Bought too much grapes and need them to last as long as possible? You’re probably wondering how to store grapes to keep them fresh the longest.
Or maybe your grapes tend to go bad quickly, and you want to make sure you’re doing everything right storage-wise.
If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place. In this article, we cover:
- where, how, and how long you can store grapes
- how to make them last as long as possible (hint: it’s about picking the best ones)
- signs that your grapes are spoiled
Read on!
How To Store Grapes
Store grapes in a ventilated plastic bag in the crisper drawer in the fridge. Keep them attached to the stems, and don’t wash them until you serve them.
Grapes usually are sold in perforated plastic bags, and that’s the optimal way of storing them ([OH]).
If yours are in such a bag, leave them there. If not, consider poking some holes to allow airflow, or at least leave the top open.
The veggie drawer is the best place to keep grapes because they like high humidity ([OH]). If you don’t have one in your fridge, put them in the back of a shelf, where it’s colder than in the front.
To store your grapes as long as possible, postpone washing them until right before serving ([OH]). This way, you’re sure there’s no moisture on the fruit that might speed up spoilage.
If you’ve already washed your grapes, or need to store leftovers, make sure they’re dry before you put them in the refrigerator. Use paper towels or a kitchen towel to get rid of any wet spots and water drops.
Last but not least, don’t remove grapes from stems until you serve them. Or, better yet, serve them in small bunches so that everyone takes care of that on their own.
How Do You Keep Grapes Fresh Longer?
To keep your grapes fresh for as long as possible, you need to:
- buy the best ones available
- store them properly
We’ve already covered the latter. Now let’s talk about picking fresh grapes.
For starters, you need to know that the grapes you buy are ripe. They don’t ripen or get better after they have been harvested ([OH]). In that way, grapes are more like apples and pears, not bananas or mangoes.
Try to choose grapes that are (still) at peak quality. They won’t get any better after you buy them.
When you examine grapes in the supermarket, look at both the fruit and the stems. The best grapes ([OH]):
- Are plump and firm to the touch. Shriveled, bruised, or soft grapes will soon go bad.
- Have a full, rich color. Brownish or discolored fruits mean they’ve started to spoil already.
- Are firmly attached to green stems. Dry and brown/black stems usually mean grapes will soon start to drop off them, and that’s no good.
If you plan on storing grapes for more than a week, give them a check every three days and get rid of those that have turned brownish or started to grow mold.
How Long Do Grapes Last?
Grapes last for up to two weeks in the crisper drawer, or a day or two at room temperature.
Like with all fruits and veggies, the better quality ones you buy, and the better you take care of them, the longer they’ll keep for.
If yours look like they’ve sat in the supermarket for a few days, don’t expect them to last longer than a week. But if you’ve bought them fresh from a local grower at the farmer’s market, they should easily last for 10 to 14 days.
The most common scenario for grapes is that after a few days of storage, there will be a few ones that are starting to brown or grow mold already, and the rest will be just fine.
How To Tell When Grapes Are Bad?
Throw out grapes that:
- Are soft, shriveled, or oozing water. They’re old and no good quality-wise.
- Are brown, discolored, or moldy. Of course, some slight discolorations here and there is okay.
- Smell or look off in any other way. When in doubt, throw them out.
The rule here is that you should discard grapes that are plain spoiled (moldy, brown, shriveled) or their quality is no longer acceptable (soft, starting to brown). And the latter is up to you to decide.
For me, eating somewhat softish grapes is okay, as long as they aren’t shriveled or have large sunken spots already. And I don’t mind minor discolorations.
But if I serve grapes to any friends or family, I’m much stricter about what’s acceptable and what’s not.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grapes
Yes, but only if you plan on eating them the same or the next day. Grapes quickly deteriorate at ambient temperature, so leaving them in a fruit bowl on the counter isn’t a good idea.
Yes, but check for any signs of spoilage first, and wash them before eating. If you’re not sure they’re safe to eat, throw them out.
Summary
- Keep grapes in a perforated plastic bag in the veggie drawer in the fridge. Don’t wash or remove them from the stems before serving.
- Grapes can last for up to two weeks in the fridge, and a couple of days at room temperature.
- Throw out grapes that are soft, shriveled, brown, moldy, or smell off.