Grape Tomatoes – All You Need to Know | Instacart Guide to Fresh Produce

What are grape tomatoes?

People often confuse grape tomatoes with cherry tomatoes since they are both petite with a sweet aftertaste. But if you look more closely, you’ll notice slight differences between the 2 varieties.

For starters, grape tomatoes are shaped just like their name—they have an oval form similar to actual grapes or eggs. Meanwhile, cherry tomatoes are round in shape, just like the regular cherry fruit. When comparing their taste profile, grape tomatoes are more on the savory side with a meaty bite. On the other hand, cherry tomatoes taste sweeter and juicier once you bite into them.

Where did grape tomatoes originate from?

Grape tomatoes are a type of hybrid tomatoes that originated from Southeast Asia. Due to changing consumer preferences, the beefsteak tomato was cross-bred with the Italian Roma tomato to produce the current grape tomato. This love match resulted in an elongated tomato shape, accompanied by thicker skin, lower water content, and a sweet, savory taste.

Then, in the 1990s, a Floridian grower imported the first grape tomato strain into the United States. At around the same time, another Mexican grower brought in a similar strain from Thailand. This led to the arrival of grape tomatoes in gourmet grocery stores and specialty stores, which eventually spread to supermarkets and large-scale grocery chains across the country.

What are the benefits of eating grape tomatoes?

Grape tomatoes don’t just taste good; they are highly nutritious too, as they contain:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Dietary fiber
• Glucose
• Protein
• Potassium
• Iron

As part of the tomato family, grape tomatoes offer many benefits. They are rich in lycopene and beta carotene, which are powerful antioxidants with extensive health benefits. On top of that, their skin possesses naringenin, which is an anti-inflammatory flavonoid.

How are grape tomatoes grown?

Grape tomatoes are a type of vine plant in which the fruits grow in clusters. They enjoy bright sunlight and well-watered, slightly acidic soil. Stakes and cages are used as support structures for the growing tomato plants. Once the plants reach maturity and start flowering, they are ready to produce tomato fruits.

As grape tomatoes ripen best on the vine, farmers usually picked them when their skin just turned red. This prevents the tomatoes from being unripe or too ripe when they land in the grocery stores near you. As you can imagine, the harvesting process is time-sensitive and labor-intensive.

When are grape tomatoes in season?

Grape tomatoes are in season throughout the year, which means you can enjoy this fresh produce any time you like. To check if the supermarkets near you carry fresh grape tomatoes, open Instacart and start browsing. Shop for grape tomatoes.

What should I look for when buying grape tomatoes?

When buying grape tomatoes, look for those with:

• A bright red color
• Smooth, shiny skin free of blemishes, wrinkles, and cracks
• A firm texture

If you aren’t free to make a trip to the grocery store, you can easily shop for grape tomatoes via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to share with your Instacart shopper specific preferences or directions on choosing fresh grape tomatoes. Shop fresh grape tomatoes for your next meal.

How to store grape tomatoes

Given that grape tomatoes are usually sold almost ripe or fully ripe, you don’t have to store them at room temperature to ripen them further. This is especially so during hot summer days when the heat can lead to over-ripening. However, if your grape tomatoes are already ripe, store them in the fridge to retain their freshness for as long as possible (usually for a few days to a week).

For unripe grape tomatoes, you can leave them out at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. To speed up the ripening process, wrap the tomatoes in newspapers and check on them periodically to avoid over-ripened maters.

How to tell if grape tomatoes are bad

As delicate fresh produce, grape tomatoes will go bad when they aren’t consumed quickly or stored properly. Here are 5 telling signs that your tomatoes should be thrown away:

• A mold of any kind—white, green, or black
• Leaking juices (due to cracked skin)
• Wrinkled texture
• Soft or mushy spots
• A rotten odor

If you think your grape tomatoes have gone bad, use Instacart to shop for fresh ones. We source quality produce from local grocery stores so you can enjoy same-day delivery in as short as 2 hours.

What can I substitute for grape tomatoes?

Even though grape tomatoes are available throughout the seasons, there is a slight chance that you are short on them when the recipe calls for it. In such cases, you can substitute grape tomatoes with:

• Cherry tomatoes: Just like grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes are bite-sized and sweet, albeit with relatively thin skins and a higher water content
• Red pear tomatoes: These heirloom tomatoes are tangy yet sweet and about the same size as grape tomatoes (they come in yellow, too)
• Red bell peppers: These bell peppers come in the same bright red shade as grape tomatoes and offer a similar sweetness, which is why they are often used interchangeably with grape tomatoes

Need to stock up on any of the above veggies? Instacart has a wide selection of fresh produce near you to take your pick from. Shop for fresh produce.

Grape tomatoes—the perfect summer bites year-round

With a meaty texture, ample sweetness, and year-round availability, what’s not to like about grape tomatoes? They are perfect as toppings in salads and sandwiches or as a standalone snack when you want something healthy yet delish. So if you want to enjoy the rich flavors of tomatoes today, open Instacart and add them to your shopping cart.

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