No one wants to waste food, especially in this era of ever-rising prices. One way to conserve is to pick pick fruits and vegetables that in their prime, not under- or over-ripe.

Farmers’ Almanac has these suggestions to help you shop wisely at the supermarket or farmers market:

BERRIES: Select plump, solid berries with good color. Avoid stained containers, indicating wet or leaky berries. Blackberries and raspberries with clinging caps may be under-ripe. Strawberries without caps may be too ripe.

BROCCOLI, BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CAULIFLOWER: Flower clusters on broccoli and cauliflower should be tight and close together. Brussels sprouts should be firm and compact. Smudgy, dirty spots may indicate insects.

CABBAGE AND HEAD LETTUCE: Choose heads that are heavy for their size. Avoid cabbage with worm holes and lettuce with discoloration or soft rot.

CUCUMBERS: Choose long, slender dark or medium green cucumbers.

MELONS: In cantaloupes, thick close netting on the rind indicates best quality. Cantaloupes are ripe when the stem scar is smooth and space between the netting is yellow or yellow-green. They are best when fully ripe with fruity odor. Honeydews are ripe when rind has creamy to yellowish color and velvety texture. Immature honeydews are whitish-green. Ripe watermelons have some yellow color on one side. If melons are white or pale green on one side, they are not ripe.

PEAS AND LIMA BEANS: Select pods that are well-filled, but not bulging. Avoid dried, spotted, yellowed or flabby pods.

(Photo by Katherine Bish; location, Ferguson Farmers Market)