The avocado is the jack of all trades for healthy eating—it’s delicious, plays well with others, and is portable for snacking on the go. But there’s nothing more annoying than grabbing one to make your favorite snack and finding a rock-hard, bright green avocado. (Or worse: an overripe one that turned to mush before you even got home from the supermarket.)

To keep your avocado game on point, here are some tips to make sure you are buying delicious, ripe pieces of fruit every time:

1. Touch: An avocado should be soft to the touch, but not mushy.
2. Smell: A ripe avocado will have a stronger smell than one that’s rock solid—but too strong of an odor, and it’s a sign that the fruit’s gone bad.
3. Color: Consistency is key. The avocado you want will be almost entirely black.