Fresh avocados have a shorter shelf life than many other fruits and veggies, so you should store them in a manner that maximizes their lifespan. Keeping avocados fresh can mean refrigerating or [freezing](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/freezing-avocados-explained) them before usage to slow down the ripening process, not cutting them open until you’re ready to serve them, or only buying [ripe avocados](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-avocados-and-how-to-pick-a-ripe-avocado) from the grocery store when you’re ready to eat them quickly. Proper avocado storage not only helps prevent these fruits from going bad, but it also gives you more control over their ripeness in general and allows you to serve them at your own pace.
An avocado’s ripeness will inform how you should store it and when you consume it. Here are three ways to detect whether your avocado is ripe or unripe:

1. __Squeeze them__. Ripe avocados will feel a tad softer to the touch when you use your hand to squeeze them. If they feel mushy—like you’re squeezing a bag of guacamole or ice cream—they’re overripe.
2. __Check the texture__. The outsides of whole avocados are a key indicator of the fruit’s ripeness. Unripe avocados are smoother, whereas ripe avocados are generally rougher. 
3. __Look at the color__. With avocados, a darker exterior indicates a riper interior. Dark green avocados, verging on black, will be the ripest.
Once you cut open an avocado, the exposed flesh of the avocado will immediately begin the oxidation process (turning brown due to oxygen exposure—sometimes within as little as two days). These brown spots on avocado flesh don’t mean they’re going bad immediately, but you’ll still need to store sliced avocados even faster than usual.

Place sliced avocados in the refrigerator or freezer immediately. Opt for a plastic bag or wrap for storage, since paper bags release ethylene gas that will accelerate oxidation and [ripening](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-ripen-avocados). A little lemon or lime juice placed on the avocado flesh can also arrest the oxidation process a bit. Here are three ways you can preserve avocados, ordered from short-term storage to long-term storage.

- __On the countertop__: If you’re planning on serving ripe avocados within the next day or so, storing them on your countertop at room temperature is fine. If they’re unripe, you can do the same. Just wait a few days so they ripen before you serve them.
- __In the refrigerator__: Refrigerate your avocados if you don’t plan to use them for the next few days. Avoid cutting them if you haven’t yet, as you can just store them as is in your refrigerator if their interior isn’t exposed. If you have cut them, store them in an airtight container or inside plastic wrap. Leave the avocado pit in to slow down the oxidation—or browning—process in at least one half of an avocado. Treat with a tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice for additional protection.
- __In the freezer__: Freeze your avocados immediately if you don’t plan to use them for quite some time. You can store frozen avocados for up to half a year. Defrost by placing them in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to serve them.
To perfect the mother sauces and make French cuisine at home, you must master essential cooking techniques. Discover Chef Thomas Keller’s approach to setting up a home kitchen and sourcing quality ingredients like [fish](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-thomas-kellers-tips-for-buying-the-best-fish) and [clams](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-buy-clams-and-mussels-with-chef-thomas-kellers-tips) when you sign up for the [MasterClass Annual Membership] (https://www.masterclass.com).
You need to preserve avocados well due to how quickly they ripen. Read on to discover how to store avocados.

You need to preserve avocados well due to how quickly they ripen. Read on to discover how to store avocados.

How to Store Avocados: 3 Methods for Preserving Avocados

Fresh avocados have a shorter shelf life than many other fruits and veggies, so you should store them in a manner that maximizes their lifespan. Keeping avocados fresh can mean refrigerating or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/freezing-avocados-explained' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/freezing-avocados-explained","linkCopy":"freezing","category":null}'>freezing</a> them before usage to slow down the ripening process, not cutting them open until you’re ready to serve them, or only buying <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-avocados-and-how-to-pick-a-ripe-avocado' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-avocados-and-how-to-pick-a-ripe-avocado","linkCopy":"ripe avocados","category":null}'>ripe avocados</a> from the grocery store when you’re ready to eat them quickly. Proper avocado storage not only helps prevent these fruits from going bad, but it also gives you more control over their ripeness in general and allows you to serve them at your own pace.

Why Store Avocados?

An avocado’s ripeness will inform how you should store it and when you consume it. Here are three ways to detect whether your avocado is ripe or unripe:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Squeeze them. Ripe avocados will feel a tad softer to the touch when you use your hand to squeeze them. If they feel mushy—like you’re squeezing a bag of guacamole or ice cream—they’re overripe. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Check the texture. The outsides of whole avocados are a key indicator of the fruit’s ripeness. Unripe avocados are smoother, whereas ripe avocados are generally rougher. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Look at the color. With avocados, a darker exterior indicates a riper interior. Dark green avocados, verging on black, will be the ripest. </li></ol>

3 Ways to Tell if Avocados Are Ripe

Once you cut open an avocado, the exposed flesh of the avocado will immediately begin the oxidation process (turning brown due to oxygen exposure—sometimes within as little as two days). These brown spots on avocado flesh don’t mean they’re going bad immediately, but you’ll still need to store sliced avocados even faster than usual.Place sliced avocados in the refrigerator or freezer immediately. Opt for a plastic bag or wrap for storage, since paper bags release ethylene gas that will accelerate oxidation and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-ripen-avocados' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-ripen-avocados","linkCopy":"ripening","category":null}'>ripening</a>. A little lemon or lime juice placed on the avocado flesh can also arrest the oxidation process a bit. Here are three ways you can preserve avocados, ordered from short-term storage to long-term storage.<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">On the countertop: If you’re planning on serving ripe avocados within the next day or so, storing them on your countertop at room temperature is fine. If they’re unripe, you can do the same. Just wait a few days so they ripen before you serve them. </li><li class="">In the refrigerator: Refrigerate your avocados if you don’t plan to use them for the next few days. Avoid cutting them if you haven’t yet, as you can just store them as is in your refrigerator if their interior isn’t exposed. If you have cut them, store them in an airtight container or inside plastic wrap. Leave the avocado pit in to slow down the oxidation—or browning—process in at least one half of an avocado. Treat with a tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice for additional protection. </li><li class="">In the freezer: Freeze your avocados immediately if you don’t plan to use them for quite some time. You can store frozen avocados for up to half a year. Defrost by placing them in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to serve them. </li></ul>

How to Store Avocados

To perfect the mother sauces and make French cuisine at home, you must master essential cooking techniques. Discover Chef Thomas Keller’s approach to setting up a home kitchen and sourcing quality ingredients like <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-thomas-kellers-tips-for-buying-the-best-fish' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-thomas-kellers-tips-for-buying-the-best-fish","linkCopy":"fish","category":null}'>fish</a> and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-buy-clams-and-mussels-with-chef-thomas-kellers-tips' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-buy-clams-and-mussels-with-chef-thomas-kellers-tips","linkCopy":"clams","category":null}'>clams</a> when you sign up for the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>.

Mise En Place

You need to preserve avocados well due to how quickly they ripen. Read on to discover how to store avocados.

You need to preserve avocados well due to how quickly they ripen. Read on to discover how to store avocados.
