Making an investment in your health and switching to a raw food diet is so important on so many levels. However, it can also be a financial investment, as healthier foods tend to cost more than their unhealthy counterparts that are so frequently seen in the SAD (Standard American Diet). With that being said, you may be wondering how long do raw fruits and veggies last? You’ll want to ensure to eat them before they go bad so you make the most of your investment in your health and your budget.
How Long Raw Fruits and Vegetables Last
If you’re wondering how long do raw fruits and veggies last, it depends on what the item is. Fresh produce all has differing shelf lives, so you’ll need to remember when you bought things to know how much longer you’ll have them. Of course, this also varies on how ripe they were to begin with when you purchased them.
- Apples – 4-8 weeks if stored in the refrigerator.
- Avocado – 4-7 days at room temperature. However, if these feel mushy, then they are far past their prime ripeness and need to be tossed. To make them last longer and not ripen as quickly, put them in the refrigerator.
- Bananas – 2-5 days, depending on how green they are at the time of purchase.
- Blueberries – 1 week. You may get more and may get less, especially depending on how ripe they were when purchased. Look for them to have a firm appearance and no wrinkles. They’re bad if they’re moldy, wrinkly or have a mushy appearance.
- Broccoli – 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Carrots – Most carrots have an expiration date on the bag, but if yours don’t, then they should last 3-4 weeks, depending on their freshness at purchase.
- Cucumbers – These last about 1 week in the fridge. Once they start to get a sunken-in appearance, it’s time to toss them.
- Lettuce – 7-10 days. Lettuce can go bad very quickly, so keep an eye on it and use it up before it begins to turn mushy or look discolored.
- Lemons – These can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator they will last 3-4 weeks.
- Onions – They last up to 3 months if refrigerated, which means you can use these slowly and not have to worry about them going bad.
- Oranges – These are another good fresh fruit that can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated. In the fridge, they’ll last 3-4 weeks.
- Peaches – 1-3 days. This is a fruit that you’ll need to eat pretty quickly after purchase.
- Strawberries – 3-7 days in the refrigerator. Of course, you’ll want to watch for mold as it’s hard to say when they were picked or if they were properly refrigerated after picking.
- Tomatoes – They will last up to a week at room temperature, though they can also be refrigerated.
- Watermelon – You get 7-10 days at room temperature to enjoy this delicious summer snack.
- Zucchini – 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Zucchini won’t last forever, but it’s a great veggie to have on-hand.
Hopefully knowing how long these fruits and vegetables will last will help you to better plan your meals in the future and ensure that not a single piece of food goes to waste.
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