Can you think of anything better than fresh grapefruit? It makes such a delicious and healthy snack, and it is a wonderful ingredient in many vinaigrettes and other recipes, not to mention it’s one of the best fruits for juicing. But How Long Does Grapefruit Last in the Fridge? Can you freeze grapefruit? Are grapefruits good for you? All those questions and more are answered for you here!
Grapefruit is so delicious and is loaded with vitamins and nutrients. It’s sometimes overlooked as a favorite citrus fruit. It’s known for its semi-sweet and sour taste and is actually a hybrid of sweet oranges and pomelo. Grapefruits grow on grapefruit trees in clusters, like grapes, which is where they get their name. They’re typically harvested from September to December, but luckily, they are available all throughout the year at the grocery stores.
Because of their fall harvest, you’ve have probably seen those big boxes of grapefruits sold for school fund raisers right before the holidays every year. If you’ve ever bought one of those boxes, I am sure you have ended up with more grapefruit that you can possibly eat before they go bad.
The good news is, there are several ways to extend the life of ripe grapefruits as well as many ways to put them to good use! Whether you use them in recipes, slice them and eat them for breakfast or serve with a sweet Fruit Dip as a snack, there are endless ways to incorporate them into your diet. But first, let talk about how long grapefruit last and how to store it.
How Long Does it Last When Sliced?
Once you cut into a grapefruit and expose it to air it will last about 2-3 days in the fridge. After that is becomes runny and soggy and can begin to spoil quickly. Be sure and store cut grapefruit or any citrus fruits in a covered glass container or a resealable plastic bag.
How Long Does a Whole Grapefruit Last?
The precise answer as to the shelf life of grapefruit as a whole fruit is difficult to nail down because it depends on when it was harvested, the conditions it has been kept in since being harvested and how long it was sitting at the grocery store before you bought it.
As a general rule, you should eat grapefruit as soon as possible but they should be good for up to 10 days if stored at room temperature and within a couple of weeks if stored in the fridge.
How Long Does it Last When Cut at Room Temperature?
To maximize the amount of time a cut grapefruit last, it should be stored chilled. Once you have sliced it, grapefruit should not sit out for more than a couple of hours at the most. Make sure you keep the container it’s in covered with plastic wrap.
What is the Best Way to Store?
The best place to store whole grapefruit is in the crisper drawer or vegetable drawer of your fridge if it will fit. Fruits still in their skin should be stored with the humidity control set on low to avoid excess moisture. Always be sure to wash the fruit and dry off any excess water before placing in the crisper drawers.
The ideal temperature to store grapefruits is 40 degrees F. You don’t want the fridge temperature so cold it freezes it, but cold enough to prevent harmful bacteria from forming.
If you just don’t have the space in your fridge, you can also store whole grapefruits on the counter for up to 10 days. For best results, keep them in a basket that will allow air to circulate around them This prevents them from getting a soft spot where they are touching the counter or other grapefruits.
What are the Health Benefits of Grapefruit?
Grapefruit contains a lot of fibers as well as containing a good many nutrients and vitamins like vitamin C and vitamin A. There are reported benefits that grapefruits can add in weight loss, and it plays an active role in heart health and the body’s immune system. If you want to read more about the benefits of eating grapefruit, check out this article on Healthline.
What Are the Different Types?
- Red: Red grapefruits are the sweetest and contain the most powerful antioxidants of any other variety.
- Pink: Less sweet than red grapefruit but are super juicy. They are excellent if you’re a fan of juicing.
- White: Has a slightly bitter taste and mostly used in recipes and cooking.
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How to Tell if it is Bad?
Here are some of the most common traits of bad grapefruit:
- Mold: The most obvious sign of old grapefruit is when you see that the fruit has started to grow mold. This is the case for a whole fruit or for sliced pieces that you’ve kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Mushy or soft texture: A whole fresh grapefruit will feel firm to the touch. Gently push on grapefruit with your thumb. Grapefruit passed its prime will give into the pressure and will no longer return to its regular shape once you have removed your thumb.
- Smell: Fresh grapefruit should smell fresh and citrusy. If they have an off odor, that’s a sign it may have gone bad, but as always, you should slice into it to take a closer look.
- Color: When looking at a whole grapefruit, there should not be any dark spots or weird discoloration of the skin. The skin should be reddish pink with an orange tint without any brown spots or soft spots.
Can You Freeze Grapefruit?
The easiest way to freeze ripe grapefruit is to peel the skin off, remove the white pith and place the individual slices in a single layer until they are frozen, then slip them into airtight, Ziploc freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as you can to avoid freezer burn.
To thaw it, place the container in the fridge overnight and let it thaw slowly. If its in a freezer bag, place the bag in a container in the fridge to catch any juice that may leak out.
Best Way to Use
Eating it peeled or just sliced in half is the most popular way to eat it. But if you find yourself with an abundance of grapefruit, here are some other ways to add it to your diet:
- Juice it to make smoothies or other tasty beverages. Fresh grapefruit juice can last a couple of days when kept chilled in the fridge.
- Mix in a few slices with your morning oats or chia seed pudding. Just make the oatmeal or pudding according to your recipe. Then just fold in some of the grapefruit in the desired amount.
- Add small chunks to salad for a zesty twist. Make a tasty salad with spinach, bacon, boiled eggs and toasted pecans or some sesame seeds and sweet chunks of grapefruit.
- Make a vinaigrette. All vinaigrette recipes have three main components. An oil, and acid or citrus and seasonings. To make grapefruit vinaigrette, just take your favorite vinaigrette and instead of the lemon juice or vinegar, use grapefruit juice.
- Try grilling it! Slice it in half and sprinkle it with a little sugar or your favorite sugar substitute. Then place it, cut side down, on a hot grill for a few minutes until the sweetener has caramelized and the grapefruit has become soft and juicy.
- Use a citrus zester to zest some of the grapefruit peeling. You can add the zest to a dressing for a tasty fruit bowl, add it to ice cubes to make citrus water, or use in in a number of tasty dessert recipes that call for any type of citrus fruit.
