You’ve had cantaloupe in your possession for a few days. That’s when you start wondering how long cantaloupe keeps and how to detect whether it’s rotten.
Table Of Contents
−- How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad?
- How to tell if your cantaloupe is matured
- Is Overripe Cantaloupe Safe to Eat?
- Cantaloupe Salvaged When It’s Past Its Prime
- how to store your Cantaloupe to make it last longer
- Do I Need to Refrigerate Cantaloupe?
- How long does chopped cantaloupe keep in the refrigerator?
- Is it possible to freeze chopped cantaloupe?
- How long can you keep chopped cantaloupe in the freezer?
- How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad
- Cantaloupe Health Benefits
Or maybe you’re a first-time shopper who isn’t sure if you can keep this melon out on the counter or if it needs to be refrigerated.
How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad?
A full cantaloupe will be kept in the fridge for 5 to 7 days at room temperature and for two to three weeks. If the fruit is not quite ripe, leave it on the counter for an additional 5 to 10 days. Cantaloupe keeps in the fridge for 4 to 5 days after being chopped up.
While cantaloupe is a self-picking fruit (it begins to separate from the vine when mature), it is not always plucked ripe.
Cantaloupe melons for export are frequently removed from the plant early, so they remain firm and withstand transit in good condition.
As a result, whether you buy cantaloupe in the winter or an import, it may not be fully ripe and may take a few days on the counter to reach its peak flavor.
Check the stem end of your cantaloupe to see if it was harvested ripe. It has been harvested mature if it has “dimpled.” If the woody stem remains connected (and visible), the fruit has been removed from the vine.
| Counter | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantaloupe (Whole) lasts for | 5-7 Days | 10-12 Days | 10-12 Months |
| Cantaloupe (Cut) lasts for | 2-4 Hours | 4-7 Days | 10-12 Months |
How to tell if your cantaloupe is matured
Okay, so you’d like to know whether your cantaloupe has matured yet, right?
- The blossom end (rather than the stem end) is slightly pliable.
- The fruit has a distinct sweet scent.
- The skin between the netting has transformed from green to yellow.
If at least one of the following statements is true, your cantaloupe is likely ready. If neither is the case, leave the fruit on the counter until it ripens. It often takes 5 to 10 days, depending on how long the specimen has been sitting at the shop.
Unripe cantaloupe is sweeter and softer than a ripe melon. However, it wasn’t mature if you’ve ever eaten one that lacked sweetness or appeared to be fairly solid.
Is Overripe Cantaloupe Safe to Eat?
Older cantaloupes, like older watermelons, are fantastic for smoothies and cold soups because they are so juicy. They’re also great in jams, salsas, and sweets.
There’s no reason you can’t eat overripe cantaloupe straight off the rind. However, at this level, the texture is not for everyone.
Cantaloupe Salvaged When It’s Past Its Prime
If you catch a cantaloupe slightly past the stage where you want to eat it directly – no unpleasant smells, no evident symptoms of rotting or mold development, but the flesh is a little too soft – you don’t have to throw it out.
Instead, try one of these alternatives:
- Blend it into a smoothie.
- Combine it with lemonade or ginger ale for a delicious drink.
- Puree it with a splash of lime juice and a pinch of sugar to make a dessert sauce, or freeze it to make ice pops.
- Puree it with the juice of three limes per entire cantaloupe, as well as honey and cardamom to taste, and serve as a cold soup garnished with mint leaves.
how to store your Cantaloupe to make it last longer
The counter is the greatest place to ripen an unripe melon. You may keep it at room temperature or refrigerate it until it’s ripe, depending on when you want to consume it. A cut-up cantaloupe should be stored in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator.
If your cantaloupe isn’t quite ripe (see the part above if you’re unsure), leave it on the counter or in a fruit bowl until it is. It’s not dangerous to eat it before it’s ripe, but the quality won’t be as good.
When the fruit is ripe, you have an option.
Leaving it on the counter is OK if you know you’ll consume it within a couple of days. Furthermore, because melons are relatively large, it does not take up valuable fridge space.
However, if you don’t have any plans and believe you’ll get to it “someday,” put it in the refrigerator.
It also works with other melons, such as honeydew or watermelon.
Place a full cantaloupe in a tight plastic bag and refrigerate it. This will keep the fragrance of the fruit from contaminating other items.
Once the fruit has been chopped up, put it snugly in an airtight bag (if it has been halved or quartered) or a plastic container (if it has been diced).
Remove the seeds if you merely halve or quarter the fruit. They will aid in the retention of moisture for a longer period.
Do I Need to Refrigerate Cantaloupe?
Cantaloupe that has been pre-sliced should be refrigerated. The sliced portions should keep in the refrigerator for many days, possibly only a couple if they’re from overripe fruit.
Cantaloupe can be stored whole or chopped in the fridge to increase its shelf life, especially if it is fast deteriorating. If kept cold, a fresh cantaloupe may last about a week, so cut it down a few days if it’s already beyond its prime.
It’s also worth mentioning that cantaloupe can be frozen. This is the most effective technique to keep it going indefinitely. When it has thawed, plan on using it in delightful ways.
How long does chopped cantaloupe keep in the refrigerator?
Cut cantaloupe will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days if properly preserved.
Is it possible to freeze chopped cantaloupe?
Yes, to freeze: Place in airtight containers or freezer bags.
How long can you keep chopped cantaloupe in the freezer?
It will keep its finest quality for around 10 to 12 months if properly stored, but it will be safe for much longer.
The freezer period indicated is merely for optimal quality – cut-up cantaloupe maintained continually frozen at 0°F will remain safe indefinitely.
How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad
Cantaloupes that have:
- Feel light, hollow, or very soft. If the melon seems hollow or the rind is mushy, it has lost most of its water and is no longer edible.
- Have a lot of bruises or discolored spots? You may trim away any little damaged parts, but if a fourth of the rind is brown, it’s time to throw it out.
- Smell bad. Throw it out if the scent isn’t sweet and pleasant but rather sour or harsh.
- They are sliced up and have been sitting in storage for too long or are moldy. For example, if your cantaloupe half has been sitting in the fridge for more than a week, it must be discarded. The same goes if you notice mold symptoms in the container or bag.
- Cantaloupe rind with a black patch
- When cutting a cantaloupe, examine what’s beneath the rind for a black spot.
Some of the arguments raised above aren’t black and white but depend on your judgment. In certain cases, trust your instincts.
Feel free to eat it if it says the cantaloupe is only a little softer than normal and else absolutely acceptable. However, if the fragrance feels odd and you’d prefer not to eat that fruit, it’s fine to thrash it.
Finally, if the peel begins to soften, the melon becomes overripe, and the time to act is now. You may eat it the same day, dice it, and chill it for a day or two.
Cantaloupe Health Benefits
It has a low carbohydrate content. Cantaloupes are composed of 90% water. That’s nearly as watery as a watermelon. Cantaloupes have a low glycemic load of 4 due to their high liquid content. That implies your body is slowly digesting food, and your blood sugar will not rise as a result. As a result, it is a suitable option for people with diabetes.
Cantaloupe is also high in vitamins and minerals such as:
- Folic acid
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Iron
- Vitamin K
- Niacin
- Choline
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Manganese
- Selenium
So make sure you don’t let your cantaloupe go to waste!
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