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How Long Does Zucchini Last and What Are the Different Ways to Store It?

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When it comes to storing vegetables, a common question that comes to our mind is, how long does zucchini last? Zucchini is one of the very delicious vegetables that makes the dish and food tastier. You can use it to make many delicious recipes, mostly used in the summer.

How long you can keep this vegetable stored depends on the different ways of storing it. The average time a zucchini lasts ranges from 2 to 3 weeks. How long the zucchini will last also depends on the quality of the vegetable.

How Long Does Zucchini Last

The zucchini can last many days if you store it properly. It is very important to know the different ways to store it. Some of these options allow you to store them for up to 3 months.

Also, you need to know how to choose the best zucchini if one of them is rotten then all of the zucchini might rot.

Temperature is a crucial thing to keep in mind while storing them because the bad temperature can cause the zucchini to degrade faster. Here are some of the common ways to store your zucchini.

Freezer

One of the most common ways to store the zucchini is the refrigerator. Most people will suggest you use the refrigerator to store the zucchinis.

But you need to be very careful about the temperature as it plays a very important role in the storing of zucchinis. Also, you need to take care of the power outage as it can lead to rot the zucchini quicker.

You need to check the zucchinis before placing them in the freezer. If they have cuts or they are not fresh, then they might not last long. You can use some different ways to freeze them to last them for time. Some of the common ways are mentioned below.

Store Them Wrapped

Instead of storing them normally, you can wrap them in a paper and keep them in the freezer to increase the lifespan of zucchinis.

You will need to still check for any cuts or rotten ones to separate before putting in the freezer. You can use both paper and plastic wrapper to wrap them before putting them in the freezer.

Do not wash them before putting them in the freezer. If you follow all these instructions that store them perfectly, then you might be able to store them from a maximum of 2 weeks. But it is better to eat them in 1.5 weeks.

Put Them in The Bag

You can use plastic bags to store them in the refrigerator. You can find bags very easily if you are unable to find any wrapper, use a plastic bag to seal the zucchini to put it in the freezer. Do not wash the zucchini and check very carefully before placing them in the refrigerator.

Check the sealing very carefully as you need to seal the bag very tightly and vacuum seal it if possible. You need to force out as much air as you can from the bag to make it last longer. Do not keep them in the deep freezer as it can end up being a large mass of ice.

It might not stay for 2 weeks like the wrapper but bagging the zucchini will give you almost 1.5 weeks to freeze the zucchini. But try to eat it before 1.5 weeks because it may start to get strained. Remember to put them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you are planning to eat.

Peel Them Before Putting in The Freezer

You can peel the zucchini before putting it in the freezer. The zucchini will last longer if it peeled compared to normal zucchini.

You can peel the zucchini with a peeler, or you can use a knife to peel them and put them in the freezer in a bag or a wrapper. If you put the peeled zucchini without any plastic or wrapper, it will last almost 1 week.

If you put the peeled zucchini in a bag, then it will last longer, up to 1.5 weeks. But the zucchini might turn soft and also get in bad shape. You can’t use a soft zucchini to make a salad or many other dishes, so you have to keep them in mind before peeling them.

The texture of the zucchini also might change, so you might not be able to many dishes. Try to use some watery zucchini if you are making soups or any same type of dishes.

Slice Them Before Putting in The Freezer

One of the most common and best ways to store your zucchini is to cut them in pieces before putting them in the freezer. But if you cut the zucchinis, then you can’t use it for many other dishes where it is used in round shape or any other shapes.

Sliced zucchini - How Long Does Zucchini Last

You can use a knife to cut them into small pieces in squared shape. Cutting them into small pieces helps to keep them in the freezer because the pieces take less space than the actual size of zucchinis.

It will also help you to cook them afterward as it is already in pieces and you don’t have to wait until it melts and cut them in pieces.

You can use the sliced zucchini very fast, just after putting them out of the fridge. You can boil them in water without salt and make them fresh again and ready to use.

If you use salt in the water, it will quicken the process but the skin of the zucchini will also absorb this salt, and the vegetable itself will become salty ruining the taste of the dish.

The best way to store the sliced zucchini is to keep them in a container. And keep the container as much air-free as you can.

Identify If the Zucchini Is Bad

Freezing them comes later first, you need to choose them very carefully. You need to pick healthy and good zucchini to use them for a long time.

You can identify bad zucchini very easily by looking at the skin, size, shape, and texture. If you see the skin of zucchini is dull and lifeless better not pick them because they will start rotting soon.

If you see spots on the zucchini, you might think that washing them will go away but they might be rotten spots. Do not eat them or buy them, they will start rotting soon.

The inner side of these zucchini will be stringy and it will contain large seeds. However, if a portion of the zucchini is bad you can cut the bad portion out and eat the good portion.

All cucumber and zucchini contain a chemical called cucurbitacins. If it is available in a large amount then it can make the zucchini taste bitter.

Do not eat any zucchini if it tastes bad and bitter as it is very bad for health. It can also cause many severe gastric problems, diarrhea and stomach cramps.


Conclusion

How long zucchini lasts depends on these factors, you need to follow them carefully to increase the time it lasts. If you have any questions regarding this, you can comment below to get answers from us.