You could hardly come across a person who doesn’t like grapes. It’s loved by all and often preferred as a snack. But at times when you think you have enough grapes in your fridge to have them between meals throughout the week, you will realize that these delicious berries may turn squishy and moldy within a few days.
Did you notice what made them go bad fast? Was there something that you should have avoided in the first place? First of all, you need to know how long do grapes last?
When grapes are stored properly, they can resist bacterial growth for up to several days. However, if they are just left at the kitchen counter or somewhere out at room temperature, they are expected to stay for three to four days.
If grapes are washed thoroughly and are kept in the fridge, then they can last up to 5 to 10 days. If you want them to stay fresh even longer, you can also freeze them. When they are frozen, grapes can stay good for 3-5 months.
It’s a good idea to consider putting your grapes in the freezer when you have a large portion of grapes and you’re unsure about how to store them and what to do with them for now. From this, you will be able to store them for a longer period.
You also have to keep in mind that natural products don’t come with ‘used by’ dates that usually are printed on every other artificial good. So you need to be careful about how long grapes should last from the time you got them.
Signs that say your grapes have gone bad
It is quite simple to identify that your grapes are no longer edible. It doesn’t need any expert to tell that your grapes are bad, your intuitions will help you in inspecting the life of grapes. Otherwise, these indications can also help you in getting to know whether the grapes are edible.
- When the decaying process of grapes starts, you will notice that the grapes begin to get even softer than usual.
- You may also witness the discoloration at the outer layer of the grapes.
- When grapes start to ferment, they eventually start smelling like vinegar.
- If grapes continue to deteriorate, then it will lead to mold. Once the deterioration starts it is the time where you need to discard your grapes.
Picking out the nicer ones from the spoiled grapes and eating them is not recommended at all. You should discard the rotten grapes otherwise you can get severe health problems.
While selecting grapes from the grocery store, try to find the grapes that look nicer and healthiest among the stock. For this, the greener and well-shaped stem can provide you the best quality grapes. You also want to have a bunch of grapes with plum pieces that are not overly soft.
Choosing the fresh grapes ensures that the grapes you are taking out will last longer in your fridge, while on the other hand, picking up the bunch of grapes that is near to deterioration will last only for a couple of days before you even enjoy them raw or use it in any dessert.
How to keep grapes safely to make them last longer?
In order to be able to enjoy grapes for a longer period, you need to consider some crucial ways before storing them. In cases where you want them to stay good for a longer period, you need to put them in a breathable plastic bag. Or you can even make holes in any plastic bag that you use to store grapes for the same reason.
Secondly, it is a must that you should not leave the grapes at room temperature on your kitchen counter but put them in the fridge to last for a longer time.
Here, you need to be aware of the fact that the grapes are famous to absorb harsh odors from the surrounding. In conditions where you put them in the fridge with certain foods with a stingy or harsh odor like garlic or onion, your grapes might not smell or taste the same.
Grapes can also be put in a jar or air-tight plastic container before storing them in the refrigerator to avoid odor penetration from certain food items. But ensure that there’s no moisture in the container beforehand.
Frozen grapes are likely to stay good for a longer period like for three to four months in the fridge freezer. Many people even like frozen grapes more as compared to unfrozen ones.
How can you use grapes efficiently before they rot?
Let’s say if you enjoy and are good at canning, you should try using your grapes for making jam. Grape jam is the one that turns out to be the tastiest one out of grapes and comes in handy for midday cravings. You can spread it over bread and enjoy delicious sandwiches and even use it for layering the cakes.
People also like to pair peanut butter with grape jam to make a snack. For this, you need to take the pulp of the grapes by peeling out the skin and puree them.
Next, blend the puree with lemon juice and sugar to taste. Leave the mixture to boil on low flame and then pour the jam into cans or in jam jars.
Another option is to use grapes in salads with some other fruits that your family enjoys. If you are not feeling to try these ideas, then you must freeze them so that they can stay longer until you find some ideas to use them efficiently.
Some special facts about grapes
Do you know how many types of grapes are there in the world? You may already know some of them like crimson seedless grapes.
But you may get amazed to know that there are almost eight thousand varieties of grapes that also come with sixty species. And who knows there could be far more variants than this that are still not discovered.
People around the world have been farming for the production of grapes for more than eight centuries, the fact already has unveiled the secret that how this fruit can come with this number of variations.
Many variants of the grapes are used for many other purposes such as making wine, which particularly is different from the ones that we usually eat. The grapes which we eat are usually turn into raisins, they are actually dried grapes. Raisins have their own signature taste that is much distinct from the grapes.
The final bunch of how long do grapes last?
At this time, you must have gotten ideas about how long do the grapes last and how to store them properly to give them a long life.
Additionally, grapes are loaded with vitamin K, C, and B6 with a lower amount of calories and fat. Eating grapes regularly can protect you from chronic diseases like cancer. Grapes also work as an antioxidant and helps in keeping the blood pressure and cholesterols at lower levels. They are associated with the functions that slow down our aging by combating certain bacterial infections and viruses.
Lastly, grapes can go bad quickly if they are left at room temperature, so it’s better to finish them up as early as possible because until you freeze them they will not remain good for a longer time and you may lose your favorite treat.