Do Cuties Need To Be Refrigerated?
Cuties, a popular brand of clementines, are a great way to get some Vitamin C in your diet, but what is the best way to store them? Here’s a quick overview on how you should store your Cuties.
Cuties can be safely stored at room temperature or in the fridge. Cooler temperatures are preferable and will extend the shelf life to as long as 2-3 weeks.
The choice is up to you, although there is a clear advantage to storing Cuties in the fridge. This article will explain why it’s best to store your Cuties in the fridge, how long they last in different scenarios, and how you can tell when your Cuties are going bad.
Which Is Best to Store Cuties: Room Temperature, Refrigerator, or Freezer?
While you can store Cuties at room temperature, clementine brands, including Cuties, recommend storing their fruits in the refrigerator. Those who choose to store Cuties at room temperature usually do so because they don’t like the feel or taste of super cold clementines.
Room Temperature
If you’re storing your Cuties at room temperature, they will last anywhere up to a week before they start to go bad. Exposed to direct sunlight, Cuties will go bad much more quickly.
Refrigerator
For maximum shelf life, store your Cuties in the fridge. Specifically, you should keep fruits in the crisper drawer, which allows for the best circulation to keep them fresh for the longest.
You can store them elsewhere in your refrigerator, but they may lose flavor or start to go bad more quickly. In addition, be mindful not to store your Cuties somewhere they can be accidentally crushed.
Not only will this potentially ruin the flavor and allow rot to set in sooner, but the bitter tasting oil in the peel can be imparted into the inner segments, worsening the flavor.
You can keep them in the netted bag they arrive in or simply stored loose. The peel is enough to protect them if stored safely.
Avoid storing them inside a sealed container or Ziplock bag, as trapping the moisture will make your Cuties go bad faster. That’s because a lack of oxygen promotes the growth of mold, accelerating its growth.
Freezer
Some fruits freeze well, while others don’t. Thankfully, clementines hold much of their flavor when stored in the freezer. Still, you’ll want to follow these steps to preserve the flavor:
- Peel your cuties.
- Separate the segments.
- Place the segments into an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Place them in the freezer.
Following these steps, you can store your cuties safely for up to a year! You can leave the peel on, but they may turn to mush when you thaw them, and doing so usually causes some of the flavor to be lost.
Aside from freezing your Cuties, you always want to leave the peel on for maximum freshness. Without the peel, Cuties will start to go bad after 24 hours at room temperature—much fewer if left in direct sunlight.
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How to Tell If Cuties Are Bad
Most often, you can tell if your Cuties have gone bad just through observation. Minor discoloration is fine, but if you see signs of mold, evidenced by a fuzzy film, throw away the fruit immediately. It is not safe for consumption. Dark brown coloration is also a sign of rot, accompanied by a mushy texture.
Cuties should be firm to the touch. While a little flex is ok, if the Cuties are mushy, they’ve probably gone bad. Plus, they don’t taste great when they start to go soft! Lastly, the nose knows. It’s a good general rule to start throwing out fruit that smells distasteful. If the clementine starts to smell a little funny, it’s better to be safe than risk an upset stomach.
If you do eat a clementine with mold on it, you may suffer no ill effects. For some, however, ingesting mold or spoiled food can be dangerous. Seek medical attention if you experience the following symptoms after eating spoiled clementines:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
Final Thoughts
Cuties are a great way to get some Vitamin C and give yourself a guilt-free snack, even if that orangey smell sticks around on your fingers for a while! Left at room temperature, Cuties will last a week before they start to spoil. For best results, store Cuties in the fridge, where they will last for 2-3 weeks.
You can also store Cuties in the freezer for long-term storage up to a year, although it’s important to prepare them accordingly to avoid losing the flavor. However you like to enjoy your Cuties, it’s important to know the signs of rotten food and discard it immediately if it looks suspect. When it comes to mold, it’s better safe than sorry!
