When you cut an avocado and want to keep half of it for another time, there is one storage method you should try, and it might be one you have never heard of before. Avocados are rather difficult to keep fresh when they have been cut. Often, we find that the flesh of this popular fruit can brown rather quickly once it has been cut in half. However, it is quite a large fruit, and we don’t always want to eat the whole thing in one sitting.
There are a few tricks we can try to keep a cut avocado fresher for longer, such as storing it with lemon or storing it far away from other fruit. But there is one method for keeping half an avocado fresh that you may not have tried before. This hack involves brushing the avocado with olive oil. The oil should be applied to the exposed layer of the avocado. You only need to use a thin layer for this to work, so it won’t create too much mess to clean up after.
The science behind this is simple, as the oil creates a physical barrier between the exposed avocado and the air, so it ripens slower. A pastry brush is your best bet for doing this as it makes it easy to spread just a thin layer of oil over the exposed avocado.
As well as acting as a barrier between the air and the avocado, the olive oil also helps the fruit retain its moisture, which will help it stay fresh. It won’t keep it fresh forever, but it will extend the life of your cut avocado, meaning you can enjoy it one half at a time.
After applying the olive oil to the avocado, you can wrap it in clingfilm and store it in an air-tight container, which will then go into your fridge. This will help it stay fresher and will also minimise the mess made in your refrigerator.
One expert, Taesha Butler of The Natural Nurturer, said that this could extend the life of your half avocado up to a week. The whole logic behind this involves minimising the avocado’s exposure to air, which will stop it from browning too quickly.
Before you cut your avocado, store it on your kitchen counter until it reaches your desired ripeness. Avocados that are hard and green are not ready to be eaten. Wait until they have become dark and soft enough to squeeze slightly.
This is the perfect time to enjoy the avocado by cutting it and spreading it on toast or making guacamole. If you want to wait to eat it, you should place it in your fridge when it has reached its perfectly ripened state.