An pineapple is only at its best—and healthiest—when it’s fully ripe. There are a few telltale signs to look for so you can spot a perfectly ripe pineapple every time. Whether you’re harvesting your own or picking one up at the grocery store, you definitely want to wait for that peak ripeness.
Unripe fruit is a no-go for humans and pets
Just like a lot of other fruits, pineapples aren’t very friendly to your stomach if they’re eaten underripe. This goes for both people and our furry friends. You should never feed unripe pineapple to your dog. Unripe fruit can lead to some pretty unpleasant digestive issues and diarrhea, which is no fun for anyone involved.
On the flip side, a fully ripe pineapple is packed with beneficial enzymes that actually aid digestion. Plus, they’re loaded with a healthy dose of Vitamin C!
When is pineapple season?
The peak season for pineapple is actually during the winter. Since they hail from tropical regions, our winter is their summer—providing the perfect sunny conditions for the fruit to ripen to perfection.
While pineapples do grow year-round, the yields are much smaller during our summer months. Because demand is so high in the summer, growers often harvest the fruit too early. You’ll want to avoid buying these green fruits because pineapples don’t actually ripen after they’re picked. They need to be harvested at the very start of their ripening phase at the earliest; that’s the only way the flavor can develop slightly during transport.
How to spot a ripe pineapple
The first thing you should check is the outer shell. You want to avoid any green patches—and definitely stay away if the whole thing is green. A ripe pineapple should be a beautiful golden-yellow to light brown. You might occasionally see some special varieties with a reddish tint, but those are usually only found in high-end specialty shops.
Your nose is also a great tool! A ripe pineapple should have that unmistakable, sweet aroma. If you can’t smell anything, it’s likely not ripe yet, even if the color looks okay. On the other hand, if it smells slightly fermented or like alcohol, put it back. That means it’s overripe and starting to spoil.
Storing your fruit
Pineapples don’t have a very long shelf life. If you have a ripe one, the best place for it is a cool pantry around 50°F (10°C). If you don’t have a spot like that, keeping it on your kitchen counter for a few days is perfectly fine too!
