This delicious fruit has a lot of varieties ranging from red, white, and pink flesh. The color of it will tell how sweet the grapefruit is. This fruit is mainly used as part of other dishes and desserts. They are commonly found in fruit salad and smoothies that require that extra tartness. Therefore, most people will buy more than one to store at home for later use. Grapefruit is just like any other fruit and they will go bad if not stored properly.
So how long does grapefruit last? At room temperature, a whole grapefruit will last 2 to 3 weeks, while cut or sliced grapefruit will last for only a day. In the fridge, a whole grapefruit will last 5 to 6 weeks, while cut or sliced grapefruit will last 2 to 3 days. In the freezer, squeezed grapefruit juice and cut/sliced grapefruit will stay fresh for about 3 to 4 months.
Grapefruit Shelf Life
| Room Temperature/Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Grapefruit last | 2-3 Weeks | 5-6 Weeks | Not Recommended |
| Cut or Sliced Grapefruit last | Same Day | 2-3 Days | 3-4 Months |
| Grapefruit Juice last | 1-2 Hours | 2-3 Days | 3-4 Months |
How Long Does Grapefruit Last?
Due to their thick rind, grapefruit can last for a long time when compared to other fruits. Grapefruit can be stored at room temperature, in the fridge, or even in the freezer.
At room temperature, a whole grapefruit will last 2 to 3 weeks. They can be kept on the countertop or in the pantry. Always keep them away from direct sunlight to prevent them from going bad quickly.
Cut or sliced grapefruit will last about a day at room temperature before it starts to go bad. To enjoy the freshness of this fruit, once cut, it should be consumed within a couple of hours.
In the fridge, a whole grapefruit can last 5 to 6 weeks. It’s best to store them in the crisp section of the fridge to keep their freshness past a month. If you’re planning to eat it within a week or so, leaving them anywhere in the fridge is fine. However, since grapefruit is large in size, it may take up a lot of space in the fridge so it’s best to cut or slice them first.
Sliced or cut grapefruit will stay fresh for about 2 to 3 days. After cutting them up, you’ll either want to store them in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. These two items will help retain moisture in the grapefruit and prevent it from drying up.
In the freezer, sliced or cut grapefruit will last 3 to 4 months. It’s best to store them in an airtight container or a freezer bag to retain their freshness.
Besides sliced or cut grapefruit, you also have the option to freeze grapefruit juice. The juice from the grapefruit freezes really well and will last 3 to 4 months.
Whether you’re freezing them as sliced, cut, or juice, they will be safe to consume past the 4 months as states. However, you may notice that it won’t taste fresh. The longer it stays in the freezer, the more chances it has of getting freezer burn.
How To Store Grapefruit
At room temperature, you should always try to store fresh whole grapefruit away from direct sunlight or any other heat source. The best place to store the fruit is in the pantry where it’s cool and dry.
For sliced or cut grapefruit, store them in a bowl covered by cling wrapper or a wet paper towel. This will help prevent the air from drying up the grapefruit and will help it stay fresh for a day.
However, no cover is needed if you’re planning to consume it right after cutting it.
In the fridge, a whole grapefruit can be stored there but it’ll probably take up a lot of room. If you do plan on storing a whole grapefruit, store them in the crisp section of the fridge where there is less moisture.
For the fridge, cut or sliced grapefruit should be stored in an airtight container or a plastic bag. Storing them in an open container will dry up the fruit which will cause them to go bad quickly.
If storing them in a plastic bag, make sure to squeeze as much air as possible before sealing it.
For grapefruit juice that has been freshly squeezed, you should store them in a covered glass or plastic container. They can be either stored in the fridge or in the freezer. Storing them in the freezer will yield a longer shelf life than storing them in the fridge.
If you’re planning to store grapefruit juice in the freezer, leave about an inch of space at the top. The liquid will expand as it freezes. If you don’t leave any space, once it freezes, the juice from the grapefruit will spill all over the freezer.
Can You Freeze Grapefruit?
Grapefruit freeze well in the freezer and it will stay fresh for a long time too if stored properly. While a whole grapefruit can be stored in the freezer, it’s not a good idea since it will take up a lot of freezer space. Instead, cut and sliced grapefruit or freshly squeezed grapefruit is the better choice.
For cut and sliced grapefruit, you should peel off the skin and store the flesh in an airtight container or a freezer bag. An airtight container is usually the best choice to store grapefruit, but the freezer bag is a good storage option too.
