Reviewed by Mathew Benoit, COO of Learn Brands · October 2026
A shopper holds up an avocado and asks if it's ripe. Another wants to know why the strawberries taste different in January. Someone else can't figure out why their bananas turn brown in two days. Produce is the first thing shoppers see in most stores, and the questions asked there decide whether they trust the whole store.
Fresh Picks: A Guide to the Produce Department is a free produce course that covers what's in season, how to tell ripe from not yet, which fruit keeps ripening after it's picked, what to keep apart and where to store it, what the sticker codes and varieties mean, and the habits that keep a display fresh. It takes about 25 minutes, self-paced, across five short narrated lessons.
What you'll learn
Five lessons that move from the display to the cart, the counter and the fridge.
The first thing shoppers see (Lesson 1). Why produce sets the tone for the whole store, wet racks and dry tables, what's at its best in spring, summer, fall and winter, and what to tell a shopper who asks why fruit tastes different out of season.
Ripe or not yet (Lesson 2). Which fruit keeps ripening after it's picked and which is done the day it's picked, how to check an avocado without bruising it, how to pick a cantaloupe and a watermelon, the pineapple leaf myth, what banana color tells you, and the paper bag trick.
Keep it apart (Lesson 3). The natural ripening gas called ethylene, which fruits give it off and which vegetables it spoils, what goes on the counter and what goes in the fridge, why tomatoes stay out of the cold, why onions and potatoes don't belong together, and how to use the crisper drawers.
Labels and varieties (Lesson 4). What the PLU number on the sticker means, how to spot organic from the code, what organic and local tell you, and the right apple and the right potato for each job.
On the floor (Lesson 5). Rotating stock first in, first out, culling as you go, what to mist and what to keep dry, how to wash produce at home, and why cut fruit needs the cold.
How the course works
Each lesson is a short narrated walkthrough with photos from produce departments, markets and home kitchens. Four games keep it moving: call which fruit keeps ripening after it's picked, match each item with the sign it's ripe, sort groceries into the counter, the fridge or the pantry, and decide keep it or cull it on a walk of the display. You also flip cards to learn when produce is in season, tap through a drawn kitchen to see where each item keeps best, and put the steps of rotating a display in order.
At the start you pick your role: produce counter, grocery team, department lead, or home cook. The course adds tips for that role in every lesson, and three practice customers let you try it out loud: a shopper who needs avocados for two different nights, a shopper with questions in the aisle, and a friend who keeps throwing out produce.
It closes with a 15-question final quiz. Twelve correct passes. It is online and self-paced, and it works on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
Who this is for
Produce department staff, grocery team members who stock the display or answer shoppers on the floor, and department leads who train their teams. It also fits anyone who shops for produce and wants to pick it ripe, keep it fresh longer and waste less at home.
What you walk away with
You'll be able to tell a shopper what's in season and why it tastes better, show them how to pick ripe fruit, tell them where to keep it so it lasts, explain the sticker codes and varieties in plain words, and keep a display full, fresh and safe all day.
Free to enroll. Self-paced. Certificate on completion.
Who built this course
Fresh Picks: A Guide to the Produce Department was created by the Learn Brands education team under the direction of Mathew Benoit, COO and Creative Director of Learn Brands. Mathew grew up working in his family's store, and Learn Brands now trains store teams at more than 3,500 retailers. The course is built from the questions produce and grocery teams actually get asked at the display.
How we checked the facts
Ripening, ethylene and storage were checked against the UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center. Ripeness signs were checked against the California Avocado Commission and the National Watermelon Promotion Board, seasons against the USDA SNAP-Ed seasonal produce guide, PLU codes against the International Federation for Produce Standards, organic against the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, potato storage and varieties against the Idaho Potato Commission and the U.S. Apple Association, and washing produce against FDA guidance. Every photo was checked by eye to make sure it shows what the lesson says.
Food safety
The course covers produce handling as general education. It is not a food handler card or food safety certification. Food handler rules vary by state and county, so check your local requirements and follow your store's food safety policies.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Produce FAQ
Is this course free?
Yes. Fresh Picks: A Guide to the Produce Department is part of the free Core Education Suite, free to take and free to assign to your team. No cost, no subscription, no card required. A certificate is issued on completion.
How long does it take?
About 25 minutes, self-paced: five short narrated lessons, four games, three practice customers, and a 15-question final quiz. You can stop and pick up where you left off.
Do I need to know anything about produce first?
No. The course starts with what shoppers see when they walk in and builds from there. Experienced produce staff use it to sharpen how they explain ripeness, storage and varieties.
How do you tell if an avocado is ripe?
Hold it in your palm and squeeze gently, without pressing in with your fingertips, which bruises it. A ripe avocado gives a little. A firm one needs four or five days on the counter, or less in a paper bag. Lesson 2 covers it.
Why shouldn't onions and potatoes be stored together?
Onions give off moisture and gases that make potatoes sprout faster. Keep both in a cool, dark, dry place, apart, and keep potatoes out of the fridge, where the cold can make them taste sweet and cook up dark. Lesson 3 explains why.
What does the number on a produce sticker mean?
It's the PLU code, used to ring up loose produce. Four digits means it was grown the regular way. Five digits starting with a 9 means organic. Lesson 4 covers it.
Is this a food handler card?
No. It is general education about produce, including how to store and handle it safely. If your state or county requires a food handler card, you'll need to get that separately, for example with the Learn2Serve National Food Handler Certificate, which is ANAB accredited and done online.
Can I enroll my whole team?
Yes. Create a free company account, assign the course, and track who has started and finished from the Learn Brands dashboard.
Train your team
Want your team selling more on the floor? Retail Sales Academy covers communication, suggestive selling, upselling and service recovery for store teams. Buying for a team? Register your business free and assign seats across your whole staff.
Related courses
Keep going with the rest of the grocery series: Rolled Fresh: A Guide to the Sushi Counter, Prime to Wagyu: A Guide to Premium Beef, Cheese 101: From Milk to Board, Cut to Order: A Guide to the Meat Case and Catch of the Day: A Guide to the Seafood Counter, plus Retail Customer Experience Training. Browse the free Core Education Suite.
About the reviewer
Mathew Benoit is COO of Learn Brands. He has a family liquor store background, spent more than eight years as Marketing Director at the distributor Vinocopia, and has represented brands nationally. Read Mathew's full bio.
