This delicious and sweet fruit that starts with a ‘g’ is one of the most desirable fruits of all. Aside from its incredibly sweet and fruity flavor profile, grapes are good for your health since they contain various beneficial nutrients like antioxidants, and magnesium, as well as vitamins A, C, and B6.
There are two main variants of grapes and those are red grapes and green grapes. Red grapes are healthier since they possess much more antioxidants, but some people favor green grapes because of their unique combo of sweet and sour flavors.
All in all, grapes in general are an amazing fruit that most people enjoy. But that’s all in vain if you don’t know how to handle it properly and choose the right bunch of grapes.
Many questions arise from there and one of the most important is “How to store grapes properly?”.
In this article, you will discover how to choose good grapes, how to store them properly, what to do with them, and how to know if it is still fresh. That means you will be wiser for the most important practical information related to grapes after reading it.
Quick Answer: How To Store Grapes?
You can store grapes in the refrigerator, freezer, or in any kind of cold place. If you want to extend their shelf life for 5-10 days, you should store them in the fridge. If you are planning to use it within 3-5 months, then freeze it. And, if you will use it the same day, store it in a cold place.
How To Choose The Finest Grapes?
Although it is best to collect your fresh grapes from the vineyard in the early fall, not everyone has the time and money to spend on growing their own grapes. That’s why most people tend to buy it in the grocery store or at the farmer’s market.
However, when buying your bag of grapes that way, you need to know how to choose the best one. If you don’t buy good grapes, storing them properly won’t help you much. So, here I will reveal some important tips that you have to be aware of when buying grapes.
• First, pay attention to the color of the grapes in one bunch. If the color is not even, you shouldn’t buy that bunch of grapes!
• Second, check out the smell. If the smell is sour, that is a sign of quick spoilage, i.e. it will ferment very fast, and then it won’t be good for consumption.
• Check out consistency. If the grapes feel soft under your fingers, that is a visible sign of rotten grapes, i.e. moldy grapes.
• Watch out for mold. If you see a larger number of grapes having white patches of mold, then you should avoid that bunch of grapes.
• And finally, you should avoid those clusters of grapes that lose their grapes easily. That means if the grapes are not firmly connected to the stem, they will fall off. That is a sign of overripe grapes and you don’t want to buy them in that state.
What Are The Tips For Storing Grapes The Right Way?
Now that you know how to choose the best grapes, you are ready to enjoy them. But, if you don’t want to consume them immediately, you have to know how to properly store them and enjoy them later. So, here are some important tips related to grape storage.
• It is not unwise to say it again. You need to choose as fresh grapes as possible. So, follow the steps mentioned above to choose the right ones before consuming or storing them.
• It is best to choose grapes that are still in season and the season of grapes is early fall.
• If you want to consume some of the grapes before storing them, you must wash grapes tightly under cold water, and then you can enjoy your sweet and refreshing snack.
• Do not wash the grapes that you are planning to store. Grapes must be stored unwashed because the air and moisture will destroy their texture.
• Avoid storing your grapes at room temperature. If you are planning to consume it the same day, choose a cold place because grapes really don’t like high temperatures.
• If your intention is to extend the shelf life of grapes for 5-10 days, store it in the back of the fridge or inside a crisper drawer with high humidity.
• Don’t put your grapes close to other types of food like sweet potatoes because they can easily absorb their scents and then it won’t be that pleasant to consume them.
• Unless the grapes are in the original packaging, avoid packing them in an airtight container, plastic bag, or Ziploc bag.
• You have to store them in a ventilated bag, at the bottom of the bag with space between them and direct airflow. That will keep the grapes fresh longer.
• Take note that the best temperature for grapes is between 30-32 degrees Fahrenheit and they like high humidity, i.e. 90-95%. A similar temperature range works for storing kiwi as well.
• Finally, when you decide to serve the grapes, don’t forget to wash them under cold water. Also, consider rinsing loose grapes in a colander. After washing it, dry it using a paper towel.
Can You Freeze Grapes?
Yes, you can freely freeze grapes. It is best to freeze grapes if you want to extend their shelf life for about 3-5 months. When freezing grapes, take into consideration that you can’t store them the same way you would when refrigerating.
When storing it in the freezer, it is advisable to put it in a Ziploc bag or some kind of freezer-friendly plastic bag without any ventilated holes.
But, there are some consequences when freezing your grapes that I have to emphasize. Your frozen grapes will lose their flavor throughout the freezing process, as well as their texture after they have been thawed.
So, if you are not planning to eat them as a snack after freezing and thawing them, but you want to extend their shelf life for quite some time, then this storage method is for you.
Below, you will find out what you can do with your stored grapes.
How Can You Know That The Grapes Have Gone Bad?
For me, there is nothing worse than filling my fruit bowl with some sweet bunches of grapes and then realizing that it is not fresh to eat anymore. In order to prevent that, you have to know how to recognize that your grapes are not good for eating. Here are the main signs of spoilage:
• If you see any discoloration, it may be a sign that your grapes are not fresh anymore. If you are not sure enough, then you should look for other signs that I will list below.
• If you sense some strong odors, it is a sign of rotten grapes. If they have gone bad, you will probably sense a smell similar to that of acidic vinegar, i.e. white or white wine vinegar.
• And, finally, if your grapes are soft and squishy under your fingers, then that is a sign of spoilage. Grapes are usually firm.
What Is Best To Do With Stored Grapes?
There are a lot of ways to use grapes aside from eating them as a snack. Surely, one of the most popular ways of usage is making wine out of it. Grape wines are very popular around the world, especially in Europe.
They do not contain a high level of alcohol and they are very healthy when consumed in moderation. That is especially the case with red wines, which are rich in powerful antioxidants that are extremely beneficial for your health.
Some other ways of using grapes for culinary purposes include making:
• Grape juice
• Grape jelly
• Grape jam
• Dried grapes
You can also incorporate your grapes into delicious salads, smoothies, and even sandwiches.
Know How To Keep Your Grapes Fresh
The short answer to the question of how to store grapes is that you can store them in the fridge, freezer, or any other cold place. But, there is a lot more important information related to this topic.
In this article, I tried to present you with the best way to choose as fresh grapes as possible. I also explained the most important tips for preparing and storing your grapes the right way, as well as tips that will help you to distinguish between fresh ones and bad ones.
And, finally, I provided you with some information on how to use those grapes the best way and enjoy their sweetness and freshness.
So, there you have it.
