If you're planning to eat the peaches right away, select fruit that has begun to soften and smells peachy. Be careful not to squeeze peaches when checking for firmness, they bruise easily and rapidly decay. Firm-ripe peaches may be kept at room temperature for a few days to fully ripen. Keep fully ripe peaches refrigerated until ready to use. Avoid purchasing green or shriveled peaches as they will not ripen properly.
Pears are ripe when they yield to gentle thumb pressure at the neck.
Honeydew and cantaloupe are ripe when the ends of the melon yields slightly to pressure and they emit a distinctly sweet fragrance. Melons can be stored for several days in a cool place away from sunlight. For greater variety of color in your rainbow, try purple eggplant and red cabbage. These vegetables can be stored in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for several days. For safety's sake, wash all produce before eating.