5 ways to tell produce is truly fresh

Once you've tasted truly fresh food, it's hard to go back. Here's how to spot it.

1. Firmness Fresh vegetables and fruit feel firm and heavy for their size. Softness and wrinkles mean time has passed since harvest.

2. Color Vibrant, saturated color is a good sign. Dullness or yellowing greens signal age.

3. Smell Ripe fruit and fresh herbs have a clear, pleasant aroma. Little to no smell often means it was picked early and shipped far.

4. The leaves and stems Perky, green tops on carrots, beets, and herbs mean recent harvest. Wilting is the first thing to go.

5. How long it lasts Truly fresh produce keeps for days longer at home. If your greens last a week instead of two days, that's the harvested-to-order difference.

Local food tends to pass all five — because it hasn't spent a week in transit.