Most of the foods have an expiry date. While packaged foods give us a clear idea of when to consume them, fresh produce can confuse us. We often rely on our general sense of taste and smell or sight to spot visible deterioration to judge if the fruit is still good. But this acquired talent doesn’t help us much while grocery shopping when all the colourful fruits look inviting, and we buy them in bulk. Often, we end up either consuming mouldy fruits by mistake or tossing them out if we are smart enough to spot the rotten ones. So, we are either harming our health or wasting food; either way is not good. Fruits lying in our pantry often go unnoticed as long as they are looking good. But the minute we see them turning bad, we pay our attention to them. Only if we knew when’s the right to finish them off. Well, now we do.
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We found out the average shelf life of everyday fruits that are found in our kitchens. We could not possibly cover all fruits out there, so we listed the shelf life of some of the most common fruits that we consume regularly (and waste regularly). Remember that fruits available in markets are harvested before they ripen. The ripening process continues till they reach us. So, it’s always better to procure fresh produce from a trusted source. The shelf life below is calculated from the time the fruit matures and not the date you purchase it.
Store fruits properly to increase their shelf life.
Photo Credit: iStock
Do Fruits Expire? Here’s The Average Shelf Life Of Common Fruits:
Apple
Fresh apples can stay good for up to one week, maybe less. But if you store them in the refrigerator, you can consume them even after a month. Have more apples than you can consume within this time frame? Make these delicious desserts with them.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges enjoy a long shelf life – up to 15 days in room temperature and one month in the refrigerator. It is not advisable to store oranges in the refrigerator as the water content will dry up, rendering the otherwise juicy fruit, dry.
Banana
As you would have noticed, bananas don’t last more than 3-4 days. After they ripen, they turn soggy and black in colour. Just when you start noticing the outer peel of the banana changing colour, you should consume it the same day. But if the banana is green in colour, it will take around a week to ripen. Remember not to refrigerate your bananas.
Grapes
You can continue to enjoy tarty bite-sized grapes for 1-2 weeks depending upon their maturity date. Another good way to judge them is by looking out for changes in colour to dark brown. Also, if you see them squished down, it’s time to toss them.
Also Read: 5 Fruits And Vegetables You Should Never Store Together
Melons
With the arrival of summer, come our favourite watermelons and muskmelons. You have the freedom to buy the melons and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week before consuming them. Do not leave them out in the pantry.
Pears
You can leave pears in the open for two days if they are not ripe yet. But when they ripe, you should immediately keep them in the refrigerator and they will stay good for another 15 days.
Berries
All varieties of berries have almost the same shelf life. First of all, you should never leave them out in the pantry. You should always refrigerate them, closed and away from other foods. This way, they can last up to three days.
Pineapple
If you buy the whole pineapple, you can keep it at room temperature for 2-3 days. But once you cut it, you must refrigerate it and can store it for around a week before it goes bad.
Now you know when to finish off your fruits before it’s too late. Enjoy the good taste and health benefits of your favourite fruits without wasting them.
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