Watermelons are delicious, but it’s unlikely you’ll finish a whole watermelon in one sitting.
Here’s the good news: you can freeze your watermelon to extend its storage time.
That means you can enjoy your hydrating, nutritious watermelon for longer! In fact, watermelon has 21% of your daily recommended Vitamin C and 18% of Vitamin A.
We’ll cover how to freeze watermelon, what to use frozen watermelon in, and how long you can expect your watermelon to last.
Now, here’s the lowdown: Once you’ve cut your watermelon open, it will only last three days in the refrigerator. Therefore, freezing is a good option and will keep your watermelon good for up to 12 months!
How To Freeze Watermelon
Freezing watermelon is super simple. Just follow the steps below.
- Cut your watermelon into bite-size cubes or big chunks, or use a melon baller or spoon.
- Sprinkle sugar or syrup on our watermelon if you want a sugary kick. Use about ½ cup of granulated sugar for every lb of watermelon.
- Next up, flash freeze. Simply lay some baking paper on a baking tray and spread your watermelon pieces across it. Wrap with cling film, then pop in the freezer for 2 hours.
- Now your watermelon is frozen, you can transfer it to one big airtight container, and all the pieces won’t stick together.
When you’re ready to eat your watermelon, don’t thaw it. Because watermelon is 91% water, you’ll just end up with mushy, tasteless watermelon sludge.
What To Use Frozen Watermelon In
As we mentioned, you shouldn’t thaw frozen watermelon.
Instead, add frozen watermelon straight into your smoothie or homemade watermelon sorbet.
On hot days, use frozen watermelon as fruity ice cubes in your drinks, or enjoy them on their own!
How Long Frozen Watermelon Lasts
Expect your frozen watermelon to last for up to 12 months.
However, your watermelon will be at its best quality if you eat it within six months.
Other Methods For Storing Watermelon & Storage Periods
If your watermelon is still whole, it will last on the counter for 7-10 days and in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Therefore, if you’re planning to use your whole watermelon in a few days, it may not be worth freezing it.
Once you’ve cut your watermelon, you have two options. If your watermelon is still in one big sphere with slices cut out, you should wrap it in cling film/plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.
If you’ve eaten a lot of the watermelon, or you’ve already sliced it up, transfer the pieces to an airtight container, and pop that in the fridge.
It’s important that you protect your cut watermelon with plastic wrap or an airtight container because the absence of rind means the watermelon flesh is now exposed to the air, bacteria, and moisture.
Stored in the refrigerator, your cut watermelon will last up to three days. Therefore, if you’re not planning to eat the rest of your watermelon within the next few days, freezing is a good shout!
How To Tell If Your Watermelon Has Gone Bad
Before you freeze your watermelon, you should always check if it has gone bad. Here are the signs to spot:
- Soft patches in the rind. Your rind’s job is to keep everything outside the watermelon out and all that juicy moisture within your watermelon in. Therefore, soft patches in the rind are a signal that your watermelon is too old to eat.
- Black, blue, or white mold. Notice any mold? Don’t be tempted to just cut that section out – watermelon has high water content, so the mold will likely have spread throughout.
- Dark spots in the flesh.
- Slime. If you feel any slime on the rind or in the flesh, chuck your whole watermelon.
- Cavities around the seeds. This is a sign bacteria or bugs have got to your watermelon, so steer clear!
One last thing to note: if you drop or bump your watermelon, expect to see a little bruising. Although this is nothing to be worried about per se, you’ve damaged your rind, meaning it’s less effective in protecting your watermelon.
The Round-Up On Frozen Watermelon
Now you know how to freeze watermelon and how long frozen watermelon lasts, as well as the quick details on other storage methods. Here’s a recap if you need it:
- Check your watermelon for signs of spoilage before freezing. It will be a lot harder to notice afterward!
- A whole refrigerated watermelon will last for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
- The cut watermelon will only last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days.
- Freezing watermelon extends its storage life to 12 months, though it will be at its best quality if you consume it within six months.
