Learn all things grocery from picking produce at its freshest to finding what’s in season. Know the difference between alfalfa and clover sprouts? Or when to get yams vs sweet potatoes? Get answers here.
Ideas & Guides
Looking for information on produce, drinks, or other things on your grocery shopping list? Instacart’s new grocery guides explore everything from how to identify the freshest fruit to how to cut and store your favorite vegetable. Explore tips & tricks on the easiest way to cook quinoa to how to preserve nutrients in your fresh produce. Why? Here at Instacart , we believe that the...
Aug 26, 2021
Read time: 1 min
Ideas & Guides
What is salsify? Salsify is a root vegetable with large, broad leaves that expand above the ground and features a long black root that grows beneath the earth. The thick interior of the root in...
Mar 2, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What is dragonfruit? Dragonfruit is an unusual-looking fruit native to the Americas. You may also know it as strawberry pear or pitaya. This fruit is becoming more and more popular by the day, and it's...
Mar 1, 2022
Read time: 6 min
Ideas & Guides
What is hoisin sauce? Hoisin sauce—also known as Chinese barbeque sauce— is a dark brown, thick, and glossy, aromatic sauce that has a sweet, salty, and tangy flavor. It is widely used in Cantonese cuisine...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What is thyme? Thyme is an herb (dried aerial plant) whose leaves grow in a cluster of thin stems. Pronounced "time," this herb can be used for culinary, medicinal, and ornamental purposes. It can be...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What is turmeric? Turmeric is a common spice used in Asian food to flavor (and color) foods. Turmeric has a warm, slightly bitter flavor that’s earthy and deep. It’s most often used in savory dishes,...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What is taro? Known for its edible and starchy root, taro has a mild sweet taste and a similar texture to potatoes but with many more nutritional benefits. Sometimes called elephant ears (not to be...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What are sweet onions? With sweet onions, the name says it all. They are onions that add lots of flavor without the strong flavor of other onion varieties. Even those who don't usually like onions...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What are water chestnuts? Despite their name, water chestnuts (Eleocharis dulcis) are not nuts. They are aquatic root vegetables that grow in water-rich environments such as marshes, lakes, and mud. Water chestnuts are often overlooked...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min
Ideas & Guides
What are turnips? Turnips are a cruciferous vegetable that originated in middle and eastern Asia. They have been cultivated for a little less than 2,500 years and have been a part of the diet of...
Feb 25, 2022
Read time: 5 min