Why You Should Think Twice Before Storing Avocados In The Refrigerator
Whether you are a fan of the trendy but delish avocado toast, or you have to have your weekly guac and tortilla chips alongside a margarita, avocados are simply all that and then some. Even the celebrity world has jumped on this fruit's bandwagon. Victoria Beckham, Chrissy Teigen, and Kim Kardashian are all fans of this creamy and beyond awesome green goddess of a fruit (via Avoseedo). Honestly, who isn't a fan of the avocado? Its nutritional value is beyond compare. Per Healthline, avocados are full of vitamin K, folate, vitamins B and E, and can provide your body with more potassium than bananas.
Avocados are also expensive. Per Insider, the price of this beloved fruit was up 129% in 2019, almost double the price it was in previous years. So when a food is this precious, it's important to extend its shelf life and ensure that when your avocados are ready to be used, they are in tip-top shape. How you choose to store your avocado will also play a factor in how quickly it ripens. This is why you should think twice before storing your avocados in the refrigerator.
The ripening process slows down when you put avocados in the fridge
According to Listonic, the ripening process slows when you store your avocados in the refrigerator. That's because the lower temperature that chills your food also inhibits your avocado's ability to go from rock hard to soft and ready to use. So, when can you put your avocados in the fridge? The site shares that you should wait until the avocado ripens before you store it in the cooler temperature. This will slow down any further softening and keep your fruit from becoming a mushy mess too quickly.
What if you only need half of your avocado? Simply cut it in half, leave the pit in and place it in an airtight container to limit the amount of air and moisture it's exposed to. However, Listonic cautions that this will really only give your avocado an extra day for you to use it up. If you don't think you will be able to, the site suggests mashing it up and freezing it for future use. This sounds like the perfect way to ensure you won't waste any of this precious fruit and will always have it on hand when you are creating your morning smoothie or perhaps a nice dessert inspired by Jason Mraz.