So, you went to the store and bought a bunch of watermelons. Watermelons are delicious and low in calories, making for a delicious snack. But now you realize that you bought too much and are now wondering:
Does watermelon go bad? How do I store watermelon? Can I freeze watermelon?
The good news: A whole watermelon is easy to store if refrigerated and can keep for at least two weeks.
The bad news: Although a pre-cut watermelon can be a timesaver, it can only keep for 3-5 days before it goes off.
But don’t panic; there is a solution to this. You can freeze your watermelon once you’ve cut it into small pieces for use at a future date in smoothies and other watermelon-based recipes.
How To Tell If Your Watermelon Has Gone Off
Watermelons are flowering plants with a hard protective barrier on the outside to protect the fruit from mold and bacteria. More often than not, it’s easy to spot when a watermelon is off by the dark-colored patches on its skin or mold, which can be white or black in color.
Make sure to check the skin for soft spots, as this can be an indication that your watermelon has started to go off.
But there are times when the watermelon looks fine on the outside but has gone off on the inside. The tell-tell signs of this are when you cut the watermelon, and it gives off a foul smell, the color is off (pale pink), or the texture is slimy.
How To Store A Watermelon
A whole uncut watermelon or sliced watermelon can keep for about two weeks if kept refrigerated.
Sliced watermelon will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
Don’t intend to eat your watermelon right away?
Chop it up and put it in strong freezer bags. Keep the watermelon frozen for 10-12 months to use later.
But remember: freezing the watermelon will cause its texture to change. Therefore, you should only use frozen watermelon in a smoothie or recipe – it probably won’t be too nice on its own!
Summary: Watermelon Storage
Like most fruits, watermelons do not keep for long and are best eaten pretty soon.
Uncut watermelon keeps for two weeks, while sliced watermelon keeps for just 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
That’s because the hard barrier around the watermelon acts as a seal against the fruit inside and the outside world – as soon as it’s broken, you’re watermelon is vulnerable!
