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One of the best ways to eat healthier is by adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to our diets. But who hasn’t bought a pint of berries with the best intentions, only to have them spoil before you enjoy them? It begs the question of how to keep fruit fresh so we can get their full nutritional value and not waste our money.
Thankfully, many simple and effective hacks can extend the freshness of your fruits. Using these methods can save you time and money, ensuring you’ll be able to eat all those nutritious fruits you bought at the grocery store.
Why Does Fruit Spoil Quickly?
If you’ve ever wondered what makes your fruit spoil so quickly, it comes down to biology. Fruits have certain natural enzymes and microbes that cause them to ripen – and spoil – more quickly. These natural processes can become more active in certain conditions, leading your fruit to go bad faster.
Environmental factors like the temperature, humidity, and airflow of where you store your fruit can impact its shelf life. Learning how to properly store each type of fruit to slow down these natural biological processes can be a massive help in keeping your fruit fresh for longer.
The Best Strategies for Keeping Fruit Fresh Longer
There are a few tips for keeping your fruit fresh and extending its shelf life, giving more time for you and your family to enjoy healthy, nutritious snacks. Proper handling and storage of fruit when you first bring it home is key to creating the right environment to slow down the spoiling process. Certain kitchen tools can also help better store and preserve your fruit.
Here are our top tips for how to keep fruit fresh longer so you can enjoy the nutritional benefits and great taste of fresh fruit:
Store Fruit in the Refrigerator
Keeping many fruits in the refrigerator can help them stay fresh for longer. Because the fridge keeps the storage temperature low and consistent, it can slow down the ripening process for your fruits. Slower ripening means a longer time between perfectly delicious berries and overly soft, spoiled ones.
Use Airtight Containers
Air and moisture are key culprits in fruit ripening too quickly. That’s where airtight containers come in as a great tool for keeping fruits fresh for longer. These containers reduce exposure to air and help prevent excess moisture from getting onto the fruits, making them less likely to spoil quickly.
Wrap Fruit in Paper Towels
You probably already have paper towels on hand, but did you know they’re an excellent tool for keeping fruit fresh? Wrapping fruits in paper towels can provide an extra layer to absorb excess moisture. Keeping your fruit dry with this hack helps prevent mold growth, ensuring your fruit is still nutritious and safe to eat.
Use Vinegar or Lemon Juice
Before you store your fruit, you can take a quick and easy extra step to help it stay fresh. Rinsing fruits in a diluted vinegar solution or with lemon juice can help kill bacteria and mold spores. This ensures they’re going into the fridge with the best chance of staying fresh for longer.
Use Ethylene Gas Absorbers
Many common fruits, including apples, bananas, and pears, produce a gas called ethylene gas, which signals fruit to ripen more quickly. This leads to faster spoiling, which means you want to reduce the amount of ethylene gas your fruit is exposed to as much as possible. Using an ethylene gas absorber can help remove ethylene gas from where your fruit is stored, giving your fruit an extended shelf life.
What Are the Best Fruit Storage Containers?
Storing your fruit in the right container is a great way to ensure it stays fresh for as long as possible. Here are some of the best containers for storing your fruit.
Airtight Glass Containers
An airtight glass container can help keep your fruit fresh by creating a controlled storage environment. Reducing exposure to air and moisture will help slow down the process of ripening and spoiling.
Ventilated Plastic Containers
For those fruits that tend to mold and accumulate excess moisture easily, a ventilated plastic container can be a huge help. These containers allow for better airflow, preventing fruit from getting too moist and growing mold.
Silicone Bags
Reusable silicone bags are another ideal hack for keeping fruit fresh longer. These bags are flexible but airtight, keeping fruit sealed off from moisture. They are also easy to quickly throw in a lunchbox for work or school. As a bonus, they are more eco-friendly than storing single-servings of fruit in plastic bags.
Vacuum-Sealed Containers
Another excellent option for keeping fruit fresh is to store them in a vacuum-sealed container. These containers remove excess air, limiting oxygen exposure for your fruits. Because oxygen is one of the main reasons fruit spoils, this can significantly slow the ripening process and keep your fruit fresher for a long time.
How to Recognize When Fruit Has Started to Spoil?
It’s important to monitor your fruit and look for signs that it’s starting to go bad. Detecting this early can help reduce food waste and ensure that you don’t consume spoiled foods.
Visual Changes
One way to tell that fruit is starting to spoil is through changes in appearance. Discoloration, like a dark peel on a banana or shriveling, can be a sign that the fruit has started to spoil. The presence of mold is also a clear sign that the fruit is going bad.
Off Odors
When fruit begins to spoil, it will often smell sour or unpleasant. If you open the fridge and notice an unusual odor, it’s worth checking on your fruit to see if it’s the source of any strange smells—a sign that it has begun to go bad.
Texture Changes
Many fruits will change texture when they begin to spoil, becoming soft, mushy, or even slimy. If you pick up an apple and notice that it feels mushy, it has likely gone bad.
Are There Certain Fruits That Shouldn’t Be Stored Together?
Certain fruits, including bananas and apples, produce more ethylene gas. This gas accelerates the speed of ripening for many fruits, so you don’t want to store your bananas too close by.
Understanding which fruits are sensitive to ethylene, such as berries and leafy greens, can help you store them away from sources of this gas. This will extend the longevity of your stored fruits and help reduce food waste.
Bottom Line
When you bring home tasty, healthy fruit to support your well-being, you want it to last as long as possible! By handling and storing your fruit in these suggested ways, you will help maintain their freshness and prevent them from spoiling before you enjoy them.
Rinsing fruits with vinegar or lemon juice and storing them in the fridge in a properly sealed container can really extend their shelf life. Storing fruits high in ethylene gas production away from sensitive fruits can also be a huge help.
Finally, watch for any signs that your fruit has begun to spoil to avoid consuming fruit that’s gone bad. When you take these steps, you can more easily enjoy fresh fruit at home without worrying about food waste!
