When every dollar counts, why throw away pennies? Fresh produce is relatively inexpensive if we pick the best for the money.

Lettuce. A head can be bitter or sweet. Choose a green one that isn’t wilted and feels substantial in weight. The cut stem end is probably brown. With a fingernail, scrape off enough to see light green. Smell it. If it has an iodine smell, reject. If you see mold, reject. Repeat until you find one that has little smell or a sweet smell (much preferred). When you get home, cut off the the old area and soak the rest in a bowl of cold water while you put away the groceries. The head of lettuce will last for a long time.

Celery. Same thing.

Oranges. They don’t re-green. Pick orange oranges.

Baby carrots. They must be baby carrots, not big carrots peeled down to small carrots. One Christmas I made the mistake of not checking the “baby carrots” for that before I cooked them. I tried them before serving. Horribly tough! Had to go with Plan B.

Regular carrots. They should be firm and as thin as possible. The thick ones are horse carrots, for the obvious reason.

Corn. Does the sign say “sweet corn?” If not, the corn probably isn’t sweet. Corn in husks should be fresh-looking and green on the outside. Pull back the husk and look for plump kernels that are smaller toward the pointy end. Large kernels to the end mean they were picked too late. Old, stored corn will have wrinkles in the kernels. The sugar content of corn changes when it rests at room temperature for a length of time.

Potatoes. My house has only two people, and we can’t use 10 pounds of potatoes (or even five). My neighbor and I share large amounts. Make sure the bag of potatoes doesn’t have any moldy ones in it. Even one will cause the rest to go downhill fast. (Same goes for oranges and apples.) I choose potatoes for their intended use — large ones with little eyes for mashed, and just-the-right-size ones for baking.

Watermelon. Look for one that is uniform in size, not lopsided. Hold it like a baby, and pat it as if burping a baby. You want to hear a crisp, low, drum sound. A low, dull sound means it is overripe. Too high a sound means it is underripe. Remember, stores guarantee their products. A watermelon costs $4 or more nowadays. If you pick a bad one, take it back with the receipt for a refund.

Honeydew. You can pick this one without even lifting. With dry hands, spread out your fingers, place on the melon skin and pull toward you. A ripe one will have a tacky squeak.

Persian. Feel the bottom for a soft area.

Cantaloupe. Look for orange in the skin. Pick it up and smell. One that can be used right away smells great. If you pick one that has color but little fragrance, leave it on your kitchen counter a couple of days. When it smells right, refrigerate to hold.

Strawberries. Look for red all the way to the tip. Beware of rotten ones in the basket. Large ones often have a hollow center.

Grapes. They should be firm, plump and clinging to the stem. Don’t discount seeded grapes; they have more flavor. I do not like the trend of stores packaging up grapes nowadays, including the loose ones rolling around in the case. Unbundle the grocer’s prepackaged bag and put the amount you want in a produce bag. The clerk will sell it by weight at checkout.

Global trade has changed the produce world. Strawberries, melons and grapes come from all over. Wash all produce with a drop or two of bleach to a gallon of water. Discard the water and repeat with each product. I keep bleach in a honey bear container on the counter for ready use.

Mel is a trusted produce buyer from the Shasta area countryside who likes to keep a low profile.

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