Lemons should be stored in one place to make them sweeter and longer-lasting. Lemons are in many British households right now, used for favourite summer dishes and drinks. Many people store their lemons on their countertop in a fruit bowl. These lovely, bright yellow fruits do make for a gorgeous summer display. However, experts say that this isn’t the correct way to store them, no matter how pretty it might look.
The experts at Taste of Home have revealed the best ways to store lemons, depending on whether they are whole, cut, or sliced. While it is tempting to display your bright lemons out in the open, this is actually not the best way to store them. Rather, the experts say that they should go in the fridge. More so, they should be placed in zip-lock bags for extra freshness and, therefore, extra sweetness.
Lisa Kaminski of Taste of Home reveals: “Lemons are best kept in the fridge. Stashed in the fridge in the crisper drawer or on a shelf, fresh lemons will keep for two weeks or more.”
While lemons stay fresher for about two weeks when stored in the fridge, they can be kept fresh for up to a month when they are sealed in an air-tight container, such as a plastic tub or a zip-lock bag.
“If you really want your lemons to last, keep them in a sealed container (there are even speciality produce keepers for this purpose) or a resealable plastic bag,” she says. “This extra step will prevent lemons from drying out and keep them fresh for a month.”
You can also freeze a whole lemon if you want to use it at a later date. Again, they should be placed in a sealed container, similar to when they are placed in the fridge.
When it comes to lemons that have been cut in half, the best thing to do is cover the open part with some wrap and place it into the fridge. This way, it will last a few days.
Meanwhile, lemon wedges should be stored in a sealed container and used within a few days of the fruit being cut up.