Earlier this season I was blessed with a steady stream and quite generous supply of organic fresh-picked lemons from one of my cardiac rehab patients. (Thank you, Bob S.!) Although I couldn’t possibly consume even one of his weekly harvests in a couple of weeks, I found a way to keep them fresh for a long time.
I truly appreciate these little homegrown globes of sunshine as their juice and zest add a zing of freshness to my handmade salad dressings as well as green salads, dips, sides, fish, and fresh fruit. And if you’re a natural homekeeper like me, you’ll also use the lemons for cleaning!
After trying different methods over the years through trial and error and some by accident (!), here are the BEST and WORST ways to get the most juice out of your lemons (and limes) and make them last:
THE BEST:
- Sealed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated! I found they will last for well over a month in the refrigerator — really! The sealed bag helps to retain moisture, so the lemons don’t dehydrate as quickly.
THE WORST:
- Stored at room temperature on the counter. They’ll get hard and dry. Although I must admit, I sacrifice a few because I love how their bright colors brighten up my kitchen and tabletop.
- Stored loosely in your refrigerator. They’ll shrivel up and turn brown even in the crisper drawer.
- Stored in the supermarket produce bags and refrigerated. They’ll dry out in these flimsy bags regardless of where you store them in your fridge.
Karen’s Fit Tip: After you’ve juiced your lemon, slice them into quarters and toss them in your garbage disposal with a few ice cubes. It’ll clean the disposer, knock off the gunk that’s built up on the blades, so they keep grinding properly (it does NOT sharpen the blades), and it’ll smell oh-so-fresh! 🙂 And to get the most juice out of your lemons, here’s my latest and greatest Fit Find!
