Because slicing into a spoiled avocado is the pits . 🥑

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It ’s a running jest among someBHGstaff fellow member that avocados are the diva of the garden truck aisle . Afterchoosing avocadosat the store and bring them back to the Test Kitchen to essay while developing recipe likeTomato - Avocado Grilled Cheese , grill Avocado and Pineapple Salad , andAvocado Deviled Eggs , we ’ll check in day by day to prove for ripeness . ( By the way , dark green , jolty skin and physical body that give a piddling when mildly pressed are among thesigns that an avocado is ripe . )

bowl of avocados

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The aguacate tease us for day , practically whispering to us,“not yet!”Until one day , when we lift up the stem and it slides off easy to reveal green flesh underneath , we decide towashand slicing the fruit . And when we do , sometimes we ’re disappointed to describe that we already missed showtime . In other Scripture , we neglect their freshness window and are left with an overripe avocado tree with mushy flesh with dark spots . What a tease !

We typically keep avocados on a countertop in a coolheaded corner of the kitchen , unless we want tosoften them faster — then we place them in a newspaper bag or in the sun . But should you refrigerate avocados at any point in this process to perhaps expand their windowpane of recipe - readiness ? You bet .

Read on to learn more about when and why to refrigerate avocado pear .

Should You Refrigerate Avocados?

There are four factors that influence avocado freshness , grant to theHass Avocado Board :

Firm , unripe , unmown aguacate should be store at room temperature ( 68 ° to 75 ° F ) , the Hass Avocado Board and Sarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen steel manager agree . Since cool temperature basically slow ripen to a crawl , it ’s of import to countenance avocado to mature at room temperature ( rather than popping them in thecrisper drawerright after you wreak the fruit base ) .

Unless you ’re planning to eat your advanced avocado pear immediately , “ once ripe and slightly soft to the touch , it ’s best to move the fruit into the icebox , ” to offer its ledge animation , adds Katy Green , a San Diego , California - found produce field inspector for Whole Foods Market .

If you ’re think about howrefrigerating tomatoesdrastically detracts from their feel , you might be wonder how refrigerating avocados may impact timber . Rest easy : Refrigerating ripe aguacate does n’t negatively alter the flavor , appearance , or texture of right avocados .

There ’s one circumstance when the reply to “ should you refrigerate avocados ? ” is always yes : If you ’ve peeled or slice the avocado . As before long as the bod is endanger to air , an avocado must be refrigerate to trim back the peril of bacterial growth .

How Long Do Ripe Avocados Last?

If we ’re lucky , a ripe avocado stored at way temperature lasts about 2 to 3 days before it starts to spoil . Refrigerating avocados widens the windowpane of fourth dimension for you to put the good fruit to unspoilt use before it buy the farm regretful . We discover that ripe avocados can flow out in the fridge for 5 to 7 days , although we endeavor to use them within 3 if potential . Once cut , it ’s heady to enjoy the avocado tree within 1 day .

How to Refrigerate a Whole Avocado

Once ripe , refrigerate whole avocado in a mellow - humidity crisper draftsman for up to 7 day .

How to Refrigerate a Cut Avocado

“ After cutting , you should always refrigerate the aguacate , whether you smash up the avocado pear or keep it turn out in one-half , ” Green says .

If you ’re break to have an avocado half leftover , as you might after makingavocado pledge , keep the half of the Persea Americana that has the pit in it , Brekke recommends . Cover the surface of the avocado tree straight off with plastic wrapper , place it in an airtight food storage container , and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day .

trial Kitchen Tip : If you ’d care to bring down the oxidisation and set the browning on the surface , sweep the control surface of the cut avocado with lemon juice before breed it in plastic wrap . It ’s not inherently insecure to consume the brownish soma on top , but because it can taste sulphurous , we suggest using a knife to slice off any brown constituent before run through .

If you get rid of the nether region and smash the avocado pear , or have extra alligator pear slices or chunk , transpose them to an airtight solid food storage container . Top them with lemon or lime succus and a bed of formative wrap , agitate the wrapper onto the Earth’s surface as much as possible to limit oxygen exposure . shoot for to finish slice , chunks , or philander avocado the same day , if potential .

How to Freeze Avocados to Get Even More Time to Enjoy Them

If you do n’t think the one - week window you ’ll have with a refrigerate avocado will be enough , you could freeze right avocados for up to 1 calendar month , the Hass Avocado Board says . Keep in mind that stock-still avocado pear will work well in blend recipes , such assmoothiesormargaritas , since the consistency will deepen if you set about to thaw the yield before use .

You canfreeze avocadossliced or mashed . Either way , depart by washing your hands then wash out the avocado skin under cool running water .