If you receive a basket of fresh fruit or even if you go to your local market to buy some for yourself, it’s always good to know how long they will usually last. Now, there are several factors to consider. From the type of fruit to how ripe they are, all of these aspects will determine just how long your fruit will stay fresh.

How ripe they are

When you take a look at different types of fresh fruit, it’s important to make sure that they are still ripening. In other words, instead of opting for bright yellow bananas, you should go for the green ones. They will continue to ripen in the next few days and they tend to ripen quickly so you won’t have to wait long to enjoy them. If your fruit is already ripe, it will not be a few days before they start to go bad.

Fruits that spoil fast

Of course, there are also some types of fresh fruit that tend to spoil faster than others. Some examples include berries (blackberries, raspberries, cherries and strawberries) as well as avocados. If you avocados are not yet ripe and you want to use them within the next couple of days, you can place them beside some bananas. Bananas release a kind of gas that causes other fruit to ripen but they also cause ripened fruit to go bad so make sure you only keep avocados nearby while unripe.

Longer lasting varieties

There are also some types of fresh fruit that last an entire week without going bad even if they are perfectly ripe. Examples include apples, pomegranates and cranberries. Some fruits that will last up to one week after ripening include grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, limes, oranges, plums, pears, lychees, watermelon and apricots.

Avoid damaged fruit

Another important tip to remember is to avoid buying fruit that shows signs of damage. Even if the fruit has not yet fully ripened, if it is damaged it will start to go bad very quickly. Inspect your fresh fruit thoroughly whenever buying.

Finally, don’t forget to keep a close eye on your fresh fruit each day. Make sure to eat fruit that is very ripe so that it doesn’t go bad. In addition, as soon as you notice any fruit starting to spoil, you should remove it from the fruit bowl since it can cause the rest of your fruit to go bad too.