# How To Pick A Fresh Pineapple **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-pick-a-fresh-pineapple/188902 "2003-07-16T16:01:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-pick-a-fresh-pineapple/188902/1 "2003-07-16T16:01:01Z")
How do you know if a fresh pineapple is ripe? They all look the same to me! ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-pick-a-fresh-pineapple/188902/2 "2003-07-16T16:19:32Z")
When I lived in Hawaii, I was told that you pull out one of the “leaves” (for lack of a better word; what are those things on top of a pineapple called anyway?). It should come off with a gentle tug and not require great effort. Conversely, I suppose if it simply falls out, you can take that as a sign the pineapple is rotting. Kramer ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-pick-a-fresh-pineapple/188902/3 "2003-07-16T16:20:21Z")
The same way you check any fruit: pick it up an smell it. It should have a faint aroma of pineapple. No scent, and it’s not quite ripe; too much scent, and it’s probably overripe. Some people check by pulling a leaf from the top; supposedly, a ripe pineapple has the leaf come off easily. This is an old wives’ tale and has nothing to do with ripeness.