The Only Way You Should Be Storing Lemons (Cut, Sliced, Or Whole)

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Lemons are one of those produce items we tend to buy just in case. Whether they end up as a slice in a glass of water, a wedge on the side of a fish dinner, or juiced for salad dressing, you know they'll be used eventually. This can leave you with a few lemons in rotation, which are more than likely stored in a bowl on the counter until they're cut. But to keep them at their juiciest and freshest, lemons should be stored in the refrigerator, even when whole. 

Despite having a protective skin, lemons lose moisture when left out in the open and are only really good for a week or so. To extend their shelf life, keep them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. For the most effective method of storing lemons, they should be kept in an airtight container or bag. Although the crisper is the most humid part of the refrigerator, the addition of a bag or box will help the lemons retain moisture for longer. Using this technique, you could expect lemons to last around a month — four times as long as on the counter.

Once you cut into a lemon, you're dealing with more than one enemy of freshness. And as well as needing to keep the lemon from drying out, you also need to protect it from oxygen, which can speed up spoilage.

It might seem like a no-brainer to put your lemons in the fridge after cutting, but that half lemon lying bare on the fridge shelf is going to deteriorate pretty quickly. Just as with whole lemons, you should store cut citrus in an airtight container or bag, but take the extra measure of adding plastic wrap to protect the cut surface. Alternatively, opt for something like this Good Grips cut-and-keep lemon saver that uses a flexible silicone cover to create a seal. When stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator, cut lemons will last 4-5 days.

Leftover lemon slices have a larger surface area that can dry out or oxidize and so they need to be treated more carefully. Storing in an airtight container between damp paper towels will help retain moisture, while adding them to a container of water will also protect the slices from oxygen. These wet methods will keep your lemon slices in good condition for 5-7 days, but check for any signs of mold or mushiness before using them.

As a last resort, whole lemons can also be frozen for up to 6 months, but the texture will become mushy when thawed. This is only really an option if you plan to use them for juicing or baking.