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Dates are nutritious fruits that grow on the date palm tree, and have become quite popular in recent years. They are plucked fresh and smooth from their source, and then dried to prevent spoilage.
You can tell a dried date by its wrinkled skin. Dates are usually small in size, and range in color from red to bright yellow.
In this guide, you’ll learn what kind of dates grocery store have and where to find them.
Where would I find dates in the grocery store?
If your target is fresh dates, you should check in the Produce department first. Most grocery stores have one, and it’s where they stash fresh fruits and vegetables.
If you don’t find it there, try the section with dried fruits and nuts. Alternatively, you can head to the Bulk aisle. That’s where you can buy dates cheaply.
Remember that most grocery stores have different layouts, so don’t be shy to ask for help if your search isn’t successful.
On that note, you should check out our piece on the different sections of a grocery store. It will help you visualize what each aisle should look like for proper navigation.
How do you buy fresh dates?
Always look out for plumpness when buying fresh dates. Dates should have a glossy glow to their skin. If they look like they’ve got crystallized sugar on their skin, don’t buy them.
That means they’re not fresh and it’s one of the signs that it’s time to toss your dates.
As dates continue to grow on their home trees, they crystalize. This results in white spots appearing on their skin. But don’t be alarmed as it’s not mold.
If you’re out of options and crystalized dates are the only dates grocery store have, you can buy and heat them up at home. That should help the dates reabsorb the crystalized sugars.
Where do I find fresh dates?
Amazon
Amazon is one of the largest online stores where you can find almost anything you need. Here are our top three picks of the best-selling bulk deal dates to buy on Amazon:
- GMO Free
- California Farmed
- No Sugar Added
- Fresh and Organic
- Source of Vitamins and Antioxidants
Walmart
You can find dates in the Dried fruit and veggie aisle in Walmart. But it’s best if you use Walmart’s online store locator to save time. It should tell you where the correct aisle in your location is.
Kroger
Kroger sells Sunsweet pitted dates, as well as other types. Like Walmart, it has an online store locator you can use to find the correct aisle. Kroger also has a Produce section, so you can check there for fresh dates.
Safeway
At most Safeway stores, there’s a Produce section where dates can be found. Just look out for dates in plastic containers.
King Soopers
King Soopers has fresh dates in stock and they are kept at the Produce department with the bananas and other fruits.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods is our number one plug for buying organic and natural foods. Like the other stores, Whole Foods has a Produce section. So you can bet that they’ve got fresh dates in stock.
Target
At Target, you’ll find dates at the Dried fruit aisle. We recommend trying their Desert Valley Medjool dates.
FAQs
What are the different types of dates fruit?
Part of everything you need to know about dates is that there are over 1500 different varieties of the fruit worldwide.
While we certainly can’t list them all, we’ve made a short list of the popular varieties to help you identify them at the grocery store:
- Medjool dates – has a sweet, natural caramel taste with soft and sticky texture. Usually sold dried, yet undehydrated.
- Ajwa dates – has dark brown, sometimes almost black, color. Soft and fruity prune-like taste. Usually expensive.
- Thoory dates – firm pastry-like texture with nutty flavor. Semi-sweet and commonly sold dry and hard.
- Amber dates – soft and fleshy exterior with moderate sweetness and nutty flavor.
- Zahidi dates – round with golden brown flesh when ripe. Mildly sweet, nutty and buttery flavor. Highly recommended for cooking.
Are dates high in sugar?
Yes, dates are high in sugar and can have excessively sweet tastes in just a small bite. However, the sugar they contain is the natural type mostly present in fruits.
One dried Medjool date carries approximately 16 grams of sugar, and 67 calories. But it shouldn’t be a cause of concern when dates are consumed with moderation.
Can diabetics eat dates?
Dates have a low Glycemic Index (GI) and medium Glycemic Index (GL), meaning the chances of them spiking your blood sugar level are low.
That being said, diabetics can eat dates. However, it is recommended that people with diabetes eat one or two date fruits at a time.
Now that you know the types of dates grocery store have, you can also check out these other guides to make your shopping trips a breeze:
- Where to find quinoa in the grocery store
- Wonton wrappers in the grocery store
- Where to find vanilla extract in grocery store
Irene is a Freelance content writer who helps professionals and startups build an audience with original content online. She has written over +100 articles, and is backed up by 3 years experience. She loves gaming and listening to music, while she’s not tapping furiously on her laptop.