Yes, You Can Keep Your Beloved Avocados Ripe for *Months*—Here’s How

If you’re looking for sturdy produce that stays good for long periods of time, avocados are not it. One minute they’re sitting on your counter ripe and ready to eat, then you look away for a second and they’re completely rotten, destined for the trash. To say this is frustrating would be an understatement. But what if I told you there’s a way you can keep them perfectly green for months? Yes, you read that correctly. Months.

Bethany Ugarte of Lilsipper has been using the same hack for years—and it’s still dropping jaws. You probably know you can freeze mashed avocado in an ice cube tray for later use, but evidently you can freeze whole unpeeled avocados, too. After running an avocado that had been frozen for two months (though it works up to four) under some hot water then letting it sit out on the counter for a bit, she cut it open to reveal a perfectly-ripe fruit that looked like she just purchased it from the grocery store.

The frozen avocado she peeled months later was a prettier, more appetizing shade of green than the last fresh one I cut into. It looks like it’s time to make some more room in the freezer.

If you want to keep your beloved avocados ripe for months, here how Ugarte recommends going about it.

How to keep your avocados fresh for months

1. 1.
   Put your avocados in the freezer when they’re at your desired level of ripeness.
2. 2.
   When you’re ready to use it, run it under hot water and let it sit on your counter for around 30 minutes.
3. 3.
   Once you can press your fingers into it, cut the skin in quarters with a knife.
4. 4.
   When you peel away the skin, you’ll find a fresh, ripe, and creamy avocado you can use in any dish you want.

That said, can you eat a brown avocado in the case you didn’t get to it before it developed a little grey spot here and there? In most cases, yes. And we’re begging you, don’t listen to the TikTok trend that recommends storing avocados in water—it’s considered unsafe by the FDA. 

These are all the benefits of avocados you should know about:

Want some new ways to use all those avocados you’re about to freeze? Try this creamy, multi-use avocado aioli that ups the flavor of every meal. Then learn how you can use avocados to make your favorite desserts so much healthier.