Tropical fruit Ripening Guide

Fruit

When it’s Ripe

How To Eat

Abiu *looks similar to Eggfruit*

Ripe When picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half and eat insides.

Do not eat the seeds.

Atemoya

Soft all over.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut into sections, eat inside flesh.

Do not eat the seeds.

Avocado

Soft all over, color may not change.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half and eat with a spoon.

Banana

Soft and easy to peel. Store at 70 degrees or higher to ripen properly.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel and eat inside contents.

Add to smoothies.

Black Sapote

Soft all over and darkens in color.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel or cut open, scoop out flesh.

Skin is edible, do not eat the seeds.

Blood Orange

Ready when picked. Eat ASAP.

Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Blue Grape

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Bite or cut off outer shell and suck the thin flesh off of the seed inside.

Do not eat the seed.

Breadfruit

Slightly soft and squeezable.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Skin, cut up, and boil.

Cacao

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half and suck the skin from around seeds.

Seeds may be eaten raw, but be aware they contain caffeine.

Cactus Fruit

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut off the outer skin, peel & enjoy!

Caviar Lime

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half and squeeze out the “pearls”.

Charichuelo

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut or bite off yellow shell. Suck the white flesh off the seed. Do not eat the seed.

Chempejack

Should have give all over when pressed and smell strong. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel or cut open and eat the yellow pods around the seeds.

Cherimoya

Ready when soft. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half. Scoop out the flesh with fingers or a spoon. Eat flesh around the seeds. Do not eat the seeds.

Ciruela

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Picture Coming Soon!

Bite into it, or pickle it.

Coconut (Green)

Ready when picked. Drink the water and eat the meat right away or refrigerate.

Carefully use a machete or cleaver to open. You can find some helpful tools for opening the coconut here.

Coffee Fruit

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Pop in your mouth and eat the sweet skin and flesh around the seeds. The seeds are edible, but be aware they contain caffeine.

Cupuacu

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half and suck the skin from around seeds.

Seeds may be eaten raw, but be aware they contain caffeine.

Custard Apple

Soft all over. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh with fingers or a spoon. Eat sweet, creamy flesh around the seeds. Do not eat the seeds.

Eggfruit

Soft all over. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel open with hands, scoop out seed(s), enjoy!

Gac Fruit

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half. Eat red flesh around seeds.

Gamboge

Squeeze-able on all sides. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut open and eat flesh around the seed. Do not eat the seed. Tastes great in juices. Eat with sweet fruits.

Garlic Fruit

Squeeze-able on all sides. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half, eat the garlicky syrup and soft flesh on the inside. Do not eat the seed.

Goldenberry

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Pop in your mouth like a grape.

Hidden Rose Apple

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Bite into it or slice.

Honey Jujube

Ready when the outer skin turns brown.

Bite into it like an apple. There is a small pit in the center. Don’t eat the seed.

Ice Cream Bean

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Crack open outer shell. Eat the cotton candy-like white flesh around the seeds. Do not eat the seeds.

Imbe

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Eat juicy flesh around the seed. The seed is not edible.

Jaboticaba

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Pop in your mouth like a grape. Do not eat the seed.

Jackfruit (crunchy)

Should have strong fragrance. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut into chunks and eat the yellow pods around the seeds.

June Plum

Will turn light yellow. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe unless you prefer eating them unripe.

Can be eaten unripe, but is best when slightly yellow and eaten like an apple. You can peel off the skin and eat the crunchy inside until you hit the core.

Key Lime

You can eat when you receive them. They will also turn yellow as they ripen. Can be refrigerated to prolong life, but will not ripen in the fridge.

Squeeze juice in beverages and on food. You can eat unripe, but is better when ripe.

Kumquat

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Pop in your mouth whole and eat the skin! The skin is the sweetest part.

Langsat

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Peel off skin, eat flesh segments. Do not eat seeds.

Longan

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Enjoy as soon as you receive them. Do not eat shell or seeds.

Lychee

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Enjoy as soon as you receive them. Do not eat shell or seeds.

Mamey

Soft all over. Some varieties get wrinkly, others do not. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half lengthwise with a knife. Scoop out seed(s), eat with spoon. Best eaten chilled.

