Can you buy fresh coconut if you don’t live on a tropical island? Yes, most people living in every part of the country can access fresh, whole coconuts. Take a look at some tips for buying coconuts around the year from wherever you happen to live!
When you bring a tropical, delicious coconut into your kitchen, you can feel the island breeze gliding through the room.
There’s nothing quite like cracking a coconut open to savor the sweet, vitamin-rich meat, and juices hiding inside!
If you’re considering buying coconuts, take a look at a quick guide to getting a coconut from the tropics to your kitchen!
How to Choose the Perfect Coconut
If you were a castaway on a tropical island, the perfect coconut might fall from a tree to hit you on the head! For the rest of us, finding a perfect coconut doesn’t happen quite that easily!
Shopping for a coconut that’s in good shape is equal parts science and intuition. Luckily, there are some very easy tips for buying coconuts that are fresh and delicious. Take a look at how to buy coconuts that are in good condition.
Step 1: Do the Shake
The easiest way to test a coconut is simply to shake it! The last thing you want is a “stagnant” coconut. It’s very important that you hear some sloshing sounds coming from inside the coconut to confirm that it has lots of water inside. If a coconut does not appear to have water on the inside, this is a red flag.
First, it could mean that the coconut has small cracks that have allowed the water to leak out. The same cracks that allow water to leak out also allow bacteria and mold to seep in. You also won’t get the joy of sipping coconut water if your coconut is dry on the inside.
Step 2: Eyeball the Coconut
You should also conduct a visual inspection of your coconut. Look for any signs of holes, cracks or mold. Coconuts with wet exteriors should not be purchased. The goal is to find a coconut that is fully intact without any breaches.
Step 3: Do the Weight Test
Lastly, allow the coconut to sit in your hands for a moment. Ideally, you want to pick the heaviest coconut in the bunch. A heavy coconut ensures that you’re getting a fully grown coconut with plenty of meat and juice. A full-sized coconut can easily weigh up to 5 pounds.
How Much Does It Cost to Buy Coconuts?
While coconuts are exotic, they happen to be very affordable! A coconut is typically priced at under $4. When coconuts are on sale, you can expect to pay as little as $3 per coconut.
Where Are Coconuts Sold in the United States Grown?
When buying coconuts, you may wonder exactly where the tropical orbs in your cart come from. Most coconuts that are sold in the United States are grown in Mexico.
However, coconuts sold in the United States are also grown in places throughout Central America and the Pacific.
Where Can You Buy Fresh Coconuts?
If you’re lucky, your local grocery store is going to have fresh coconuts waiting for you right in the produce section. You can also have luck with smaller markets and bazaars that sell international and exotic produce if you can’t find coconuts at your local grocery store. In some cases, you may need to drive to a city near you to purchase coconuts from a grocery store.
Retailers like Whole Foods, Walmart Supercenters, Stop&Shop, Food Lion, ShopRite, Price Chopper, Ralphs, and many more all keep coconuts stocked. If you don’t see coconuts for sale at your regular grocery store, be sure to ask someone in the produce department if the store ever sells them.
You may find that coconuts may simply be out of stock because stores don’t order large volumes of coconuts the way they do with more common fruits like orange and apples.
While coconuts are grown around the year around the world, the heaviest shipping time for coconuts being imported into the United States is the period from October to December.
You may also have success with ordering bulk coconuts straight to your door from a coconut farm. For instance, a South Florida company called Florida Coconuts ships boxes of fresh Florida-grown coconuts straight to homes and businesses.
Alternatives to Coconut
If you can’t find a whole coconut to buy, you do have some other options. Some grocery stores will sell precut fresh coconut chunks. Most stores also have dried coconut chunks located in the aisles where you purchase dried fruits and nuts.
Shredded coconut, coconut milk, and coconut water are also commonly sold at nearly all grocery stores. If you’re looking for fresh tropical fruit in an area where you can’t buy fresh coconuts, pineapples and papayas may satisfy your appetite.
Also Read: Essential Tips For Buying Almond Milk
The Sweet Process of Buying Coconuts
If you got a taste for coconuts on a recent tropical vacation, you may be surprised to find out that they were actually for sale at your local grocery store the entire time! Just make sure you’re being choosy about any coconuts that you scoop up in the store.
Use the “quality” test shared above to avoid coconuts that have become dented or cracked. Mold can easily grow inside a fresh coconut if the shell has been compromised in any way.
While you may feel a little bit self-conscious about shaking a coconut in the produce section, verifying that some tasty juice is waiting for you inside your coconut will be more than worth it!
When buying fresh coconuts, you should look for a brown, hairy exterior with no cracks or soft spots. The coconut should feel heavy and you should be able to hear water sloshing around inside when you shake it.
