How to Select, Store and Freeze Lemons and Limes
Get the best lemons, limes & citrus – and keep them that way! Store and freeze your lemons and limes at their optimum conditions for long lasting, fresh flavour and texture.
Avoid dried, shrivelled lemons kept at room temperature or squishy, moldy lemons kept in the fridge. Here’s what you need to know. When you find a good deal on tasty lemons follow these tips for how to select, store and freeze them. By the way, these tips apply to limes, oranges and pomelo too – all the citrus varieties.
Also Read: How to Best Zest and Juice Lemons & Limes, How to Make & Freeze Lemon Curd, Homemade Limoncello, Easy Luscious Lemon Bars
How to Select the Best Lemons and Limes
Citrus fruit will NOT continue to ripen or sweeten after it is picked. As a result, the citrus fruit in grocery stores should be fully ripe, after all, it would be bad business for the grower and grocer if it’s not! You may see some green on the rinds, but this coloring is more a function of growing conditions than ripeness.
Knowing that ripeness is not the issue, your goal when selecting citrus is to find the freshest, sweetest and juiciest citrus. Here are some tips to find the best citrus when shopping.
- Look for clear, blemish free rinds.
- Choose citrus that feels heavy compared to the fruits around it. The heavier, the juicier!
- Choose fruit with a finely textured peel versus a thick, heavily dimpled peel. You’ll get more fruit and juice. In the photo below for example, choose the lime on the left. See photo below.
- Avoid citrus with soft, tender spots or wrinkled skin. The rind should be evenly firm around the entire fruit. Only mandarins including tangerines and clementines should have a looser peel – that’s what makes them so easy to peel.
- Smell the citrus and choose the ones with a strong, sweet smell.
How to Store Lemons, Limes and other Citrus
The good news is that citrus fruit stores quite well, if done properly. If you like citrus – go ahead and buy that big bag. To store it well, keep only one or two on the counter to display and the rest in the fridge. Room temperature citrus tastes a little sweeter, so it’s good to keep some in the fruit bowl, but for longer storage, keep them in the fridge.
On the Counter
Citrus will keep at room temperature for 5-7 days (depending on your air humidity). A handful of oranges, tangerines and grapefruits in the fruit basket is great way to encourage healthy snacking.
In the Fridge
To keep fresh citrus fruit longer, store it in the refrigerator. Place in mesh or plastic bag with top open. Make sure your fruit is completely dry. Do not wash before storing. Stored like this, citrus can last 2 to 3 weeks.
How to Store Cut Lemons or Limes
Wrap up cut lemons or limes and store in fridge for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze Lemons, Limes and other Citrus
Ingredients
- citrus fruit
Instructions
Freeze Whole Lemons
- Wash and scrub lemons well.
- Dry well to ensure no moisture remains.
- Place in airtight freezer container or bag. Remove as much air as possible. Freeze.
- Use within 3 months.
Freeze Lemon Zest and Juice Separately
- If you don’t think you’ll use whole frozen lemons within 3 months, it’s best to freeze the zest and juice separately. Frozen lemon juice in boiling hot water with a little ginger and honey does wonders for colds and sore throats.
- Wash and scrub lemons well.
- Zest and juice your citrus fruit.
- Place zest and juice in separate airtight freezer containers or bags. Remove as much air as possible. Freeze.
- Consider freezing the juice in an ice cube tray and then transferring to airtight freezer container. This is my favourite method. I like using the frozen lemon juice pucks with a bit of honey (infused honey) for hot lemon drinks when we have sore throats or need a soothing, warming drink in the winter – without the calories of hot cocoa!
- Use within 12 months.
Freeze Peeled Citrus Fruit Segments
- Peel, segment and place citrus in freezer bags and use within 3 months. This is a great method if you like oranges in your smoothies
Freeze Sliced or Quartered Citrus Fruit
- Perfect for when you have extra lemon or lime wedges leftover after a party or taco dinner.
- Just toss in an airtight freezer container or bag. Use within 3 months.
- Use as ice cubes in your mocktails or cocktails, mixed beverages, sangria, or hot tea.
Video
The BEST Tools for Freezing Lemons
Like my little lemon zester? I love it! It’s so much easier to use than a microplane or grater. [affiliate link for the zester I ACTUALLY use in my cooking]
And if you liked my silicone freezer bag, I used my stasher bag in the video. They’re pricey, maybe you can find them on sale somewhere, but they are the best silicone bags I found. I bought a bunch of a discount brand knock-off – but they were a total waste of money. In the set of 12, NONE of them stayed closed, they all popped open no matter how carefully I pressed them shut and how little I put in the bag. I sent them back never received a refund. So, pay a little more for the Stasher brand.
More Lemon & Citrus Recipes
Now that you’ve selected the tastiest citrus fruit, here are some tasty ways to use them.
- Lemon Ricotta Scones
- Lemon Curd
- Berry & Lemon Muffins
- Orange & Fennel Salad
- Luscious Lime Bars
- Lime, Corn & Cilantro Quinoa
- Orange Pumpkin Loaf
- Blood Orange and Tangerine Salad
- Lemon Herb Seasoning
- How to Peel & Segment a Honey Pomelo
- Grapefruit and Granola Parfait
- Homemade Orange Gelatin
- Lemon & Tarragon Infused Vinegar
- Orange and Celery Salad
What’s your favourite way to use a bounty of lemons, limes or other citrus fruit? Have you tried freezing them? Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomis
I’ve provided Amazon links for you to explore and be able to see the exact tools I’m talking about in this post. As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
FREE Guide to Blanching & Freezing Vegetables
Blanching is easy! Use this guide as a quick reference when preserving.
This 3 page reference guide includes all the info you need to get blanching:
- A detailed, step by step how-to process
- Blanching times for different vegetables
- Tips to avoid freezer burn
- Details for how to freeze fruits.
Click the link below, share your email and it’ll land in your inbox right away. Great for hanging in your cupboard or tucking into your favourite recipe book for quick, easy reference.
Select, store and serve seasonal food for everyday cooking with Getty. Getty is a food educator and Professional Home Economist, who loves sharing tips and recipes following the seasons from her Canadian kitchen. Sign up to get seasonal tips and recipes delivered to your inbox. Learn more about Getty or check out her books and pdf guides.
This is very helpful, thank you. I usually buy the bags of lemons and limes at Costco and they can be a challenge to use up in time. I am going to start with your lemon curd recipe and freeze the remaining lemons.
So glad to help reduce food waste! Hope you enjoy that curd recipe!