There's nothing worse than coming home from the weekly grocery shop to find the fruit and veg you bought isn't quite right.
Thanh "Fruit Nerd" Truong is here to help. He's worked as a national fruit buyer and has supplied grocers and restaurants with top quality fresh produce.
Here are his best tips for choosing, storing and enjoying your favourite fruits and vegetables.
Why you might be better off buying a green avocado
Loading...A bruised, brown-fleshed avocado is a big disappointment.
One problem is that people like to squeeze avos — and that can cause bruising.
That's why Thanh suggests picking up Hass avocados that are a "little bit green". They won't be bruised, and they'll be perfectly ripe in a day or two.
How to find the best broccoli
When shopping for broccoli, Thanh says to look for firm florets that don't easily pull away from the stem.
Avoid heads that have yellow or orange spotting or other discolouration.
To keep your broccoli fresher for longer, keep it in an untied plastic bag or ventilated container in the fridge. It'll last up to a week.
An underrated alternative to broccolini
If you're looking for a broccolini alternative, Thanh suggests gai lan (Chinese broccoli).
It's firm and crispy, and delicious either steamed or when added to stir-fries. Thanh's tip is to look for shorter bunches, which tend to be sweeter and more tender.
The best ways to store soft herbs
Coriander, mint, dill, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme and sage should be kept in the fridge, ideally between one and five degrees. But basil needs to be kept at room temperature.
Thanh suggests storing rootless herbs in an airtight container lined with a damp tea towel or paper towel.
If the herbs you've bought still have roots attached, you can also store them in water.
The secret to a good lemon
The trick to finding the best lemon is to look at the texture of the skin.
"Smooth-skin lemons represent maturity or ripeness," Thanh explains.
"It'll mean there's more juice and it's heavier, whilst one picked a little less ripe [will] be bumpy and it's not going to have as much juice in it."
The great thing about lemons is that they store well. Kept in the fridge, they can last up to six months.
Why Thanh likes to weigh mandarins
The perfect mandarin should be "juicy, sweet and a little bit tart".
"My technique for choosing a great mandarin is just like oranges: pick two mandarins that are a similar shape and size and use your non-dominant arm to feel the weight of both. The one that's heavier is going to have more juice, and be less dry," Thanh explains.
That will be a better indication of how the mandarin will taste than the puffiness of the fruit's skin.
What to look for when buying stone fruit
Loading...Stone fruit are at their best during the warm summer months.
Peaches and other stone fruit should smell sweet, even if they're firm. The skin is another good indication of ripeness.
If the peach has green undertones, it's probably been picked too early. Instead look for darker tones of yellow and orange.
Finally, don't make the mistake of storing stone fruits in the fridge; storing them at room temperature will help the fruit soften.
How to avoid overripe raspberries
Raspberries are available year-round, but the fruit is abundant over summer.
Thanh says the best raspberries in Australia are grown in Tasmania, and he has some tips for finding a great punnet at the shops.
"Look at the colour and smell the punnet to see if it's sweet," he says.
He says to steer clear of punnets with juice at the bottom; it's an indication that the fruit isn't fresh.
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