Storing fruits the right way will keep them tastier and fresher for longer. As you may know, fruits are an important part of a well-balanced diet. Eating a diet rich in fruits can help lower your risk of many health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain kinds of cancers. But if they're not handled properly, the same fruits can also become a source of foodborne pathogens. For example, they can become contaminated with listeria, salmonella, or other bacteria. Fruits lose taste, texture, and appearance if not stored properly. It's so important to learn how to clean and store fruits the right way.
If you want some of your fruits to ripen faster, place the fruit in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Apples and bananas release a gas that helps other fruits ripen. Remember, these are guidelines, you'll need to use your best judgment when deciding if fruit is safe to eat. Follow these guidelines to better store your fruits for a healthier, more balanced diet.
Storing Fruit in a Root Cellar
Fruit such as apples can be stored in a cool, dry, dark place like a root cellar or even a dark cupboard for about six months, depending on the temperature and humidity of your cellar.
Freeze Your Fruit
If you can't eat it right away, most fruit can be frozen and is a delicious way to enjoy ripe fruit all year long. Frozen fruit is great for making smoothies, adding to hot cereal, using in muffins and quick breads, mixing with yogurt, or making a fruit sauce for pancakes and waffles. Most fruit will be fine in the freezer for up to one year.
To freeze fruit, there are a number of different ways. You can freeze them whole, in small pieces, or pack them in a jar with syrup. This method works well for freezing berries:
- Gently wash the berries with water and drain.
- Spread berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer. This helps to keep the berries from sticking together.
- When the berries are hard, place berries into labeled freezer bags or containers.
Storing Canned Fruit
Canned fruit can be kept for 1-2 years. Label the can with the date to help you keep track of how long it has been in your cupboard. Some canned fruit will have a use-by date. This is how long the food will be at its best quality, as decided by the manufacturer.
Check out this chart to keep track of your fruits:
- apples: 3-4 weeks
- apricots (ripe): 4-5 days
- avocado (ripe): 3-5 days
- blueberries: 1-2 weeks
- cherries: 4-7 days
- cranberries: 3-4 weeks
- gooseberries: 2-3 days
- grapefruit: 2-3 weeks
- grapes: 5-7 days
- guava (ripe): 3-4 days
- kiwi (ripe): 5-7 days
- mango (ripe): 5-7 days
- melons (ripe): 7-10 days
- nectarine (ripe): 3-5 days
- oranges: 2-3 weeks
- peaches (ripe): 3-5 days
- pear (ripe): 5-7 days
- pineapple: 3-5 days
- plums (ripe): 3-5 days
- pomegranate: 1-2 months
- prickly pear (ripe): 1-3 days
- raspberries: 2-3 days
- strawberries: 3-5 days
- watermelon: 2 weeks