Signs of good juicing produce
- Heavy for its size. Citrus, melons and pineapple that feel heavy usually hold more juice.
- Firm, not hard. Apples, carrots, cucumbers and beets should be firm with no soft spots.
- Fragrant. Ripe pineapple, mango and melon smell sweet at the stem end.
- Crisp greens. Leaves should be perky and evenly colored, without yellow or slimy patches.
- Smooth, tight skins. Wrinkled skin often means the fruit has lost moisture.
Firm versus soft
Firm produce suits electric juicers. Soft, very ripe fruit gives more of a purée than a juice, and it suits a blender better. That makes slightly soft fruit a good candidate for a blended drink, while crisp fruit goes in the juicer. See the juicer types page for which machines handle soft fruit.
Seasons, in general
Seasons depend on where you live, and many fruits are shipped year-round. As a broad guide for much of the United States:
| Season | Often at its best |
|---|---|
| Winter | Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, pomegranate, kale, beets, carrots |
| Spring | Strawberries, spinach, herbs, rhubarb stalks, early greens |
| Summer | Watermelon and other melons, cucumbers, berries, peaches, celery |
| Fall | Apples, pears, grapes, beets, carrots |
Pineapple, mango, kiwi, carrots and ginger are widely available most of the year. Your local extension service or farmers market can tell you what grows near you and when.
Storing produce before you juice
Store produce well and it will juice better. Keep apples, carrots, beets, celery and greens in the fridge. Leave bananas, whole melons, mangoes and pineapples at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerate them once cut. Citrus keeps at room temperature for a few days and much longer in the fridge.
Don't wash produce before storing it. Wash it just before you juice, as described on the prep page. Keep cut produce covered in the fridge and use it within a few days.
Frozen fruit
Frozen fruit doesn't go well through most juicers, but it blends well. Thawed frozen berries, mango or pineapple can be blended and strained into juice, and they're handy when fresh fruit is out of season. Follow the package directions, since some frozen produce is meant to be cooked before eating.
How much to buy
Yield varies with the produce, its ripeness and your juicer. As a very rough guide, a glass of juice takes a good handful of produce: two or three oranges, two or three apples, or a few carrots. Juice a small batch first and note what you used, then scale up next time. Our guide to parts helps you plan a mix.
Should I buy organic produce for juicing?
That's a personal choice. Organic or not, wash all produce the same way before you juice it.