Freezing AvocadosIf your avocado is whole, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.If your avocado is cut in half, brush it with some lemon or lime juice, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer.
Refrigerating AvocadosRipe: If you have cut the avocado, it’s important that it goes in the refrigerator before it goes bad. Spread some lemon or lime juice on each half and wrap in plastic wrap or place in an air-tight container.If it’s not cut, the refrigerator will slow down the ripening process, keeping it ready-to-eat for longer.Unripe: Don't lose hope if you cut open an unripe avocado. Simply add some lemon or lime juice to the flesh, reassemble the two halves, wrap it tightly with plastic, and refrigerate. Monitor its ripening progress regularly.
Other Storage MethodIf your avocado feels hard, you can leave it out on your countertop to ripen naturally. Ideally, store this green fruit at room temperature, out of the way of direct sunlight. Over the next 4-5 days, your avocado will ripen and be ready for you to make your favorite recipes.
Notes
Expert Tips for Preventing Avocados From Browning
Tip 1: Lemon or lime juice. These acids such as citric and ascorbic acid found in lemon juice, help lower the pH of avocados and decrease the enzymatic activity, keeping them from turning brown. Just brush some on each side of your avocado.
Tip 2: If you don't want to use lemon or lime juice, brush the avocado's flesh with an olive oil that doesn't have a strong taste. The oil keeps air from touching the part of the fruit that's been exposed, preventing that oxidation and all the ugly brown streaks.
Tip 3: You will know when your avocados are rotten if they're mushy when squeezed, brown or moldy inside, and have developed rancidity or a sour smell. You may be able to save part of the fruit if it's just starting to brown inside and the rest of the fruit looks, smells, and tastes fine.