Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit that has been popping up in grocery stores and on Instagram accounts. It’s not an everyday food, but it does have some benefits for your health and the environment.
If you’re looking to buy dragon fruit, here are some tips on how to store it so that you can enjoy this beautiful fruit for a long time.
Ways to store dragon fruit
On the counter
You can put the fruit on the counter as long as you plan to eat it in a few days. If you have it there for too long, then the temperature will make it go bad. You should also put it away from other foods with smells or flavors that could affect your fruit.
In the fridge
This fruit can only be kept in the fridge when it is ripe. If you keep an unripe one in the fridge, it will stay unripe and you will not like its flavor.
It is a sweet and refreshing exotic fruit. It’s best to have it ripe, so you should put it in the fridge before you eat it. You can put avocado in the fridge too, but only if it is ripe already. If you it cut and store it in an airtight container, its shelf life will be shorter than usual.
In the freezer
It can be kept in the freezer for a long time. But if you want to keep it fresh, we recommend using it within 3 months of freezing it. Do not freeze the fruit whole, or the inside will still be frozen and mushy when you take it out.
Instead, you can cut it into cubes. Now, you have the following great options to choose from.
If you have a freezer that will allow it, get a wide and shallow pan. Line the pan with baking paper. Place the cubes on this paper and freeze overnight.
Once they are completely frozen, transfer them to a container and put that in the freezer so you can take out only some of them if you need to.
You can also freeze your cubes in a plastic bag. If you wait until the cubes are frozen, they won’t touch each other. This will make it easier to take just a few of them at a time.
It is soft when thawed, so make sure you use it as soon as possible!
How long does dragon fruit last?
This fruit type is best eaten when it is ripe.
This can be hard to do because dragon fruit often has a short shelf life. Farmers pick the fruits unripe and they ripen on their way to the store.
If you have fresh, ripe one, it is best to eat it within 24 hours of buying it or put it in the fridge so that it does not spoil.
It can last up to a week in the fridge if it is ripe. It will only last up to 24 hours on the counter if it is ripe. If you want to keep it longer, put it in the freezer for as long as you need.
Just remember that after 3 months, there is not much flavor left. You can tell if dragon fruit has gone off by looking at the following signs.
The skin is cracked
If the fruit’s skin has cracked, it is spoiled.
If you can see the flesh from the inside through the skin, then it is definitively spoiled. The air can spoil the inside very quickly.
If you cut it up and store it in a fridge, make sure to put it in a container that will keep out the air.
Faded color
When the color on the outside is changing, it means that it will not be good to eat anymore.
If the skin of the fruit starts to get blotchy and dark brown spots to start to appear, then you should not eat it anymore.
The wings will also turn dark brown and dry off. It won’t look as appetizing then!
Weird smell
It doesn’t smell or taste that strong, but if it smells like something is wrong, don’t eat it.
If there is less sugar in the fruit, then you won’t smell it once it spoils. It will feel really mushy and be soft to the touch when spoiled too.
FAQ’s
Can dragon fruit be eaten every day?
Adults should have 25 grams of fiber each day. Dragon fruit has 7 grams of fiber in 1 cup. Fiber is good for the digestive system and the heart. It also helps you feel full, so if you are trying to lose weight it might be helpful too.
Can we eat dragon fruit on empty stomach?
The theory says that this can cause gas and bloat. But it is not a bad thing. Fruits make your food slow down in the digestive tract, which is good for you because it makes sure that your body has time to absorb all of the nutrients from the food.
How can you tell if a dragon fruit is good?
It has to be brightly colored and it needs to be firm. If there are too many brown parts, or if it has a dry stem, it is probably overripe. When the flesh gives slightly when you press on it, then you can eat it.
Conclusion
Dragon fruit is interesting. If you do not store it right, it will not taste good. But if you store it right, it can be an interesting fruit for your guests to try.