The Worst Time Of Day To Buy Produce At The Grocery Store

Whether you need to replenish your fridge for the week ahead or grab some last-minute ingredients to make a springy vegetarian pot pie for a dinner party, it turns out there's an absolute worst time to grocery shop for fresh produce. Sure, it's no secret that supermarkets get frustratingly crowded as the end of the workday rolls around. But the reason behind the misfortunate timing has more to do with what's available on the shelves, not how many people are packed into the store's aisles. If your trip to the supermarket involves buying fruits and veggies, you should give special consideration to when you go. Otherwise, the pickings might be slim — and potentially worse for wear, too.

As a rule of thumb, avoid buying produce around noon – the quantity and quality of what's available may not be the best. Most supermarkets receive new inventory close to opening in the morning or closing at night, unloading the freshest stuff soon after so it doesn't sit around to wilt. By the late afternoon or early evening, shoppers have already picked through the day's bounty, leaving behind whatever they didn't find worthy enough to take home.

To snag the best-looking and ripest fruits and veg possible, head to the grocery store as soon after a delivery as possible. When shopping for produce, it turns out that being an early bird or a night owl both pay off.

While there are many ways to strategically shop for produce, including knowing what signs to look for and what to avoid, the simplest tip comes down to timing. When you shop influences what's available, after all. Displays of fresh fruits and veggies will quickly dwindle during the grocery store's peak hours, usually the afternoon on weekends and early evenings on weekdays. So, if you want to ensure you can find what you need (and have options available), shop in the early morning or late evening. The closer to the store's opening and closing hours, the fresher the produce will likely be.

Wondering why? Well, it comes down to when grocery stores restock. Depending on when shipments arrive, most stores put out new inventory at the start or end of the day. Of course, there are exceptions. Big supermarkets might also stock shelves throughout the day to keep up with high demand, while smaller shops might only bring out the new stuff a couple of days a week.

If you don't want to leave things to chance, ask an employee or manager when your specific store restocks the produce section. By shopping as close to those times as possible, you can choose from the best and brightest produce — something that's important when picking ripe avocados. And as an added bonus, the store shouldn't be super busy then either, so you can avoid the crowds, too. Two perks for the price of one.