A Farmer and Chefs Say to Stop Storing Avocados This Way

Grabbing fresh avocados from the produce aisle is easy because they’re so versatile. Buy one for sandwiches, a second for guacamole, a third for pasta sauce — and in the blink of an eye, you have a half-dozen avocados in your kitchen. However, you may want to think twice before throwing them all into your refrigerator or setting them in your fruit bowl.

Refrigerating prematurely is the most common storage mistake people make with avocados, according to Daryn Miller, an avocado farmer and representative of the California Avocado Commission. “Avocados are harvested mature but firm, and they need time at room temperature to develop their full flavor and creamy texture,” says Miller. Because placing them in the refrigerator too early can lead to uneven ripening, Miller suggests instead leaving firm avocados on the counter and checking them daily: “A ripe avocado should yield slightly to gentle pressure near the stem end. Skin color alone isn’t a reliable indicator of ripeness, so feel is always best.” You should only refrigerate avocados once they’re ripened to “help maintain peak ripeness for a few extra days,” says Miller.

Miller adds that “with cut avocados, the most common mistake is leaving the flesh exposed to air.” Air causes oxidation and browning on the avocado’s surface, which isn’t usually a cause for concern, but also doesn’t look very appetizing. Luckily, Miller and several professional chefs who work with avocados daily shared their best avocado storage recommendations, including beeswax food wrap, Rubbermaid storage containers, and a guacamole keeper. Whether you’re storing whole, halved, chopped, or mashed avocados, here are the best ways to keep them bright green and tasting fresh for longer.

Best Avocado Storage Tools Overall

Storing whole avocados is similar to storing tomatoes. Unless you want them to ripen quickly, they need air flow to expel excess ethylene gas. One shopper needed a bowl for tomatoes, garlic, and avocados, and said this wired fruit bowl “fit the bill perfectly.” Plus, the understated design suits any area of your kitchen.

When storing a cut avocado, Miller not only leaves the pit to protect the center from air, but he also brushes the exposed surface with lemon or lime juice. “Then, press plastic wrap or reusable wrap directly against the flesh, so no air pockets remain before refrigerating,” says Miller. To reduce waste, we recommend using Bee’s Wrap, which can be cut to size, washed, and reused over and over for more than just avocados.

For storing avocado halves, “Airtight containers are a must,” says Walter Rivas, corporate executive chef of Avocados From Mexico. “For an eco-friendly option, reusable silicone avocado ‘huggers’ are great for halves — just give them a spritz of citrus juice for extra protection!” Each Avocado Hugger in this set, including one small and one large size, has an invertible pit pocket for halves with or without the seed, and they’re dishwasher-safe.

Rivas also offered this storage tip for anyone looking to speed up the ripening process: “Tuck them into a brown paper bag with a banana or apple. The natural ethylene gas from the fruit is a ripening supercharger.” Buy this pack of paper bags on sale at just 16 cents apiece for on-the-fly ripening.

“Airtight containers with tight-fitting lids are my best product recommendation for storing avocados,” says Chef Alex Carballo of Nómada in Carlsbad, California. Carballo says airtight containers limit oxidation and prevent moisture loss, which “preserves texture and flavor.” When we need something along those lines, we look to these non-reactive glass food storage containers that have lockable latches for a completely airtight seal.

When your avocados are soft and ripe, but you can’t use them right away, Chef and Recipe Developer Jessica Rice says, “You can remove the skin and pit, give them a quick dice, and put the prepared avocado in a freezer-safe bag or container and pop them in the freezer.” Stasher’s resealable food storage bags are a solid choice for keeping avocados in the freezer because they maintain an impressive seal. Rice just suggests removing as much air as possible from the bag before closing.

According to Miller, guacamole also needs an air-free storage solution. “Even a thin layer of air can cause discoloration, so contact sealing is key,” says Miller. This shopper-loved guacamole keeper has earned over 7,400 five-star ratings, thanks to its tight-sealing lid that “keeps guac fresh for over a week,” according to one reviewer.