Tips for perfect avocados?

[Second Summer]

Avocados can be quite tricky, especially here in Europe, as they sometimes travel long distances (from South Africa, Chile etc) before they reach the shelves in the grocery stores, and by that time some are still very unripe while others have started to go bad. With the skin still on and just looking at them, it's often hard to determine whether they are good or bad quality. The colour can be a clue, as light green would mean they're unripe, but some varieties are naturally more light green even when ripe. You can also give them a quick squeeze to get an idea of the firmness, although I feel uncomfortable doing that as it could damage them.

Another problem is avocado storage at home. If you buy a couple of avocados, then just end up using one and saving the others for another day, then what is the best way to preserve them? In room temperature or in the fridge?

I just read on FB that someone recommended submerging whole avocados in a container with water, and then storing it in the fridge. Supposedly, the avocados can stay fresh for a couple of weeks this way. Has anyone here tried this?

(We have discussed more specific aspects of avocados before, e.g. preserving cut avocados, but I thought a more general thread might be a good idea.)

 

[shyvas]

I place them into a paper bag with an apple and leave them on the kitchen counter. However, in the UK, I always find ripe ones at Lidl's, Aldi and Tescos.

 

[PTree15]

I do the paper bag method (though I don't use an apple, I just put them in the bag) if they are super hard when I buy them. It takes a day or two for them to soften up, and then I put them in the fridge. They don't always last long when I get them, as I love them. I also only buy a couple at a time. I, too, often find ripe ones at Aldi. I'm in the U.S., so I also get them at Trader Joe's or our local big box grocery stores, like Stop & Shop or Big Y.

 

[shyvas]

I do the paper bag method (though I don't use an apple, I just put them in the bag) if they are super hard when I buy them. It takes a day or two for them to soften up, and then I put them in the fridge. They don't always last long when I get them, as I love them. I also only buy a couple at a time. I, too, often find ripe ones at Aldi. I'm in the U.S., so I also get them at Trader Joe's or our local big box grocery stores, like Stop & Shop or Big Y.

In the UK both Lidl and Aldi have a huge, huge turnover so it's always easy to find ripe avocados. Never had a problem there and was eating them on a daily basis.

The apple emits a certain gaz which helps to ripen the fruit.

 

[PTree15]

In the UK both Lidl and Aldi have a huge, huge turnover so it's always easy to find ripe avocados. Never had a problem there and was eating them on a daily basis.

The apple emits a certain gaz which helps to ripen the fruit.

I'm going to try it with an apple the next time.

 

[Lou]

The apple emits a certain gaz which helps to ripen the fruit.

Bananas do that too.

my two techniques is to buy them just one or two at at a time. pick out one that are green and firm and then as soon as they start to get the littlest bit soft use them.

Kind of reminds me of that old joke
How do make sure chocolate lasts a long time?

Don't know. I've never had chocolate last

 

[shyvas]

Bananas do that too.

my two techniques is to buy them just one or two at at a time. pick out one that are green and firm and then as soon as they start to get the littlest bit soft use them.

Kind of reminds me of that old joke
How do make sure chocolate lasts a long time?

Don't know. I've never had chocolate last

Yes, but you don't want to ripen a banana. Makes no sense.

 

[Lou]

Yes, but you don't want to ripen a banana. Makes no sense.

um... no I meant that the banana in the bag with the avocado - ripens the avocado.
afterwards you can always use the banana in a smoothie or freeze it and then use it in a smoothie

 

[KLS52]

I did the water thing based on recommendation from a friend who had success with it. I was not as lucky. I kept it in water for two weeks but it was bad when I cut it open.

 

[shyvas]

um... no I meant that the banana in the bag with the avocado - ripens the avocado.
afterwards you can always use the banana in a smoothie or freeze it and then use it in a smoothie

What’s the point if you have an apple and moreover don’t like overripe bananas?

 

[Second Summer]

I did the water thing based on recommendation from a friend who had success with it. I was not as lucky. I kept it in water for two weeks but it was bad when I cut it open.

Maybe it was bad already when you put it in! There's no way of knowing for sure until you cut it open! It's Schrödinger's Avocado!

 

[KLS52]

Maybe it was bad already when you put it in! There's no way of knowing for sure until you cut it open! It's Schrödinger's Avocado!

Maybe!

 

[Lou]

What’s the point if you have an apple and moreover don’t like overripe bananas?

just an option. and I bet a banana would ripen the avocado quicker

 

[Lou]

I did the water thing based on recommendation from a friend who had success with it. I was not as lucky. I kept it in water for two weeks but it was bad when I cut it open.

2 weeks seems too long

 

[KLS52]

2 weeks seems too long

It's what my friend did. And she specifically said she did it when the avocado was ripe.

 

[KLS52]

just an option. and I bet a banana would ripen the avocado quicker

Interesting. I purposely just bought two really hard avocados because I didn't want to eat them right away. That was two days ago. I put them in the fruit bowl with the bananas and when I went to get check on one today it was almost past ripe. I wonder if it was because they were with the bananas.

 

[Lou]

Interesting. I purposely just bought two really hard avocados because I didn't want to eat them right away. That was two days ago. I put them in the fruit bowl with the bananas and when I went to get check on one today it was almost past ripe. I wonder if it was because they were with the bananas.

yeah. that is probably what did it. so you can probably skip the paper bag and just put them in the fruit bow.l

I may not have enough experience with this. my Go To is to buy avocados just before I am going to use them.

last potluck I went to I made a lot of guacamole and ended up taking a lot of it home. I put in in a couple of little ziplocks with out much air. And it lasted a few days. I made it a point to eat some guacamole every day.

 

[Emma JC]

I haven't bought avocados for a long time as I found I wasn't eating them - what worked for me, when I did, was buying them on the edge of ripeness or preripe and then putting them in the fridge in a plastic bag when it was at the 'ready to eat but not today' ripeness - they would last a long time that way. If they were't quite ripe I would just leave them out they were.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[shyvas]

just an option. and I bet a banana would ripen the avocado quicker

Like 30 minutes quicker?