Avocados are a Fruit that is known for being unpredictable, one moment they appear to be days away from being ripe enough to eat, and the next you’re stuck with an overripe mess that’s headed straight for the trash. Not only is this unpredictability costly and annoying, but it also increases food waste. There are certain tips and actions you can take to make sure your Avocados last long enough to be used as a nutritious toast topping or to make homemade guacamole, even though there isn’t a magical device that will tell you when to consume an Avocado that is completely ripe. As you’ll see, there are a few things to consider when storing Avocados, such as the fruit’s ripeness and intended usage.
Why Do Avocados Turn Brown?
You’ve probably observed that leftover Avocados quickly turns from green to brown unless you scarf them down as soon as you come home from the grocery shop. It is not very appetizing to get a scoop of brown guacamole placed on a tortilla chip, even though the taste of a slightly brown avocado is not that different from the bright, dark green of a newly sliced Avocado. The browning is only oxidation, other fruit, such as apples and potatoes, also experiences same reaction when exposed to air. With all three, the change happens relatively instantly, but if you put apples and potatoes in water, they will not oxidize. Sadly, that’s not a solution for Avocados, but there are ways to slow the process.
How to Store Whole Avocados so they Stay Fresh:
The best way to store entire Avocados that you’re not quite ready to eat is in the refrigerator. The ripening process is slowed down by refrigeration. When an Avocado is ripe or nearly ripe, it is recommended to keep it refrigerated.
How to store Avocados to keep them Fresh, both Ripe and Unripe:
- In the fridge, an unripe Avocados will eventually ripen, but its texture and flavor may suffer. Thus, leaving unripe Avocados on your countertop is the best method to store them. Your Avocados will ripen and be suitable for consumption in the next four to five days. But as Avocados can be unpredictable it’s necessary to check their ripeness every day. When the Avocado responds to light pressure from your fingertips and has a bumpy texture with dark green to black skin, you know it’s ripe.
- If your Avocado is ripe, store it whole and uncut in the refrigerator’s fruit drawer or in an airtight container. Depending on how ripe it was at the beginning, it should be good for roughly two weeks. Just keep in mind, if your Avocados are with bananas and apples in the fruit drawer, then the ethylene gas from these fruits will speed up the ripening process. Check it often.
How to Store Cut Avocados So They Stay Fresh:
Sometimes, after cutting an Avocado, you realize you can’t finish it. Luckily, cut Avocado can be stored in a few different ways to extend its life.
1.Skin ON:
Don’t scoop out the Avocado flesh if you haven’t already! If you can, leave it in the skin with the pit intact. The skin and pit prevent oxygen from penetrating the flesh, so limiting its exposed area, which will eventually turn brown. Put plastic wrap directly on the flesh to prevent air from reaching it and put it in the refrigerator to help preserve the remaining portion. It ought to remain green for a minimum of two days.
2. Store with the Slice of Onion:
You can store your half Avocado by placing it in an airtight container with the slice of Onion. The onion’s fumes cause the browning process to slow down. For at least two days, your Avocado will remain green, but it might take on the taste of onions. That might be advantageous, depending on what you plan to make with it.
3. Skin OFF:
It’s okay if you’ve already removed the Avocado flesh, you can still keep it from turning bad. Mash the Avocado and spoon it into a nonreactive container. Next, place a piece of plastic wrap directly over top of the Avocado, making sure there are no air bubbles, as instead of covering the container with a lid. Your Avocado should stay green in the fridge for at least two days. Add some lemon or lime juice to slow down the process even more. If the mixture seems brown, scraping off the top layer should reveal Avocado that is green below.
Store Avocados for a Year and Enjoy them Whenever You Want:
By following a few easy steps, you can preserve Avocados for a year when they’re at their lowest and save money.
Step 1: Peel and pit the Avocados.
Step2: Smash them by using spoon, fork, mixer or potato masher.
Step3: For each Avocado, add 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice, then freeze in an airtight bag with the air squeezed out.
Then you always have Avocado that have been mashed and ready to eat. It can also be spread on sandwiches, added to tuna and chicken salad, and used to make guacamole.
How to Store Guacamole:
Storing guacamole presents the same issue as storing cut Avocado, you have to keep the top layer from browning. To store leftover guacamole, it’s best to put it in a storage container and top it off with a half-inch of water. When ready to use, drain off the water, stir, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Some Viral Hacks to Store Avocados to keep them Fresh that doesn’t Actually Work:
- Although many Tiktok users claim that soaking cut Avocados in water keeps them from browning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lately disapproved of this widely shared trick, stating that doing so can make Avocados dangerous to consume.
- Some claim that by applying the thin coating of olive oil can prevent your Avocado from turning brown for a couple of days. The theory is that in order to prevent browning, the oil forms an oxygen barrier but your Avocado will turn brown before the day is out if you use a lot of oil.
- Another terrible hack is submerge an entire Avocado in boiling water for ten seconds, and then remove it and dip it into icy water. It may delay browning for a short while, but the taste and texture are sufficiently altered to make the effort ineffective.
