How do you select fruits and vegetables, when you are at the market? Do you
smell the melons? Do you squeeze the tomatoes and peaches? Do you tap on the
watermelon or pull the top of the pineapple? My mother taught me to smell the fruit,
and to ask the produce "man." Somehow, if fruit doesn't smell the way it should, it
probably doesn't taste right either! I see other shoppers "sizing up" their produce.
Almost everyone touches, turns and squeezes a little.

There really is a guide book to help you choose produce:
"Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every
Fruit and Vegetable at the Market."
The little stickers on fruits and vegetables have digits that let you know whether
they are conventionally grown, organic, or if they are genetically modified (GM).
A four digit number means it is conventionally grown. A five digit number
beginning with "9" means it's organic. A five digit number beginning with
"8" means it's genetically modified.

Check out the website: Ideal Bite. There is a wealth of information to help
you find the best food grown in America. There are also tips on shopping,
storing and cooking your produce. Happy eating!

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