Do Kiwis and Pineapples Ripen After You Buy Them? A Simple Fruit Storage Guide
After grocery shopping in Japan, I used to sort fruit almost automatically. Kiwis went straight into the refrigerator. A whole pineapple usually stayed on the kitchen counter if I wasn't planning to cut it that day. For some reason, I thought pineapple would become sweeter if I left it out for a while. At the same time, even rock-hard kiwis went straight into my fridge. I recently found out that I had the logic almost backwards. Firm kiwis, bananas, and avocados can continue to ripen after you buy them. Pineapples, strawberries, grapes, and watermelons do not ripen in the same way after harvest. That means a hard kiwi can stay at room temperature until it softens. Once it reaches the ripeness you like, you can move it to the refrigerator. A pineapple is different. Leaving it on the counter for several days won't make it steadily sweeter like a banana. Here's the simple way I now think about common fruit at home. Fruit If it's still firm When it's ready to eat Kiwi L...