How Long to Store Fresh Zucchini: Will Last Until Winter

June and July are the seasons for ripening juicy zucchini and preparing delicious dishes with this vegetable. Also in the middle of winter one prepares canned zucchini for the winter. But if you run out of strength for canning, and you do not even want to look at dishes from this vegetable – zucchini can be kept fresh for several months.

Which zucchinis are suitable for long-term storage

Zucchini – dark green zucchini with a dense skin – are well suited for long-term storage. Also, zucchini with white peel, such as varieties of “white fruit” and “white fruit” can be preserved until winter. Their rind becomes very hard by winter and retains flesh well. Yellow zucchini spoil the fastest.

How to understand that zucchini can be stored for a long time? Pay attention to the following signs:

  • The zucchini is fully ripe, but not overripe;
  • The fruit is medium in size;
  • The skin can hardly be pierced with a fingernail;
  • The skin does not show any marks or damage that could hasten decay;
  • the fruits have a whole “tail” not less than 10 cm long;
  • The fruits have never been washed.

Zucchinis can be stored immediately after harvesting. Selected zucchinis should be wiped from the soil with a dry cloth and dried in the sun for a few days. Then their skins will harden, which will extend their shelf life.

Zucchinis for long-term storage should not be washed.

How to store zucchinis for the winter in the refrigerator

Store zucchini in the refrigerator can be in a plastic or paper bag. You need to make holes in the bags so that the zucchini “breathe”. Wrap the zucchini in such a package and put it in the vegetable drawer at the bottom of the refrigerator. You can also wrap the fruit in a vegetable net bag.

Zucchini can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. If you notice signs of rotting on one fruit – take it out.

How to save zucchinis for the winter in the cellar

If the house has a cellar – this is the best option for storing zucchinis. At a temperature no higher than +6 degrees and humidity no higher than 85% zucchini can stay fresh for 6 months. Zucchinis can be stored in the cellar in three ways:

  • put in cardboard or wooden boxes (do not cover with a lid);
  • put individual fruits in nets or kapron tights and hang them as high as possible;
  • lay the zucchinis out on a “nest” of hay or straw.

How to preserve zucchinis until winter in the apartment

Store zucchinis until winter can be directly in the apartment in a dark place, for example, in the pantry or under the bed. This method of storage is not very long – fruits with a thin peel at room temperature will be stored for 3-4 weeks and with a hard – 2-3 months.

For indoor storage, take any box with holes in the walls. Cover the bottom with paper or newspapers. Place zucchini vertically in the box with their tails up. Place the box in any dark and not too hot place.

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Written by Emma Miller

I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and own a private nutrition practice, where I provide one-on-one nutritional counseling to patients. I specialize in chronic disease prevention/ management, vegan/ vegetarian nutrition, pre-natal/ postpartum nutrition, wellness coaching, medical nutrition therapy, and weight management.

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