Buying tips

• Buy from a busy shop. High turnover should be a good indicator of freshness.
• Buy what is fresh and affordable rather than shopping from a list.
• Beware of shops that use a lot of water to spray their displays. A little is good, but a lot can make produce too wet and encourage rot.
• Buy produce when it's in season.
• Buy a selection of fruit from the very ripe to the unripe, so you'll have several days' good eating.
• If you find bad items, take them back (with the docket) as soon as possible and ask for your money back.
• Avoid items with handling damage. Cuts and bruises speed decay.
• With produce cut from the plant (lettuce, cauliflower) check the cut surface. Discolouration indicates age.
• Test for firmness in the palm of your hand, rather than by pushing with your fingertips. You'll only bruise it for the next person.
• See the storage tips for fruit and vegetables in our tables. If it's not meant to go in the fridge, don't put it there. For example, bananas and tropical produce will develop watery, brown flesh if refrigerated, and tomatoes will lose their flavour.

Farmers' markets

While there's no guarantee, you're more likely to find really fresh fruit and veg at your local farmers' market. Farmers often get a better return than from selling through the big supermarket chains, but of course there's a more limited range of produce available, especially during the winter months.

More help

• 5-a-day: www.5aday.co.nz. Made by United Fresh. A good resource for kids.
• VegFed: www.vegetables.co.nz. Made by the New Zealand Vegetable Growers' Federation. Provides recipes and information about New Zealand-grown vegetables.