Once an avocado is ripe, it should be consumed within 1-2 days. A ripe avocado will feel similar to a ripe orange when you squeeze it. An unripe avocado may resemble a baseball or apple in terms of firmness.
The temperature of your home should be 65–75 °F (18–24 °C) if you want your avocado to ripen evenly. If you aren’t in a rush and don’t mind waiting for a while, you can simply leave it out on the counter. It will take 2-3 days for an avocado to ripen in a paper bag. Without the paper bag, it will take 3-5 days for the avocado to ripen. Some people claim that adding an apple or banana to the bag will speed up the ripening process. There isn’t much evidence that this works, though. [3] X Research source
If you want to improve the flavor of you avocado, fill the brown bag with flour before burying your avocado. This will result in a richer, softer avocado. [5] X Research source
You may experience some browning when you cut it, regardless of how long the fruit has been in the fridge. You can use a vacuum-seal food bag instead of a sealable plastic bag if you prefer. Signs that your avocado may have gone bad include wrinkling of the skin, it caves in easily to the touch and it feels light to hold.
You can wrap the avocado in plastic wrap if you don’t have a plastic bag available.
When you take your avocado out, immediately cut it the same way that you normally would. If you let it return to room temperature, it may get a little mushy.
It is not ideal to store an avocado that has been cut outside of the fridge. The fruit will develop a mushy texture that many people find unpleasant.
The lemon juice will preserve the surface of the avocado to keep it from browning. You can use orange juice, vinegar, or tomato juice if you prefer, but these options will change the flavor of the avocado more dramatically.
If your avocado is cut up into different pieces or you’ve already discarded part of it, skip this step. Wrap your individual slices individually to preserve them.
You can use a vacuum bag designed for storing food if you prefer.
You can store an avocado in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days before it starts to go bad, although riper avocados will have a shelf life closer to 3-4 days.
You can freeze a ripe avocado for 3-4 months before it starts to go bad. If it isn’t ripe yet, you can store it for 5-6 months.
You can use a vacuum-sealed food storage bag if you prefer. These types of bags are extremely helpful when it comes to freezing fruit.
When you go to use your avocado, let the avocado thaw on your counter for 1-2 hours before using it.
