The Best Way to Pick a Great Zucchini

We’re smack dab in the middle of summer, which means it’s prime zucchini season and they’re everywhere! Did you know this popular variety of summer squash can grown up to 2 inches in length every 24 hours? Bigger doesn’t mean better, though, so here are some pointers on how to pick the tastiest zucchini.

Inexpensive zucchini is such a versatile summer vegetable: you can eat it raw, bake it into bread or muffins, fry it, or grill it, amongst countless other usages. When picking them out at the store or farmers market, remember these three things and you’re well on your way to getting a good one:

Larger zucchini tend to be watery and flavorless, with pulpy insides and large seeds. Stay away! Smaller is better, so try to find one no larger than a regular-sized flashlight if you’re buying standard green zucchini.

Zucchini can be green, yellow, or white, but always look for a vibrant, rich color.

Look for zucchini that still have a good chunk of the stem attached, as those ones will last longer.

Once you get the zucchini home, store in a paper bag in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator for up to one week. Don’t store zucchini in plastic bags, as they trap in too much moisture and the zucchini will get slimy.

If you have too much zucchini lying around and don’t have any plans for it, freeze it to enjoy later!

→ Learn more: How To Freeze Zucchini

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