A Guide to Picking the Best Tomato at the Grocery Store

Few fruits are romanticized more than the tomato. During peak tomato season, tomato-lovers flock to farmers markets and roadside stands to purchase tomatoes of every shape, size, and color. Pounds of tomatoes are snatched up without hesitation because nothing promises quality quite like farmers market tomatoes in the summer.

But what about at the supermarket? Don’t overlook those lovely summer tomatoes just because you’re not at a Saturday morning market, serenaded by your local banjo-player, jostled by strollers and dogs wearing bandannas.

In fact, in the depth of summer, supermarket tomatoes are just as tasty as their heavily marketed, farmer-branded brethren — you just have to know how to pick them.

Where the tomatoes were grown is a better indicator of quality than a brand name. Florida and Mexico are major tomato growers and shippers, meaning that unless you live close to these places — their tomatoes were picked green and shipped across borders in their un-ripened state. Locally grown tomatoes are more likely ripened on the vine and will probably taste better and be less expensive.

Your grocery store may be one that partners with local growers to bring in local produce; if so, look for these first.

Look for tomatoes that have a deep, consistent coloring. Yellow or green patches on red tomatoes are an indicator that the tomatoes were ripened off the vine — a practice of tomato growers who pick green tomatoes, which are easier to pack and ship but may compromise flavor.

Pick up the tomato, but resist squeezing it, and rest it in the palm of your hand. Tomatoes should feel heavy for their size.

Give the tomato a smell — it should have a sweet, earthy smell. The stronger a tomato smells, the more flavor it will have.

Plastic clamshells are quite convenient for getting tiny tomatoes to the supermarket and home, but they make selecting their contents a bit of a pain. Try to select grape and cherry tomatoes that are also deep in color. They should be smooth, unwrinkled, and plump for their size.

Again, giving the package a whiff will let you know how flavorful the tomato may or may not be and alert you to any spoilage inside the container.

What are your tricks for picking the best tomatoes at the grocery store?