Can You Refrigerate Avocados? All You Need to Know
Avocados are packed with vitamins and nutrients that your body needs. Not only that, but they’re also a part of many delicious, healthy recipes.
However, as you might know, avocados can go bad pretty quickly. So, this begs an important question: can you refrigerate avocados? Will it stop them from going bad so fast?
We’ll answer all your questions in today’s article! Keep on reading to find out all you need to know about refrigerating avocados.
Can You Refrigerate Avocados?
The answer is yes! You can refrigerate avocados to make them last longer. However, the cool temperature inside the fridge can slow down the ripening process.
That’s because it inhibits the enzymes responsible for the browning and ripening process.
Therefore, if you put an unripe avocado in the fridge, it’ll take longer to ripen. So, you can leave your fruit on the countertop until it reaches the desired level of ripeness. Then, you can put it in the fridge.
We recommend refrigerating the fruit when it’s slightly ripe. This way, you’ll have a perfect avocado in a couple of days.
Generally, the fridge can keep your ripe fruit for around five days. The more ripe the avocado is, the less time it’ll probably last in the fridge.
Essential Tips for Refrigerating Avocados
It goes without saying that if you’re not planning to eat the creamy fruit soon, you should put it in the fridge. Ideally, you want to store the fruit when it’s mostly dark green or black with bumpy skin.
Further, you can check if the avocado is ripe enough by applying slight pressure with your finger. A perfectly ripe avocado won’t be too soft or too hard. Moreover, check on your avocado every day if you can.
Can You Refrigerate Avocados Cut In Half?
A lot of us cut open an avocado and only consume half of it. Don’t fret! You can save the remainder for around three to five days, depending on how ripe it was when you cut it open. Putting the avocado in the fridge will keep it from going bad or turning brown.
One essential tip you need to know is to keep the pit inside your avocado. That’s because it’ll help stop it from browning due to air exposure. In addition, it’ll keep the fruit fresh and tasty.
Additionally, you can sprinkle some lemon or lime juice on the exposed area. Citrus can stop the flesh from turning brown.
More importantly, you should always wrap the avocado in plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can put the half facing down in an airtight container. Many recommend filling the container about halfway with cold water.
Of course, you can refrigerate avocados without doing all that. However, it won’t last long in the fridge, and it’ll become brown.
Refrigerating Sliced or Chopped Avocado
To refrigerate sliced or chopped avocado, you’ll need citrus juice. You can use a pastry or basting brush to coat all exposed surfaces lightly.
Then, grab a sheet of plastic wrap and place your avocados in overlapping positions to cover as much surface area as possible. The more pieces touching each other, the less area will be exposed to air, thus preventing browning. After that, wrap them and place them in the fridge.
You can also use a Tupperware container. However, it should be the right size for the amount of avocado you have. Avoid storing your fruits in significantly larger containers.
That’s because a larger container will have a lot of air inside, which will turn your fruit brown.
Wrapping Up
So, can you refrigerate avocados?
You can refrigerate avocados, but you need to understand that it slows down the ripening process. Therefore, you can leave your fruits on the countertop until they’re slightly ripe. Then, you can refrigerate them.
If you have a half avocado, don’t get rid of the pit. Additionally, you can coat the flesh with lemon or citrus juice to prevent browning. After that, you can wrap it or put it in an airtight container.
When it comes to sliced or chopped avocados, you’ll need to cover all surfaces with citrus juice. To add, you should wrap them or put them in a suitable-sized Tupperware to keep them fresh.
