How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (2024)

Learn how to store and freeze lemons to last in the fridge or freezer. Get tips on freezing lemons and storing them.

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (1)

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (2)

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last

Lemons are a wonderful way to add brightness and flavor to a variety of dishes. Unfortunately, they won’t last forever if left unprotected. The good news, however, is learning how to store lemons and how to freeze lemons is quick and easy. Follow this Glad® guide to storing and freezing lemons to ensure your kitchen never runs out of these versatile citrus fruits.

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (3)

How to Store Lemons in the Fridge

Storing lemons in the fridge is a great way to extend their shelf life. And if you want to keep lemons fresh for longer than a week, you’ll definitely want to refrigerate them.

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (4)

To make your whole lemons last in the fridge, place them into a food-safe plastic bag, such as a Glad® Zipper 2-in-1 Gallon Bag or a Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ Gallon Bag and squeeze out the excess air before sealing. This will help prevent your lemons from losing their moisture and should keep them juicy and flavorful for up to three weeks.

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (5)

For lemon wedges or slices, use a food-safe plastic container, such as a GladWare® Food Protection Container to keep them fresh for three to four days in the fridge. Keep both whole or cut lemons in the crisper for maximum freshness.

How to Freeze Lemons

Learning how to store lemons in the freezer can help keep them flavorful for up to four months. When freezing whole lemons, keep them in a food-safe plastic bag, like a Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ Freezer Bag with as little air as possible. Always wash lemons thoroughly before stashing them away in your freezer.

You can also freeze lemon slices to add a spritz of lemon juice to drinks or dishes. To start, place the cut lemons on a freezer-safe parchment-lined tray and freeze until frozen. This ensures your lemon slices don’t freeze together. Once frozen, transfer the slices to a food safe plastic bag, like a Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ Freezer Bag and again, remove any extra air before sealing.

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (6)

How to Defrost Lemons

Now that you’ve learned how to freeze lemons, it’s time to figure out how to defrost them. And learning how to unfreeze is just as simple as learning how to store lemons.

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How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (8)

To thaw the fruit, either microwave for fifteen to twenty seconds or place the lemons in room-temperature water for ten to fifteen minutes.

How Long Do Lemons Last?

As we’ve learned, Glad’s Food Storage Bags and Containers can help you store lemons for months on end. Here’s a quick reference guide to how long your lemons should last when using Glad® Food Protection Products.

• Whole lemons in fridge: Up to 21 days
• Cut lemons in fridge: 3 to 4 days
• Whole lemons in freezer: Up to 4 months
• Cut lemons in freezer: Up to 4 months

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Need More Info?

Looking for more tips on how to store food and keep food fresh? Head to Glad’s collection of Protection Pointers articles to help you get more out of your fridge, freezer and pantry.

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How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad® (2024)

FAQs

How to Store and Freeze Lemons to Last | Glad®? ›

When freezing whole lemons, keep them in a food-safe plastic bag, like a Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ Freezer Bag with as little air as possible. Always wash lemons thoroughly before stashing them away in your freezer. You can also freeze lemon slices to add a spritz of lemon juice to drinks or dishes.

Is it better to freeze lemons whole or sliced? ›

I freeze Lemons & Limes whole all the time. A great way to keep them from going bad. They work fine for juice or zest.

Are lemons good after being frozen? ›

Whole lemons will last in the freezer for up to four months. When you're ready to use one, thaw it in cold water for about 15 minutes or microwave it for about 15 seconds, until soft.

Do you wash lemons before freezing? ›

Wash your lemons.

Before you freeze your lemons, you want to run them under cold water to remove pesticides from them. You can also use a vegetable cleaner or wash to clean off your vegetables. Once your lemons are clean, dry them off with a rag or paper towel.

Can you pick lemons after a freeze? ›

Your neighbor is correct in that if the fruit freezes it may become pithy and lose much of its juiciness, but Meyer lemons don't ripen any further once picked, so it is best to leave them on the tree as long as possible. You can judge how mature the fruit is by its color.

How to unfreeze frozen lemon? ›

And learning how to unfreeze is just as simple as learning how to store lemons. To thaw the fruit, either microwave for fifteen to twenty seconds or place the lemons in room-temperature water for ten to fifteen minutes.

What can I do with whole frozen lemons? ›

Use whole frozen lemons for juicing. To thaw, microwave for a few seconds, or place the lemons in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the lemon and juice. To freeze whole lemons that you've grated the zest from, wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent drying out.

What should you not store lemons with? ›

Also, be sure you're storing your lemons away from any other fruits that are currently ripening. “Produce that gives off ethylene gas, for example, apples, melons, and bananas, will speed up the ripening of other nearby produce, like lemons, that are sensitive to ethylene," warns King.

Do lemons last longer in the refrigerator or room temperature? ›

Lemons are best kept in the fridge. Stashed in the fridge in the crisper drawer or on a shelf, fresh lemons will keep for two weeks or more. If you really want your lemons to last, keep them in a sealed container (there are even specialty produce keepers for this purpose) or a resealable plastic bag.

Can you vacuum seal and freeze lemons? ›

Simply put: Yes, you can vacuum seal fruit! It's a great way to control portions and ensure you've got healthy ingredients on hand if you don't have time to go to the shop. Plenty of fruits don't require much preparation before being sealed, but delicate produce like berries need a little more work.

How long do cut lemons last in the freezer? ›

Slice lemons into smaller pieces and remove the seeds. Spread the slices on a baking sheet and flash freeze until they're solid. Transfer the lemon slices to a freezer bag and seal. Frozen lemons will keep for three to four months.

What is the best way to freeze lemons and limes? ›

The Method:
  1. Wash and dry your fruit to remove any waxy coating. ...
  2. Place the whole citrus fruit in a heavy duty freezer bag and seal it up tight. ...
  3. Freeze the citrus. ...
  4. To use the frozen fruit, remove it from the freezer bag and zest the fruit while frozen solid.
Oct 10, 2018

Does freezing lemons make them bitter? ›

While the idea of chowing down on a lemon whole, skin and all isn't exactly the most appealing, by freezing lemons the bitter taste of the rind can be eliminated.

Does freezing lemons destroy vitamin C? ›

As pointed out in Reference [2], freezing has been considered as one of the most effective traditional preservation techniques for Vitamin C retention in fruit and vegetable products.

What is the benefit of freezing lemons? ›

Vitamins that frozen lemon gives you: — Pectin — Vitamin C. — Flavonoids 2. Protect and strengthen the immune system Frozen lemons can fight many of the daily illnesses we are constantly exposed to, such as colds, infections, and the flu. Many people make delicious liqueurs from lemon peel.

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