| Vegetables | Choose | Avoid |
| Asparagus | Rich, green color; tender stalks; closed, compact tips; round spears | Open, moldy, or decayed tips; ripped spears, excessive sand |
| Beans (snap) | Bright color, tender bean, crisp pods | Thick, tough, or wilted pods; serious blemishes |
| Beets | Slender root; rich red color; smooth, round bulb | Wilted, elongated beets; brown, scaly patches |
| Broccoli | Stems not too thick or tough; firm, compact cluster of small flower buds; dark, deep green color | Open buds; wilted, soft condition; yellow color |
| Brussels Sprouts | Bright green color, tight outer leaves, no blemishes | Yellow or wilted leaves, holes or ragged edges |
| Cabbage | Firm heads, heavy for size; bright red or green color; fresh; no blemishes | Wilted, decayed, yellow outer leaves; worn holes |
| Carrots | Bright color; well-rounded, smooth, firm roots | Flabby, decaying roots; patches of green |
| Cauliflower | Creamy white to white head; compact, clean, solid florets | Discolored spots, wilting |
| Celery | Bright color; smooth, rigid stalks; fresh leaves | Discoloration; flabby or pithy stalks; wilting |
| Corn | Ears with plump, not overly mature kernels; fresh, green husks; silk ends free from damage | Yellow, wilted, or dried husks; kernels that are very small, very large, or dark yellow |
| Cucumbers | Well-shaped, rounded body; bright green color; firm | Signs or wilting, large diameter, yellowing |
| Lettuce | Bright color, crisp leaves for iceberg and romaine, soft texture for leaf lettuce; no blemishes | Very hard heads of iceberg lettuce, poor color, brown or soft spots, irregular heads |
| Mushrooms | White, creamy color; small to medium size; caps closed or slightly open around stem; pink or light tan gills | Badly pitted or discolored caps, wide open caps, dark gills |
| Onoins | ||
| – Yellow, White, and Red | Hard, smooth, and firm with small necks; papery outer covering | Wet or soft necks, woody or sprouting areas |
| – Green | Fresh, green tops; well-formed, white bulbs | Yellow, wilted, or decayed tops |
| Peppers (bell) | Bright color, glossy sheen, firm wells, heavy for size | Thin, wilted; cut or punctured walls; decayed spots |
| Potatoes | Firm, well-shaped, free from blemishes and sunburn | large cuts, bruises, or green spots; soft and decaying areas; signs of sprouting or shriveling |
| Radishes | Plump, round, and firm; medium size; bright red color | Large or flabby radishes, decaying tops |
| Squash | ||
| – Summer | Tender, well-developed, firm body glossy skin | Dull appearance; hard, tough skin |
| – Winter | Hard, tough rind; heavy for size | Tender rind; cuts soft, sunken, or moldy spots |
| Tomatoes | Well-formed, smooth, free from blemishes, bright red for fully ripe, pink to light red and slightly firmer for ripening | Soft spots, moldy areas, growth cracks, bruises |
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