What is the best storage for cantaloupe? Can you freeze cantaloupe? How long does cantaloupe last in the fridge? We have answers to all of these food-saving questions and storage tips:
Best Storage
The countertop is the best place to store whole cantaloupe. To help it ripen faster, place it in a paper bag.
Once it is ripe or cut, cantaloupe should be stored in the fridge.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes.
Slice cantaloupe into wedges or bite-size chunks and freeze it in a sealed airtight container. Once defrosted, cantaloupe must be stored in the fridge and consumed within 24 hours.
Fresher For Longer
Whole cantaloupe should be left on the countertop to ripen. When you can smell the sweetness of the cantaloupe from the bottom and the stem gives way when you press on it, the cantaloupe should be refrigerated to extend its shelf life by a couple more days.
Use It Up
Get creative with your cantaloupe skin and use it as a bowl for fruit salads! This adds to the flavour and saves washing up.
A classic Italian favourite is to wrap cantaloupe chunks in prosciutto and drizzle with balsamic reduction. This makes for an easy crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Or add a savoury twist to it by trying the following:
- Sprinkle on a pinch of cardamom, paprika and sea salt and eat like a dessert.
Serve it with a generous drizzle of balsamic reduction.
Did You Know?
When selecting cantaloupe, notice the weight of the melon. The melon should feel heavy for its size. If it feels light for its size this is an indication of higher moisture content inside.
You can also tell whether a cantaloupe is ripe by its smell. The fruit should have a sweet, slightly musky scent.