Mammee Apple

Slightly soft and squeeze-able. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut off skin, eat orange flesh. Do not eat the seed(s).

Mamoncillo

Ready when picked. Eat or refrigerate right away.

Enjoy as soon as you receive them. Do not eat shell or seeds.

Mango

Mangoes are sent unripe. They will be ripe after a few days when SOFT all over.

Some varieties may stay completely green, others turn colors, and some get black spots.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe. Keep out of direct sunlight.

Cut off cheeks, score with knife.

Scoop out flesh with a spoon, peel off skin around the seed. Suck off flesh from the seed.

Mangosteen

Ready when picked. Eat as soon as delivered, should be consumed the same day due to high perishability/ short shelf life.

Cut in half horizontally and suck the sweet flesh off the seeds.

Eat as soon as delivered, should be consumed the same day due to high perishability/ short shelf life.

Monstera Deliciosia

Scales will fall off when it’s ready to eat.

DO NOT PEEL OFF THE SCALES. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Eat the white flesh underneath the scales with a spoon.

Will ripen in sections over a few days span. Stick in jar upside down to speed up process.

Monthong Durian

Ready to eat when you receive it.

Peel open at the splitting seems. Be careful not to stab yourself with sharp spikes.

Eat the creamy flesh.

Mushy Jackfruit

Should have give all over when pressed and smell strong. Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel or cut open and eat the yellow pods around the seeds.

Noni

Soft and super squishy.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Use as an ingredient

or cheese replacement.

Papaya

Soft all over and completely yellow.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half with a knife.

Scoop out seeds eat orange flesh.

Passionfruit

Wait until it gets wrinkly/dimples.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut open with a knife.

Squeeze into a juice or on top of sweet fruit to add flavor and a hint of sour.

Pepino Melon

This fruit is picked ripe and ready to eat when you get it.

Cut in half, scoop out the seeds, and eat the insides with a spoon. Do not eat the outer skin.

Pineapple

Ready when picked/strong smell.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut off the crown, cut off the outer skin,

Cut slices off the core, chop into chunks, eat with a fork.

Pink Guava

Soft all over and strong smell.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half and scoop with spoon.

Skin and seeds are edible and safe to eat.

Pink Lemon

Wait until it gets completely yellow.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Squeeze juice in beverages and on food.

Pomelo

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut off the outer skin or slice and eat the pulp inside.

Rambutan

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Enjoy as soon as you receive them.

Don’t eat shell or seeds.

Red Atemoya

Ready when soft all over. Wait until super soft.

Cut in half and enjoy the white flesh inside.

Do not eat the seeds.

Red Dragonfruit

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half and eat inside

with a spoon.

Rollinia

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut into sections, eat inside flesh

Do not eat the seeds.

Sakata melon

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut into slices and eat the inside – including the seeds! Seeds are edible and we recommend eating them.

Sapodilla

Soft all over.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel in half with your hands, scoop out seed(s),

enjoy with your mouth or a spoon.

Soursop

Soft all over.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel off skin or cut in half and enjoy the white flesh inside.

Do not eat the seeds.

Sprouted Coconut

Ready when harvested.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Eat as soon as possible.

Crack open shell and eat the inside contents.

Star Apple (Caimito)

Ready when soft/squeezable.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Cut in half horizontally, scoop out seeds,

eat inside with a spoon.

Strawberry Tree Berry

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Pop into mouth like blueberries!

Sugar Apple

Ready when soft.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Peel off outer scales or peel open with hands

and eat the sweet flesh around the seeds. Do not eat the seeds.

Sugarcane

Ready when harvested.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut the hard outer skin off

and chew the sugary inside fibers.

Tamarillo

Ready when picked.

Eat or refrigerate right away.

Cut in half and eat juicy insides.

Outside skin is bitter.

Tropical Persimmon

Soft all over.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Bite into it!

Velvet Apple

Ready when soft.

Do not refrigerate before it is ripe.

Photo coming soon!

Peel or cut open with hands or knife.

Eat the creamy inside with your fingers or a spoon. Do not eat the seeds.

Watermelon Guava

Ready when it has some give. It is more firm than pink guava and can be eaten less ripe. When it starts developing brown spots it needs to be eaten immediately.