Some fruits and veggies have a shorter shelf life than others. Take bananas, berries, and leafy greens for example — one minute theyre at the peak of freshness, but leave them alone for a night or two, and specs of brown or even mold will begin to grow. On the flip side, alliums, root vegetables, and citrus varieties are sturdier than most, but even then, any produce that is fresh will eventually go bad at some point — even those juicy new lemons.
Luckily, there is a tip to keep lemons fresher for longer — freeze them. Depending on what you intend to use the citrus fruit for, lemons can be frozen either whole, or as slices, wedges, and wheels. Its also entirely possible to freeze freshly-squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon peels.
In general, whole lemons stay fresh for about a week at room temperature and last for about three to four weeks when placed in the refrigerator. Sliced lemons tend to have an even shorter shelf life and will start to dry out in just three to four days after being cut, even when stored in the refrigerator. On the other hand, frozen lemons — whether sliced or whole — tend to stay fresh for up to four months, which is why, anytime you have a surplus of fresh lemons, its a good idea to put them on ice.
Freezing lemons means you’ll always have fresh lemon on hand to add zip to dishes and tang to drinks. You can freeze lemon wedges or slices, lemon zest, lemon juice, or whole lemons. Always wash fruit with soap and water or a fruit and vegetable wash before starting the prep work for freezing.
Tips for freezing whole lemons
Lemons can be frozen in a few different ways, depending on what you plan to use them for, but the easiest thing to do is to pop the entire fruit, as is, into the freezer. This is a great option if you want to juice them at a future date. If you plan to freeze whole lemons, you should wash them under running water first and make sure that theyre dried thoroughly so that any remnants of water dont freeze into little icicles around the fruit.
Once washed and dried, whole lemons should then be placed in airtight freezer-safe bags before going in the freezer. Its also possible to freeze whole lemons that have been zested, except they should be wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil before being packed in freezer-safe bags to retain as much of their juicy texture as possible.
When youre ready to use your frozen fruit, simply take them out of the freezer and let them thaw in cold water for 10-15 minutes. If youre in a rush, its also possible to pop frozen whole lemons in a microwave for a couple of seconds to thaw them quickly.
How to Freeze Lemons
FAQ
What happens when you freeze a whole lemon?
Can you freeze whole lemons and limes?
What can I do with frozen lemons?
How do you cut lemons for freezing?
Can you freeze whole lemons?
You absolutely can freeze whole lemons. Freezing whole lemons is about as easy as it gets. Just bag them and put them in the freezer. However, depending on your end use, freezing whole lemons may mean more work for you later. In this case, it may be better to freeze lemon slices, lemon juice, or even lemon zest.
How long do lemons stay fresh in the refrigerator?
Whole or uncut lemons generally last for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge when it is properly stored, but could last up to 4 weeks. You can generally tell when fruits begin to expire by the skin becoming wrinkly and shrunken.
What happens if you freeze a whole lemon?
If you pop whole lemons into the freezer, the juice inside will freeze and expand. The result is, once thawed, the internal structure of the lemon turns to mush. At this stage, the lemons are only decent enough for their zest or for their juice.
Can you freeze lemon juice?
Frozen lemon juice is very convenient for recipes. Juice fresh lemons and pour the juice into ice cube trays. You can leave it there or if you need the trays, when the juice freezes, remove the cubes and place them into zipper-style freezing bags after removing as much air as possible.