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Understanding the proper way to store avocados can significantly impact whether you enjoy them at their peak or face the disappointment of a spoiled fruit. Avocados are known for their unpredictable ripening process—just when you think they're ready to eat, they can quickly become overripe, leading to frustration and wasted food.
Although there's no foolproof device to pinpoint the brief window when an avocado is perfectly ripe, you can take steps to ensure your avocados last long enough to turn into homemade guacamole or add a healthy touch to your toast. The key to proper storage depends on factors such as ripeness and intended use.
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty ImagesHow to Store a Whole Avocado
The way you store whole avocados should depend on their ripeness. Below are the best practices for keeping both unripe and ripe whole avocados fresh.
Storing Unripe Whole Avocados
If you've bought an unripe avocado hoping to perfectly time that guacamole craving (we've all been there!), the best approach is to keep it whole and place it on your countertop, away from other fruits and vegetables. Unripe avocados usually last about four to five days at room temperature.
However, since avocados can be unpredictable, it’s important to check their ripeness daily. You'll know it's ripe when it gives slightly under gentle pressure and has dark green to black skin with a bumpy texture.
Storing Ripe Whole Avocados
If your avocado is ripe (or nearly ripe), you can place it in the refrigerator, where it will remain fresh for several days, depending on how ripe it is. For the best storage, keep it in an airtight food storage container or in the crisper drawer. Just be aware that if it's stored near bananas or apples, the ethylene gas from these fruits will accelerate the ripening, so make sure to check it regularly.
Liudmila Chernetska/Getty ImagesHow to Store Cut Avocado
Sometimes, you cut into an avocado thinking you'll eat it all, only to realize you're not hungry enough for the whole thing. Fortunately, there are a few tricks to store cut avocado and extend its shelf life.
Storing Halved Avocado
You might be surprised to know that you can store half an avocado with the skin and pit still on. Keeping the skin intact helps prevent oxidation, preserving the fresh interior. While there are specialized half-avocado storage products, the easiest way to keep the other half fresh is to rub some olive oil or lime juice on the flesh, wrap the entire avocado (even the skin) tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it. This will keep oxygen out and should keep your avocado good for about two days.
Storing Sliced Avocado
For sliced avocado, your best bet is to place it in a food storage container. Instead of using the usual lid, cover the container with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the avocado to remove any air pockets. This will help keep oxygen from turning your fresh green avocado brown.
Some people also try adding a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice, but this alters the flavor of the avocado and isn’t always effective. Among all methods, keeping sliced avocado from turning brown is the hardest because so much of the fruit's surface is exposed to oxygen.
While many TikTok users believe that storing cut avocado in water prevents it from browning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning against this viral tip, explaining that submerging the avocado in water can actually make it unsafe to eat.
"The main concern is with the possibility that any residual human pathogens (i.e., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., etc.) on the avocado skin may multiply during storage when submerged in water," an FDA representative told Good Morning America.
If you think washing the avocado skin before slicing will help, think again. "Even disinfecting the avocado skin before slicing would not be enough to remove the contamination," the FDA official explained.
Getty ImagesHow to Store Guacamole
Store guacamole or mashed avocado in the same way you would store sliced avocado—keep it in a bowl in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, and optionally squeeze in some lime juice. The top layer of the mash may turn brown, but you can easily scrape it off and discard it when you're ready to eat.
Serhii Ivashchuk / Getty ImagesWhy Do Avocados Turn Brown?
Like many fruits, including apples, avocados brown when their flesh is exposed to air. This happens due to a chemical reaction involving an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which occurs when the natural enzymes in the avocado meet oxygen. This is a natural process and does not make the avocado unsafe to eat.
Many people think that leaving the avocado pit in place can stop the fruit from turning brown. Unfortunately, that’s not true. While the pit will prevent the flesh directly underneath it from browning (because that part isn't exposed to air), it doesn’t affect the rest of the avocado or slow down the oxidation process.
If you cut open an avocado and notice significant browning or blackening, it’s best to discard it. Avocados only turn brown inside their skin when they begin to rot or have been damaged by fungus or temperature changes. Eating a rotten avocado can lead to illness.
OlgaLepeshkina / Getty ImagesCan You Freeze Avocado?
Yes, ripe avocados can be frozen, and there are several methods to do so. Keep in mind that freezing changes the texture of the fruit, making it less creamy, so while frozen avocado works great in guacamole or smoothies, it’s not ideal for eating on its own.
To freeze an avocado half, first remove the pit and peel. Next, drizzle the flesh with lemon or lime juice and wrap the entire half tightly in plastic wrap. To further reduce the avocado's exposure to oxygen, place it in a vacuum-sealed or airtight plastic bag.
If you're planning to use your frozen avocado for smoothies or dressings, it’s actually better to purée it before freezing. In a blender, purée the avocado with a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice until smooth. Then, transfer the purée to an airtight freezer bag, where it will stay fresh for about four months.
Thawing Frozen Avocado
To thaw your frozen avocado, the best method is to move it from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. If you're in a rush, you can microwave it using the defrost setting or heat it in 5-second intervals until it’s thawed.
