How to store avocados to keep them fresh.
Avocados are commonly enjoyed as a healthy and delicious ingredient in many dishes. Whether you opt to enjoy avocados in guacamole, on avocado toast, or on a salad, you may be wondering how to store avocados. Avocados can easily turn brown or become overripe if they are not stored properly. Here is our guide on how to store avocados.
Why do Avocados Turn Brown?
You may have discovered that the color of an avocado changes very quickly after the avocado has been cut. If you have ever cut an avocado and planned to eat it later, perhaps you were disappointed to find that the avocado has since turned brown. Fortunately, the avocado can still be eaten after turning brown, it may just not look as appetizing.
Avocados turn brown after being oxidized. This process begins almost immediately after avocados are exposed to oxygen, hence why a once appealing green avocado may appear brown after just a few minutes.
Is Brown Avocado Safe to Eat?
Brown avocado is typically safe to eat, as long as the browning is a result of oxidizing. Avocados can also turn brown as a result of becoming overripe and spoiling. You can tell the difference by assessing when you cut the avocado, and how the avocado feels.
If the avocado was already brown when you cut it, the avocado may be too old to eat. An overripe avocado will feel very squishy to do the touch. The Lil’ Broc app can help you track the shelf life of your avocados to ensure that you’ll always eat your avocados and other produce in a timely manner.
How to Store Half an Avocado
Oftentimes, half an avocado is all that is necessary for a certain dish. If you find yourself with half of an avocado left over, this avocado can be safely stored for later use.
Keep the Skin On
When storing half an avocado, leave the remaining skin on the avocado and leave the pit in place. This will help preserve the avocado and keep the avocado from browning. The exposed half of the avocado may become slightly oxidized, but that’s OK.
Use an Avocado Saver or Glass Container
In order to prevent oxidation and preserve the avocado, an avocado saver can be used in order to keep the avocado fresh. An airtight glass container can also help to preserve the avocado, although the avocado may turn slightly more brown than it will with an avocado saver.
In a Pinch, Use Plastic Wrap
If you don’t have any avocado savers or glass containers on hand, plastic wrap can be used to preserve the avocado. This can be done by wrapping the exposed half of the avocado in plastic wrap.
Store the Avocado Half in the Refrigerator
While whole avocados can last for several days at room temperature, half an avocado will oxidize and ripen at a much quicker rate. Avocado halves need to be stored in the refrigerator in order to be used at a later date.
How Long Does Half an Avocado Last in the Refrigerator?
If half an avocado is properly stored in the refrigerator, this avocado will remain fresh for up to 3 days. After 3 days, the avocado may become overripe.
How to Store Avocado With No Skin
If you’re storing sliced or mashed avocado that has no skin, the avocado will be at risk of oxidizing rather quickly without the protective layer that the skin and pit offers. In order to preserve avocado that has no skin, save the avocado in an airtight glass container or reusable airtight storage bag.
To further slow the oxidation process, lemon or lime juice can be added to the avocado. The acidity of lemon and lime juice helps to prevent oxidation and preserve the color of the avocado.
How to Preserve Avocados
If you are wanting to save an avocado for later use, avocados can be preserved. This can be done by pickling the avocados, or storing them in the freezer. Pickled avocados can be a tasty addition to salads, or eaten alone as a snack. Frozen avocados can be blended in smoothies, or dethawed for regular use.
Both pickled and frozen avocados can last for a while, making avocado preservation a viable option if you plan to store avocados for later use.
Frozen avocados can last for up to 6 months, and pickled avocados can last for 2-3 weeks.
How to Store Whole Avocados
Whole avocados are easy to store, because the fruit is fully protected by its exterior skin. Whole avocados can be left out at room temperature, although depending on the climate of your area and the temperature of your home, they can ripen fairly quickly.
Storing avocados at room temperature is beneficial if you want to eat your avocados within a few days. Otherwise, they may become overripe after sitting out for a few days. If you want your avocados to ripen more slowly, store them in the refrigerator. They will still ripen, but at a slower pace.
If you wish to freeze avocados for later use, remove the skin before doing so. The skin will be difficult to remove after the avocado has been frozen. Avocados will not ripen after being frozen, so ensure that the avocados are ripened to your liking before freezing.
How Do You Know if an Avocado is Ready to Eat?
When an avocado is ready to eat, it will feel slightly soft to touch. An unripe avocado will be very hard, and an overripe avocado will be so soft that it sinks beneath your touch. After cutting and trying a few avocados, you will learn to identify a ripe avocado very quickly.
How to Store Avocados: Final Thoughts
When properly stored, avocados can be enjoyed as a fresh and healthy snack. It is important to monitor the freshness of avocados using the Lil’ Broc app, and follow the guidelines given in this article to properly store avocados. This will ensure that you’ll always have ready-to-eat and well-preserved avocados on hand.