Grocery store produce with price tags.
The Supermarket's Worst Time Of Day To Buy Produce

NEWS

By ANN MEYER
Shopping cart full of fruits and vegetables.
Whether you need to replenish your fridge for the week ahead or grab some last-minute ingredients, it turns out there's an absolute worst time to shop for fresh produce.
A selection of apples at a grocery store.
Most supermarkets receive new inventory close to opening in the morning or closing at night, unloading the freshest stuff soon after so it doesn't sit around to wilt.
A woman shopping for produce.
By the late afternoon or early evening, shoppers have already picked through the day's bounty, making noon one of the worst times to shop for fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and veggies in refrigerator's produce drawers.
If you don't want to leave things to chance, ask an employee or manager when your specific store restocks the produce section so you can choose from the best and brightest produce.