Follow This Color Rule While Grocery Shopping To Pick The Best Carrots

Shopping for fresh produce can be confusing, and there are definitely red and green flags to watch out for at the store. While you assume everything in that fruit or veggie bin is fresh, how do you actually know you're getting the best of the best? For some vegetables, it's the color, while others you have to feel — or even smell — to know the kind of shape they're in. When it comes to picking the best carrots, focus less on the actual carrot and more on the leafy greens attached to it. These should have a vibrant green hue.

Step one to choosing the best carrots is buying ones that still have their leaves. This is because those greens are the easiest way to tell a carrots' freshness. Leaves tend to be delicate, so the greens atop a carrot age quickly. The fresher they are, the fresher the carrot itself is. Look for vibrant greens that are still sturdy and upright. If the carrot tops are floppy and discolored, it's a sign that the carrot isn't in its prime. Once you find the best carrots, bring them home and immediately remove those carrot tops. In an attempt to stay fresh, the greens will continue to pull moisture out of the carrot, which can lead to dryness and premature aging. To get the most from the carrots, don't throw those vegetable tops away; you can use them for something like a carrot pesto.

Bright green tops are the biggest clue to the carrot's condition, but they're not the only way to observe freshness — the carrots themselves offer insight, too. The carrots should be bright orange in the same way the tops are bright green; the more color in this veggie, the better. And make sure that coloring stretches through the entire carrot. Besides color, the skin's texture should be smooth and almost shiny. It shouldn't have any deep cracks, cuts, or bruising. Feel the carrot to determine its firmness. Carrots should not be too bendable. They should be firm enough that you can feel whether they're ready to snap just by adding some pressure. And when they do snap, make sure it's a clean break.

Finally, we all know what a carrot is supposed to look like. The carrots you're considering should generally be the same size as the other carrots in the bunch. You don't want them too big or too small; the inconsistent growth could alter their flavor. And buy carrots that are shaped like carrots. Misshapen carrots means that roasting them all with seasonings for the same amount of time could lead to uneven cooking. For the best selection of carrots, shop in the morning or late at night at your local grocery store, which tends to be when produce is unloaded.