5 Ways To Keep Your Citrus Fruits Fresh Longer

Unsplash

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, there’s always a use for citrus fruits. If it’s not lemonade or freshly squeezed orange juice, you want lemon wedges for your tea or grapefruits with a little honey for your breakfast. If you’re going to invest in a bag of oranges or buy a bunch of lemons, you should know how to keep your citrus fruits fresh for as long as possible. Here are the tricks of the trade:

1. Store Them In A Well-Ventilated Bag

You know when you buy a bag of oranges at the store and they come in those mesh bags? Well, you should save those. Keeping your citrus fruits in breathable produce bags allows them to absorb moisture and air properly. When you keep your citrus fruits in sealed bags they’ll break down much faster.

2. Rotate The Fruit

It’s easy to forget about your citrus fruits when they’re tucked somewhere in the back of your fridge, but this is also how they turn bad rapidly. To keep them fresh, make sure you rotate the fruit about twice per week to maintain airflow.

3. Don’t Cover A Bowl Of Citrus Fruits With Plastic Wrap

Unsplash

Your fruits and vegetables need breathing room. Putting a layer of plastic wrap on top of a bowl of oranges will not help your case. If you want to put plastic wrap over the bowl to prevent fruit flies, just make sure to puncture some holes in the surface to allow your fruit to breath.

4. Keep The Fruit Dry

Be careful that your fruit stays dry in order to extend its life. If your oranges get damp there’s a better chance they’ll become moldy. Avoid this by dabbing them with a paper towel every so often. Also, make sure the fruit is dry when you bring it back from the store.

5. Store Them In The Vegetable Bin

If your fridge has a low-humidity crisper drawer, you should keep your citrus fruits in there. This is especially true when it comes to grapefruits, which need a good amount of air circulation to prevent moisture and potentially moldy conditions.