How to tell if broccoli is bad?

Broccoli is a vegetable with lots of great health benefits. It’s full of vitamins, and folic acid, and is a great source of fiber.

When broccoli goes bad you lose all of the health benefits and it can even be somewhat harmful when spoiled.

There are a few ways to decipher if your broccoli is still good or not such as color, smell, mold, or if it’s firm or soft. it is recommended that you use fresh broccoli within 3 days of purchasing.

Top 4 ways to tell if broccoli has gone bad

It is ideal to use your broccoli within three days of when you bought it to get the best taste and most nutrients out of it. If any of these four are true about your broccoli I recommend throwing it away.

You really want to check all of these before you cut your broccoli.

1. Is the broccoli soft?

Fresh broccoli will have a firm trunk on it. If your broccoli’s trunk is soft this is a good indicator that your broccoli is starting to or has already gone bad.

2. What is the color of the broccoli?

Broccoli that is good to eat will have dark green colored florets and a bright green trunk.

If you notice that the tips of the broccoli florets are starting to or have already turned a yellowish color it’s a sign that your broccoli is on its way out.

3. Does the broccoli have mold on it?

Look over your broccoli and make sure there is no mold on it. Mold on broccoli will look like fuzzy white spots on the florets or black spots on the trunk.

Also if you notice that some of the florets are black or shriveled then your broccoli has expired.

If there are just a couple of small spots sometimes you can cut them off and still use the rest of the vegetable.

4. Sniff test

Broccoli shouldn’t have a bad order if it is fresh. If it has a bitter or bad odor to it then I would not eat it. Broccoli that is fresh should smell fresh.

How to prevent broccoli from going bad

• Store your unwashed broccoli in the refrigerator with a lightly wrapped dampened paper towel. Broccoli likes to breathe so don’t wrap it tightly in a paper towel and do not put it in a bag. Check out my post that covers exactly how to store broccoli so that it doesn’t go to waste.
• Be sure to consume your broccoli a couple of days from when you purchased it as it won’t last long in the fridge.
• Blanch and freeze your broccoli for the longest-lasting broccoli. If you freeze the broccoli properly you can store it for up to six months before it starts to get freezer burn.

If you are looking for a broccoli soup recipe, try out this broccoli potato soup.

How to choose fresh broccoli at the grocery store

You can’t always go by the date on the package. It’s best to tell by looking them over and deciding that way.

When you are buying broccoli you want to look for dark green tight florets with a fresh bright green trunk that should be firm.

It will feel heavy for its size and you want to make sure that there is no mold anywhere on the florets or black or brown spots on the trunk.