How do you know when a mango is ripe?

I always smell them to see if they smell like the fruit (same with pineapple). Also, when you press on it, the flesh should give a little like a peach. You can eat them plain or with yogurt, smoothie, fruit salad, grilled...endless possibilities.

It should yield slightly to the touch, like a peach or avocado. You don't want it to feel hard, like an apple. We love mangoes at our house! Yummm!


Cutting a mango can be tricky. The way I peel/slice it is like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU27jWGVHoI. One correction. At the end, she says "you're done," but at our house, we are not done. We eat the flesh from off the seed that you otherwise cannot get with a knife. Generally my middle child calls the seed for herself. :^)

Unripe Mangoes taste kinda like a carrot. The same thing makes both of them orange, beta carotene.

I am trying to eat new fruit...picked up a mango at the grocery store. How do you know when it's ready to eat? Is it eaten plain or with something? This is coming from an apples-only fruit eating girl....I'm really trying to expand my food list.

Thank you in advance for the suggestions!

They will give off a sweet, citrus like smell, they will be soft, but not mushy, and they will have a more yellow and red color than green. I like to cut them into big chunks and eat them w/ vanilla yogurt or mix them with other tropical/citrus fruits. Although, plain is good too.

Squeeze them!

Squeeze them!

Yes, don't forget to "squeeze the mangos"..... LOL :laugh: That should be on a "Top Ten List of Things That Sound Dirty, But Aren't"