Yellow, sweet and juicy. Fresh Pineapples are a better pick over the canned variety. Besides being fresh, they’re comparable in price. In my area they run around $3.00 a each. Last week one store had them on sale for .99. What a GREAT price!  With prices like that, pick up one or two.

Fresh pineapples are one of those fruits that some look at and say, “I don’t know how to pick a good one out” or “I’ve bought one, now what?”.  If you find yourself skipping the fresh and grabbing the canned because of these reasons, I’m going to show you just how easy fresh pineapples are to buy and cut up yourself.

How to Buy Fresh Pineapples

First things first. These are some tips for helping you find a good pineapple at the store.

• Start by looking at the leaves. They should be green. You do not want brown or dried out leaves on the top of your pineapple.
• Use your nose. The bottom of the pineapple should smell like pineapple.
• Next, Look at the color of the pineapple. It should be more yellow than green. If the pineapples on the shelf are all green or brown and drying out, leave them on the shelf.
• The round things all over the pineapple are called eyes. They should be uniform in shape and size on the pineapple.

Preparing Pineapples

Now that you have a fresh pineapple it’s time to cut it up. Cutting one up isn’t difficult but sometimes we like things done as fast as possible.  If you find yourself buying them constantly and want it done super fast then get a Pineapple Corer.  They’re affordable at under 10 bucks and make quick work out the task.

Steps for Cutting up Pineapples

Step 1. Twist off pineapple top.

Step 2.  Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple.

Step 3.  Stand Pineapple upright on your cutting board.

Step 4. From top to bottom, guide your knife between the fruit and pineapple peel working your way around the fruit.  This is the same way I cut a watermelon.

Step 5.  Once you’ve peeled the pineapple, go back over and trim up any eyes that were missed.

Next, you need to cut out the core. The core is edible but fibrous and tough.

Step 7. First, from top to bottom cut the pineapple into 4 quarters.

Step 8.  Once the pineapple is quartered, cut out the core as shown in the photo below.

Step 9. After you have cut out the core, cut the pineapple into spears or chunks.

Step 10. Store the pineapple in a covered container in the refrigerator and eat within 2-3 days.

What did you Learn About Pineapples?

• Maybe you learned a new tip for picking out a fresh one.
• Did you learn how easy it is to get it prepped so buying fresh is now the choice above canned?
• Maybe you said the heck with it. I don’t have time for that. Where’s the pineapple corer gadget you mentioned above?

For those of want the gadget. You can find it online HERE.  If you are looking for other kitchen gadgets that are helpful check out my post on Kitchen Gadgets that Make Cooking Easier.

Finally, if you need an idea of what to do with all that pineapple you just cut up try making Dole Whip. It’s a healthy frozen treat that’s gluten and dairy free.

I hope you found these tips on pineapples helpful.  Maybe the next time you see them in the store you one will end up in your basket.

Please feel free to comment with any other questions you may have about pineapples or other foods you aren’t sure about preparing.  I would love to hear from you and help you out.