How to Extend the Life of An Avocado - A Daily Something (2024)

FAQs

How to Extend the Life of An Avocado - A Daily Something? ›

Ripe whole avocados can be refrigerated to extend shelf life. The oxidation process or “browning” that occurs in cut avocados and guacamole can be prevented by lightly coating the exposed flesh with lime or lemon juice and limiting its exposure by covering tightly with clear plastic wrap.

If your avocado is already ripe (or is getting there) you can place it in your refrigerator, where it will stay fresh for several days, depending on its level of ripeness. When putting your avocado in the fridge, it's best to store it in an airtight food storage container or in the produce/crisper drawer.

An even easier method is to submerge your ripe avocado in water. Cut your avocado in half and fill a glass or plastic container near full with water. With the flesh-side down, place the avocado in the container, cover, and place in the fridge. This will keep the avocado from turning brown for about another two days.

To that end, if you've been told by a creator of late that storing avocados in water is an approved, foolproof way to keep them fresh for longer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is here to clear the air. According to the experts, drowning your avocados is both unsafe and, well, icky.

The main goal is to prevent oxygen from touching the avocado's flesh. Plastic wrap is a practical, albeit not foolproof way to slow down the natural course of fruit aging. The trick is to make sure the plastic wrap is sealed flush with the flesh.

Acidulants, such as citric and ascorbic acid found in lemon juice, help lower the pH of avocados and decrease the enzymatic activity, keeping them from turning brown ( 1 , 3 ). Therefore, squeezing a little lemon juice on top of your cut avocado before storing it could help delay browning.

You can freeze them whole by wrapping an avocado in plastic wrap and placing it in a zip-top bag or you can freeze halves by cutting the avocado, then wrapping and storing the halves the same way. Some insist on spritzing the flesh with lemon or lime juice before freezing to keep it from browning.

Countertop, Fridge or Freezer? Until they're fully ripe, avocados should be stored at room temperature. Placing an unripe avocado in the refrigerator will slow the ripening process, but the same concept applies to ripe avocados: put them in the refrigerator to keep them at their prime ripeness for longer.

Squeeze as much air out as possible and seal the bag. I could comfortably fit 5 and maybe 6 avocado halves (if I hadn't eaten the sixth) in one gallon freezer safe ziplock bag. Place in your freezer and store away until you need to brighten your life with some fresh avocado.

Can avocados last 2 weeks in the fridge? ›

A perfectly ripe avocado is best eaten right away. If this is not possible, the best way to store ripe avocados is in the fridge for a maximum of 2 to 3 days. Any longer and the avocado may brown inside. Unripe avocados, on the other hand, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Countertop, Fridge or Freezer? Until they're fully ripe, avocados should be stored at room temperature. Placing an unripe avocado in the refrigerator will slow the ripening process, but the same concept applies to ripe avocados: put them in the refrigerator to keep them at their prime ripeness for longer.

Ripe whole avocados can be refrigerated to extend shelf life. The oxidation process or “browning” that occurs in cut avocados and guacamole can be prevented by lightly coating the exposed flesh with lime or lemon juice and limiting its exposure by covering tightly with clear plastic wrap.

Here's the trick for extending the life of your avocado:

The refrigerator magically slows down the ripening process and keeps it perfect, ready for whenever you're ready to eat it. I've gotten an avocado to last an additional 7 days, but I'd recommend eating them within about 5. That's it!