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Making the Grade

The taste, texture and appearance of processed fruits and vegetables vary. To give consumers a better idea about what’s inside that package of processed food, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has established an inspection and grading system for canned and frozen produce.

The system is entirely voluntary, and not all manufacturers opt in. When available, however, the grades (found on labels) can help you decide which product might be best suited for the cooking use you have in mind.

U.S. Grade A (Fancy): These fruits and vegetables are the very best. They are properly ripe and tender; are the most succulent and flavorful; have few or no blemishes; are of uniform size, weight and shape; and have an excellent color. They also tend to be the most expensive. They’re great for really visible uses — as stand-alone side dishes or desserts, for example.

U.S. Grade B (Extra Standard): Although still of good quality, these fruits and vegetables are not quite as tasty, tender or attractive as Grade A. They’re usually slightly riper than Grade A but still have many uses, including in side dishes and gelatin salads.

U.S. Grade C (Standard): These fruits and vegetables have the least flavor and uniformity of color. They may contain some broken and uneven pieces. Grade C produce is a good choice when you want to save money and when appearance is not too important, such as in casseroles, sauces, soups, cobblers, smoothies or puddings.