How To Store Limes?: A stock of limes can come in handy if you love a refreshing glass of freshly squeezed lemonade or if you need limes to add to your favorite cocktail. However, if you plan on buying the limes in bulk, you’ll want to be wary of how quickly lemons and limes spoil. If you keep your lemons and limes in a bowl on the counter, they’ll only last about a week.
Also, it’s easy to tell when the limes are no longer edible—they become soft, mushy, and dry out, and in worst-case scenarios, they may even grow mold. So are you looking for a storage hack that prevents food waste and keeps your lemons and limes fresh for a long time? You’re in the right place; we have just the trick! Let’s dive in.
- How To Choose The Best Lime For Long-Term Storage?
- How To Store Limes?
- How To Store Whole Limes?
- How To Store Cut Limes?
- How To Store Fresh Lemon Zest?
- How Long Do Limes Last?
- What can be done with limes if not stored in a freezer?
- How can frozen lemons and limes be used after being frozen?
- Are limes still good when they turn yellow?
- Will limes last longer if stored in water?
How To Choose The Best Lime For Long-Term Storage?
Finding the best limes at the grocery store is an important process. Here are some tips to follow when shopping for fresh limes:
- Check the weight. Take the lime in your hand to gauge its weight. And choose a heavier lime that is storing ample juice inside.
- Medium softness is optimal. Pick up a lime and press it very gently with your thumb to check its softness. The good-quality lime should be somewhat soft but not hard.
- Scratches and discoloration don’t affect flavor. Don’t worry: scratches on the skin, brown spots, or light green and white colorations won’t jeopardize the lime’s taste or the amount of juice inside.
How To Store Limes?
Consuming spoiled or moldy limes can cause food poisoning, but it’s easy to stir limes over the long term. Use the below-given food storage methods to extend the shelf life of limes, fresh lemons, and other citrus fruits:
- Room-temperature storage: Whole limes can stay good for about a week when stored at room temperature on the countertop.
- Lime juice in the refrigerator: Squeeze your limes, then store the juice in an airtight container or enclosed glass jar in the fridge. Lime juice can last for about four days, though it will slowly lose its flavor.
- Refrigerating cut limes: You can refrigerate lime halves and lime slices in the fridge for five to seven days in an airtight container or a zip-top bag. It’s recommended to wrap the lime wedges in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
- Refrigerating whole limes: Whole limes can easily last for a month in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container or a sealed plastic bag.
- Freeze the lime juice: Squeeze the limes and put the juice in individual ice cube trays. When frozen, move the juice cubes into a freezer bag. Then simply use the fresh lime juice for any recipe that calls for it, such as limeade or marinades. Frozen lime juice can last for three to four months.
- Freezing sliced limes: For this, slice the limes into smaller pieces and remove the seeds. Spread the lime slices on a baking sheet and flash-freeze until they’re solid. Then, transfer the lime slices to a freezer bag and seal them. You can use frozen lime slices in your cooking and baking. Frozen lime slices will keep for three to four months.
- Freezing whole limes: Freeze the whole thing by simply placing the limes in a freezer bag, then defrost them until they’re soft again. At freezing, the pulp will get mushy, but the juice will remain flavorful and potent. Frozen whole limes will keep for three to four months.
How To Store Whole Limes?
The simplest and most effective way to store limes is by keeping them whole. Did you know that what causes limes to go bad is their continual loss of moisture? So, to combat that, you should keep the limes in a high-moisture environment. You should put your limes in zip-top or reusable silicone bags before stashing them in the fridge. This way, the environment is sealed off from the dry air of the refrigerator, so the limes will retain more moisture for longer.
If you are interested in keeping limes at room temperature rather than in the fridge, just keep in mind that they won’t last nearly as long. Limes are usually more perishable than lemons and left whole, they will only last three to five days on the counter.
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How To Store Cut Limes?
Have you already sectioned off a wedge or two? Don’t worry: You can still store your limes in a way that maximizes their shelf life. Remember, if you have half a lime, it’s best to wrap the exposed side in plastic wrap or reusable food wrap; a sealed container or bag will also work. Then, put the lime in the fridge for a longer lifespan. Similarly, keep any wedges or slices of lime in a sealed container in your fridge.
Depending on what you’re planning on using the limes for, another option is to juice or zest the limes and then store the liquid. If you freeze lime juice in ice cubes, you can just grab a frozen cube of lime juice whenever the urge strikes. Alternatively, you can also zest your limes in advance. And the zest will keep in the fridge for about a week but will last much longer if frozen.
| Lime | Shelf Life |
| On countertop | 1 week |
| In the refrigerator | 1 month |
| In the freezer | 3 to 4 months |
How To Store Fresh Lemon Zest?
Do you have a shiny, bright lime with a wonderful smell? Well, read on if you don’t want to lose that fragrance. Simply go ahead and zest the lemon rind before you throw it. You should not throw the lemon peels away without zesting them, even if you do not need them right away, because they can come in handy for cakes and tarts. Lime zest is a great addition to your favorite veggie recipes.
When you store your lemon zest properly, it can stay fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator. Do you wish to store them longer? A simple trick is to put the one zest in a zip-top freezer bag and toss them in the freezer.
How Long Do Limes Last?
Limes should keep for about a week on the counter and a few days longer in the pantry! If you store the limes in the refrigerator, you can expect them to last about 3-4 weeks. And, if you take the extra step and seal the lemons tightly in a sealed bag, they can last for about 5 weeks.
Therefore, whether you should refrigerate your limes or leave them on the counter in a fruit basket depends on when you’re using them. If you know you’ll use them soon, you can put them in the counter basket and call it a day. But if you need a longer shelf life, refrigeration is the way to go.
Fresh, whole limes will keep well on the counter for a week and for up to about 2 weeks in a cold pantry. However, if you refrigerate them, the fruits should last about a month in good shape, and maybe even a couple of weeks longer if you keep them in a sealed bag.
Also, keep in mind that lemons and limes often sit for a couple of days in the produce section of the grocery store before they get sold. So unless you know that what you’ve bought is fresh, be prepared that it might not keep good quality for the above-mentioned estimated period.
You can consider freezing limes to extend their shelf life and go through our guide on Can Freeze Limes and clear all your queries with regards to freezing.
FAQs On Storing Limes
1. What can be done with limes if not stored in a freezer?
If you have stored enough limes and you still have more left, you can make some fresh lemonade. It is a refreshing drink, especially in the summer.
2. How can frozen lemons and limes be used after being frozen?
When you need to use a frozen lemon or lime, you can simply defrost it in the microwave for 20 seconds or run some warm water over it. This way, it will give more juice.
3. Are limes still good when they turn yellow?
Yes, yellow limes are far juicier and less acidic than the green phase. Because they’ve had time to mature, the natural sugars have developed, making the limes sweeter and more delicious.
4. Will limes last longer if stored in water?
To combat moisture loss, you’ll want to keep limes in a high-moisture environment. For this you can store the limes submerged in a container of water inside your fridge. This trick will reportedly keep the limes fresh for a maximum of three months.
Wrapping Up
Limes are a must in so many of our favorite summer recipes. Whether you’re squeezing a wedge over sweet and savory glazed salmon or making an old-fashioned key lime pie for dessert, it’s always a smart move to have some limes on hand.
To ensure that your limes remain fresh for as long as possible, you’ll need to be strategic with how you store them. Luckily, if you follow the above-mentioned guidelines, making your fruit last longer will get easier. Keep following our website for the best wellness content and articles like Freeze Lemon Curd all in one place.