You could keep your lemons fresh for “months” without rotting just by changing where you store them. Lemons are a versatile fruit.
While you might not be keen on peeling and eating one as it is without pulling a face, they can be used to make delicious cakes, enhance fish dishes and add a refreshing zing to your next glass of water. The citrus fruit can even be used as a cleaning product.
Putting slices of lemon in water in your microwave or your kettle is a well-documented way to clean the appliances, as the steam created when the water heats up can help dislodge stubborn grime while also making your kitchen smell delightful.
But, if you’ve bought a pack of lemons with every intention of using them in your next culinary creation, you’ll know just how quickly they can go from being in their prime to wrinkly and growing mould.
Like most fruits, they don’t last for very long if you keep them in your fruit bowl on the kitchen counter. However, there is a food storage hack you can use to get the most out of your lemons.
Kate Lewis shared the hack on TikTok and said it was “so simple” that she couldn’t believe she was just learning about it herself. She claimed all you need to do is swap your usual fruit bowl spot for something a little less known.
In her video, she said: “There is a way to keep your lemons and limes from going bad so fast. And it’s simply storing them in water in the fridge.”
Kate explained that she always cleans her lemons in a solution of water and white vinegar before storing them to remove the “artificial wax” layer, although in UK supermarkets you can buy unwaxed lemons, so you may be able to skip this step depending on the type of lemons you’ve bought.
Once her lemons are washed, Kate fills a glass jar with water and drops her lemons in, sealing it up tight before popping it in the fridge. She claims the lemons will last “up to four weeks” this way. However, another TikTok video that touts the same hack claims that you could have fresh lemons for as long as four months by storing them in water.
Commenters on the video were blown away by the hack, with many saying they never knew they could store lemons in this way.
One person said: “I do this after seeing it on this app!” Another added: “Wow, I did not know! Brilliant.”
How to properly store lemons
Short-term storage (1 to 2 weeks):
- Store lemons at room temperature in a bowl or fruit basket on the kitchen counter. They may lose moisture and turn hard after a few days when stored this way, so they must be used quickly.
- Alternatively, you can place your lemons directly in the salad drawer of your fridge. This can help them stay fresh for around 2 to 3 weeks.
Long-term storage:
- Refrigerate in a sealed plastic or silicone zip-top bag, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing. This method can help your lemons last up to four weeks.
- You can also freeze whole lemons, lemon juice or lemon zest, making your fruit last for several months.