However, if you’re storing them in the freezer bag, make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag. If there is air in the bag, it could lead to a freezer burn. When the grapefruit gets freezer burn, it will shorten its shelf life.
If you’re planning to store grapefruit just for their juice, the freezer is the best option. Freezing them as juices will have the longest shelf life. On average, they can stay fresh for 3 to 4 months, but it can last much longer. After 4 months, it’s still safe to consume it, but it might not taste as fresh as it should.
How To Freeze Grapefruit
When it comes to freezing grapefruit, it’s fast and simple. You can either freeze them as cut and sliced grapefruit or as grapefruit juice. Below are the steps on how to prepare them to be stored in the freezer:
Freeze Cut or Sliced Grapefruit
- Start to peel the rind of the grapefruit.
- Use a sharp knife to cut or slice the flesh of the grapefruit.
- In an airtight container or freezer bag, gently place the flesh in there.
- Leave about half an inch of space at the top of the container. For a freezer bag, leave enough space to be able to seal the bag.
- Seal the container tightly with the cover. For the freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing it.
- Label the container or bag and put them into the freezer.
Freeze Grapefruit Juice
- Peel the rind off the grapefruit.
- If you want the flesh and juice to freeze together, put them into the blender. If you want to freeze just the juice of the grapefruit, use a juicer to extract the liquid.
- Pour the grapefruit juice into an airtight container.
- Leave about an inch of space at the top of the container. Liquid expands when it freezes and doing so will prevent spilling when the juice freezes.
- Seal the lid tightly on the airtight container.
- Label the container and place it in the freezer.
How To Keep Grapefruit Fresh Longer
Selecting Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a citrus fruit that comes in different varieties which includes pink, red, and white flesh. There are also hybrid varieties such as orange-grapefruit mix.
When selecting grapefruit, appearance and weight are very important to keep them fresh longer.
As for appearance, look for grapefruit that doesn’t have any blemish, dark spot, and any cut and tears. These are signs that they won’t stay fresh for a long time, even with proper storage.
Good quality grapefruit will be firm and has smooth, thin skin.
The weight of the fruit is also crucial. If the appearance is fine, pick one up to see if it’s heavy. If it feels heavy, the grapefruit contains a lot of juice and will last long. If it feels light, the fruit is going bad and will not last long.
Handling Grapefruit
from the grocery store to storing them, you should always handle grapefruit with care. These fruits bruise easily if it’s dropped or handled roughly. Once it’s bruised, the fruit will usually go bad quickly.
When you’re storing them in the pantry or the fridge, whether it’s the whole fruit or it’s sliced or cut, it should be handled lightly. By doing so, the grapefruit will last a long time.
How To Tell When Grapefruit Is Bad
Grapefruit is like any other fruit when it goes bad. Before it goes bad, you’ll still have some time to consume it before it’s no longer good. As it goes bad, there will be signs to look for.
For appearance, bad grapefruit will have soft spots all over the fruit. If there are a couple of soft spots on them, only part of the fruit is bad. The good area can still be eaten, but it won’t be that juicy.
Another sign to look at is the discoloration on the skin of the grapefruit. When it goes bad, it will have bruises on the skin. It will be black, brown or a darker shade. Even though it has bruises, the fruit can still be eaten as long as there is no mold growing on or in the grapefruit.
However, if the soft spot also has mold growing on them, it’s best to throw the entire grapefruit away. Consuming grapefruit or any other food that has mold on them can lead to food poisoning.
As for the taste, bad grapefruit will taste dry and bitter. This happens when there is no or little juice left in the grapefruit. As long as there is no mold growing, it is still safe to eat, but it just won’t taste good.
Related Questions
Are grapefruit and pomelo the same?
Grapefruit and pomelos are both citrus fruit. Other than that, they are different in shape, color, size, and taste.
Grapefruit is a hybrid between sweet orange and pomelo. Pomelo, on the other hand, is a separate species of its own.
As for size, grapefruit is much smaller overall than pomelo. However, even though grapefruit is smaller than pomelo, it has more flesh than pomelo does.
When it comes to color, grapefruit is yellow-orange, while pomelo is pale green and turns yellow when it’s riped.
Taste-wise, grapefruit has a sweet flavor and has low acidity when compared to another citrus.
Pomelo, on the other hand, has a tart, tangy and sweet flavor.