We all see them shining and laughing at us on a beautiful summer day in the store or your local market. They’re great and welcome refreshing on a hot summer day. Of course, it was so hot that you bought a few watermelons.
You soon realize that you’ve got some pieces left and won’t be able to consume them because you’re full and had enough. Does watermelon go bad you think? How long does it stay good until it’s gone bad?
You’re in the right place if you seek answers. In this blog post, we will learn more about shelf life, how to store watermelon and spoilage.
Enjoy the read!
How Long Does Watermelon Last?
We start with giving you a good overview of periods of how long watermelon can last before it eventually will turn bad:
| Watermelon | Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncut | Up to 1 week (7 days) to 10 days | 10 to 14 days (2 weeks) | Freeze in smaller parts |
| Cut | 3 to 5 days | Up to 12 months |
A watermelon on itself, uncut, can stay good at room temperature for 1 week to 10 days and up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. That’s for uncut watermelon.
When you cut watermelon, you’ll expose it to the external threats out there and will be more vulnerable to these threats. When you cut it, store it in the fridge and make sure to wrap some plastic foil or aluminum foil around it. Don’t save it for more than 5 days this way. Try to consume it as fast as you can.
Please know that if you don’t wrap something around it, it won’t last longer than a day, don’t do it.
It also depends of course on how long it’s already in the store and so on. Try to consume and eat this delicious thing as soon as possible, but we know you can’t do this for all the foods and drinks you have in the house.
You can increase the lifespan of this lovely fruit by storing it in the right way, or if not in the short term, freeze it. Freezing will increase the shelf life to about 10 to 12 months.
How To Store Watermelon
Storing watermelon is much similar to other melons.
The general principle applies to storing it in a dry and cool place.
We’ve already tackled the difference between a whole, uncut, watermelon and one that’s been cut into several pieces.
Watermelons don’t come with a printed date or something like that so you can’t go down that route.
Rule number one is when you cut a watermelon, place it in the refrigerator, preferably wrapped with plastic or aluminum foil.
Don’t let it come into contact with direct sunlight, heat sources, air, and so on. Try to wrap it well so it’s more difficult for other threats to get to the watermelon. In the fridge, there are other foods and drinks stored, that give off some odor, watermelon will absorb these odors. You don’t want this because it can ruin the taste of your watermelon.
Try to consume it within 2 days.
Freezing Watermelon
If you’ve bought on a promo and stocked up on a lot of watermelons, you can save them and freeze them.
It is important though that freezing does have an impact on your watermelon as a whole. Freezing also means thawing, these processes are known to alter the texture of your watermelon.
Freezing can be done for several reasons:
- stocking up on watermelon
- Using them in smoothies, together with other fruits
You can use them for example combined with delicious almond milk, to give your milk a refreshing touch. The possibilities are endless.
You simply must remove the seeds and rind, and freeze the watermelon in very small pieces, with the goal in mind you’re going to use it for.
Don’t freeze it in large pieces.
Store them in 2 plastic bags (double-bag them as we say) or with a plastic bag and into a sealed container.
When you’re going to use them, get them out the day before and let them defrost and thaw in the refrigerator. Of course, if you want to use them as ice cubes or as a base for your smoothie, you don’t have to do this and can blend them directly.
Now, how can you see if your watermelon is still good for eating?
How To Tell If Watermelon Has Gone Bad
Now it comes to trusting yourself and your senses, along with our guidelines. Finally, it is you that will have to make the call on consuming the watermelon or not. If you’re still in doubt, just toss it away. Don’t take risks if you don’t need to.
- Do you see some colorization? Does your watermelon have some darker spots or other spots than the usual colors (red, light red)? This can be a sign of spoilage or even mold. Discard it.
- Does your watermelon smell weird? Watermelons shouldn’t smell to something weird or funny. If you smell something irregular, discard it. Does it smell like that camembert cheese that you left in your fridge?
- Touch the watermelon. The watermelon should feel solid, even if it consists of mainly water. If you can put your finger through it, toss it away…
- Does your watermelon taste weird? Watermelon should taste like watermelon, not something else. If you taste something weird, toss it away.
Some people cut the already far-gone pieces of the watermelon out and leave “the good” pieces for consumption. There’s always a thin line when it comes to mold. That’s why we say on GoodOrGoneBad, not do this, and don’t take any unnecessary risks.
Enjoy your watermelon!