Apples- room temperature for a few days, or in a plastic bag in the fridge for maximum crispness and storage life.
Ready to eat: right away
Avocado- room temperature to ripen. Once ripe, keep in fridge, make sure to eat within a day or two of ripening. Once cut, leave pit in unused part, wrap tightly in plastic and keep in fridge for a day or two.
Ready to eat: when the skin turns a darker green and the flesh gives to a light press.
Bananas- room temperature, do not keep them in the fridge.
Ready to eat: when they are as yellow as you like them to be. The more yellow and the more dark dots, the sweeter and softer they are.
Berries and Cherries- keep in a shallow, open dish in the fridge. Make sure they stay dry- do not wash until you’re ready to eat them.
Ready to eat: right away. They don’t ripen after picking.
Citrus Fruit- room temperature for a few days, or in the fridge for longer storage.
Ready to eat: right away
Figs, fresh- eat right away as they spoil quickly. Keep in a shallow, open dish in the fridge, and keep dry.
Ready to eat: right away
Grapes- store in a loose plastic bag in the fridge. Pick through to remove any soft ones before storing. Do not wash until you are ready to eat them.
Ready to eat: right away
Kiwi- room temperature to ripen. Keep unripe kiwi in the fridge in a loose plastic bag for up to two months.
Ready to eat: the flesh gives to a light press. The softer they are, the sweeter they’ll be.
Kumquats- store in a loose plastic bag in the fridge for up to a month, or for up to a week at room temperature.
Ready to eat: right away
Mango- room temperature to ripen. Once ripe, keep in fridge, make sure to eat within a day or two of ripening.
Ready to eat: when skin has no green left on it, flesh gives to light press. It will be fragrant.
Melons- keep in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before eating for best flavour.
Ready to eat: right away. They don’t ripen after they are picked.
Pears- room temperature to ripen, or in the fridge to slow ripening.
Ready to eat: They ripen from the inside out, so once the skin has a yellow tone and the flesh at the neck gives to a light press, they are ready. Depending on the variety, they may take up to two weeks to ripen. They bruise very easily when ripe.
Pineapple- keep at room temperature for a few days, or in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week.
Ready to eat: when the skin has a yellow tone and it is fragrant.
Soft BC Tree Fruits- apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, etc.- keep at room temperature to ripen. Keep in the fridge to slow ripening, or once ripe.
Ready to eat: when there are no green undertones left, and the flesh has deep golden, red, or purple colouring. Most will be fragrant. The flesh will give to a light press. With apricots, the softer they are, the sweeter they are, even to the point of being mushy. With plums, they will feel quite juicy.