Vegetables · Broccoli
How to pick good Broccoli
Tight, dark green, florets firmly closed and dense — that's peak freshness
How to pick
Look for a dense, tightly packed head where every floret is firmly closed, with no visible gaps between florets. Color should be a deep, uniform dark green — a slight blue-green or purple tinge at the tips is from cold growing conditions (anthocyanins) and is harmless, not a quality signal either way. Press the cut stem end with your thumb: a fresh stem feels hard and doesn't flex; a stem that gives has already lost moisture.
Red flags
- Yellow florets or patches of yellow — chlorophyll has broken down, the head is past peak
- Tiny yellow flower buds opening between florets — the head has bolted past peak
- Hollow, soft, or spongy stem end — indicates poor quality or water loss
- Strong sulfurous or cabbage-like smell — a sign of advanced age
- Black or dark brown speckling on the floret surface — early mold or rot
How to store
Refrigerate unwashed in a perforated produce bag or an open plastic bag in the crisper drawer — broccoli needs humidity but not trapped moisture. Use within 3–5 days. Do not wash before storing; surface moisture speeds decay. Blanch and freeze for longer storage (8–12 months at 0 °F (-18 °C); best quality within 10 months for most home freezers).
In the app
Scan
In the aisle, in seconds
Point the camera: pick or pass for that exact item, and the cue to trust next time.
Season where you live · Nutrients · Taste · Myths · Ayurveda
Free to install.
More to pick
Picking, storage, and freshness guidance is drawn from peer-reviewed postharvest research and agricultural extension sources. The sources are named in the app.