist the urge to squeeze your avocado with your fingertips, as this can bruise the fruit. Instead, gently hold it in the palm of your hand to check for softness, or remove the small stalk. If it comes away easily and reveals green flesh underneath, it's ripe and ready to enjoy.”
In cases when an avocado is not yet fully ripe, Aldi recommends storing the fruit at room temperature and leaving it to soften naturally.
Once it has ripened, you can then transfer it to the fridge to help preserve its freshness, as the cooler temperature helps slow the ripening process down, giving it a longer shelf life before the flesh starts browning.
And if you find that you have some avocado leftover after cutting into it, you don’t need to throw it in the bin as you can preserve the fruit with a simple coating of lemon juice.
Avocados that have been cut are prone to browning due to a natural enzyme called polyphenol oxidase which reacts with oxygen, but lemon juice helps to slow this oxidation keeping the flesh green and fresh.
Aldi added: “Save the other half by leaving the stone in, brushing the exposed flesh with a little lemon or lime juice and storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. This helps slow browning and keeps it tasting its best.”
Aldi said it has sold more than 44 million avocados over the past year and has shared these simple tips to help shoppers choose the perfect avocado, and keep it fresher for longer.
The supermarket added that its sales of the fruit are continuing to grow, with total sales up 5.6% year-on-year, while demand for XL avocados has risen by 25.3%.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "No one wants to cut into an avocado only to find it's bruised or past its best.
“Getting the timing right can sometimes be tricky, but knowing how to choose, ripen and store avocados properly can make all the difference.
"By making a few simple changes, shoppers can enjoy better quality avocados, keep them fresher for longer and get the most from every purchase."