Does avocado go bad?

Introduction

Does avocado go bad? This question is as popular as the fruit itself. One survey tells that people who eat avocados tend to be healthier and in fact they are. 

The reason is avocado is loaded with varieties of substantial vitamins, minerals and fiber which help those who eat this fruit frequently lower cholesterol and heart-disease risk. 

Furthermore, avocado is a helpful supporter for your eyes, hair and skin and even can prevent cancer. 

With those amazing nutrition values, plus the yummy taste, avocado is one of the most favorite fruits that appear in many kitchens. 

However, we bet you still have plenty of questions about this fruit due to its tricky identifications on ripeness, spoilage and storage. Don’t worry, this article will unravel anything that you are still unclear.

How long do avocados last?

As many other fruits or foodborne, each way you store will result in different life span of that ingredient. 

Besides, the shelf life of avocado is also based on its ripeness and conditions as you can see in the below table. 

One thing to notice that it’s quite delicate to realize if an avocado is ripe and once it ripens, it will turn brown quite fast and easy to get spoiled. 

Therefore, you better keep an eye on your avocados.

How to tell if avocados go bad?

Normally, a medium-ripe avocado will have green-yellow color but if your avocado starts to have brown in the flesh or mold and smells bad, it’s time to toss it. 

In some cases, avocado can have thick fibers and this is the result of being picked from younger trees or improper storage conditions. 

At this time, you can choose to keep it as it will not bring any worrying health problem, but don’t expect a delicious dish with that avocado.

How to store avocados?

The existing condition of avocado will decide on the way we store it. 

If your avocado is unripe, you should let it be in your pantry at room temperature, not in a fridge as the cold temperature will stop the ripening process and make the avocado super hard. 

A fridge is only used for ripe avocado when you are not willing to consume it now, then you can store them in the fridge for another 3 to 5 days. 

Freezing avocado is also a choice to lengthen its shelf life.

Can you freeze avocados?

Yes, you can freeze avocado to make it last up to 5 to 6 months. Follow the article and you’ll know the way to do it correctly.

How to freeze avocados?

Now you are going to learn how to freeze avocado properly in just some simple steps listed below.

Tips to freeze avocados

• You should freeze pureed avocados to get the best result
• Adding a bit lemon juice to the smoothie will prevent avocado from turning brown
• Freezing whole avocados is not recommended but if you still want, try with an avocado for 1-2 weeks to see the result and decide to keep going or not

Things you’ll need to freeze avocados

• A freezer-safe container or bag
• An ice-cube tray
• A baking sheet
• A bit lemon juice

How to freeze pureed avocados

• Transfer your smooth avocado into an airtight container (an ice-cube tray can replace a container- this allows you to take just a small amount of avocado, especially for a baby’s meal)
• Label the container and put it in the freezer

 How to freeze chunked or halved avocados

• Spray your chunked avocados with a bit lemon juice then place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours
• Once they are frozen, transfer to a zip lock bag, label it and put in the freezer

How to defrost/ thaw avocados?

Whenever you want to use your frozen avocados, don’t forget to thaw them first

Tips to defrost avocados

• When thawing avocados, keep them tightly covered to prevent the discoloration

Things you’ll need to defrost avocados

• A refrigerator/ a bowl of cold water
• A plastic bag

How to defrost avocados in the fridge

• Transfer the container of avocado from the freezer to the fridge to thaw for 6 hours or overnight
• Use the avocado within 2 days and keep it covered in the fridge at all times

How to defrost avocados in water

• Put the avocado in a plastic bag and submerge in a bowl of cold water
• Flip the bag every 15 minutes and change the water every 30 minutes until the avocado fully thaws
• Use the avocado the same day 

How to reheat avocados?

Actually, they never reheat the avocado separately or even rarely do if it is served as a side of the main course. 

Avocados will turn brown and are flavorless if they are cooked, maybe it’s acceptable to serve them in hot or warm food, but you better treat yourself with cool avocados or avocado at room temperature.