Peaches are one of the most perishable fruits. To prevent them from spoiling quickly, today we’ll share some correct ways to store them. Learning how to store them will help extend their shelf life.

How to store ripe peaches

If you’ve bought ripe peaches and want to enjoy them anytime, it’s recommended to store the remaining peaches in ziplock bags, saving the portion you’ll eat today.

Don’t fill the bag completely; leave some space between the peaches. Then, simply place the ziplock bags in the refrigerator. The low temperature in the refrigerator will prevent the peaches from ripening further and rotting due to overripeness.

Peaches can be stored in the refrigerator for about five days. However, the longer they are stored in the refrigerator, the more moisture they lose. So, if you notice wrinkles on the skin, it’s best to eat them the same day. Do not store them in the refrigerator any longer.

If you can’t eat the peaches the same day, it’s recommended to move them from the refrigerator to the freezer. Instructions for freezing are provided at the end of this article.

How to Store Unripe Peaches

If the peaches you bought aren’t ripe yet or haven’t reached your desired ripeness, but you’re not in a hurry to eat them, store them at room temperature, away from other fruits. After 3-5 days, they should be ripe.

If you haven’t finished eating them, continue to store them in the refrigerator or freezer as mentioned above. If the peaches are unripe but you’re in a hurry to eat them, you can use a clean paper bag to ripen them faster.

Place the peaches in a paper bag and seal it tightly. This traps the ethylene gas produced by the peaches during the ripening process, which will help them ripen faster.

You only need to wait 1-3 days. However, if the bag is not sealed, the ethylene inside will escape and may ripen other nearby fruits.

If you want to further shorten the ripening time of peaches, you can place bananas and other fruits that also release ethylene during the ripening process in a bag, but this will also cause the bananas to ripen faster.

How to Store Cut Peaches

Whether you’re eating them directly or using them in a recipe, it’s best to consume them quickly after slicing or dicing them. If you can’t finish them immediately but will finish them the same day, apply lemon or orange juice to the peaches to prevent them from oxidizing due to exposure to air.

When peaches oxidize, their vitamin content decreases, so it’s best to cut them right before you eat them. Otherwise, cut them into larger pieces to reduce their exposure to air.

How to Freeze Peaches

Some people buy large quantities of peaches during season because they need to cook with them or simply love them so much that they freeze them for later use.

Regardless of the reason, it’s recommended to slice the peaches before freezing them. Spread the slices evenly between several ziplock bags and place them flat in the freezer. After about 1.5 to 2 hours, remove the ziplock bags from the freezer and transfer all the peach slices from each bag to a larger ziplock bag.

Then return the ziplock bag and the peach slices to the freezer. They will keep for several weeks.