Wondering “How to store cut onions in the refrigerator?”
We’ve all been there; accidentally cutting up a large piece of onion without thinking we’re using more than enough needed.
As we all know, an onion is among the most delicious and versatile food items that can be used in many dishes.
They are also very good for your health!
Onions provide four times the amount of vitamin C than an orange, they have anti-inflammatory properties, and they help fight against cancer cells. Not only that, but onions are great at removing bad breath because of their sulfur content.
With all of this in mind, it’s no surprise that many people use this wonderful ingredient for their everyday dishes.
However, it’s a common mistake to accidentally cut up more than we could use…
Luckily, regardless of how much onion we’ve sliced, we can still efficiently store them in the fridge.
But of course,
You can’t just simply store them in the fridge in just a bowl.
No way!
If you want to preserve the freshness of your onion and keep all of the flavors, nutrients, and minerals intact, then you need to store them in the fridge properly.
How do we do this, you ask?
Well, this article will give you all the answers you need (along with a whole lot of other helpful stuff)
So, let’s head on below to know…
How to Store Cut Onions in the Refrigerator
Onion; whether you love or despise them, we can never deny the fact this is one of the most useful ingredients ever used.
The root vegetable, which comes in a variety of forms, colors, and sizes, may have an odd taste and make you weep every time you cut into it, but an onion is a popular kitchen ingredient that some people can’t seem to live without.
Onions are essential for a variety of dishes, from vegetable stir-fries and onion rings to salads.
To prevent spoilage, it’s important to understand how to store an onion properly.
But why should you bother taking the time to do this when you can just still use them anyway?
For starters, you need to store an onion because they spoil quickly especially when you've already cut or diced them into tiny pieces since they are exposed to oxygen.
Another reason why proper storage is vital is that it helps you save more energy on preparations for cooking.
If you are not a believer yet, here are more reasons why you should take the time to store your onions:
- Properly storing cut onions will help preserve their freshness and flavor.
- Your food will taste better if you can keep the flavor of onions in it for as long as possible.
- It also helps to prolong the onion’s shelf life and prevents spoilage by sealing them tightly from oxygen-rich air, bacteria, and moisture.
- If done correctly, storing cut or diced onions in the refrigerator is one of the best life-hacks invented because it’s practical and helps save time.
Convinced? I’m pretty sure you are!
So now that we’re past that, let’s start talking about how to store cut onions properly.
Storing Cut Onion in The Fridge
Regardless if you’ve peeled, diced, or cut your onions, the rule of thumb you must never forget is to place them inside your fridge.
Cut onions should never be placed at room temperature because they’ll rot and spoil faster due to exposure to the air.
Don’t be fooled by how healthy and beneficial they are, storing cut onions improperly can shorten their lifespan significantly!
When you neglect this, you're risking yourself to a few nasty things such as developing eye and respiratory irritation from the gas that's emitted and of course, molds can begin to grow which can highly affect your health…
On the other hand,
Storing your cut onion in the fridge is a better option because it will slow down how quickly they spoil and it will also protect them from light, heat, and pests, which in return, will lessen the risk for food contamination.
Fortunately, storing cut onion in the fridge is pretty easy, and we’ll show it to you step by step.
Let’s begin!
Step #1: Pick a Container
Start off by picking out the best container to fit your cut onions…
You should pick one that is airtight, and preferably made out of a material that won’t transfer any flavor to the onions such as glass, stainless steel, or plastic.
You can go for mason jars or Tupperware, or any kind of containers that you might have at home as long as you can ensure it can be sealed airtight.
Step #2: Place in Your Cut Onions
For the second step, just simply take the left-over cut onion you have and place them in the container.
When placing the cut onion you need to make sure that there’s a little space between the food item and the lid.
Seal it properly to stop it from drying out or transferring any flavors.
Step #3: Store in the Fridge
For this step, take your newly sealed onion and place them in your fridge that is set to a temperature of 37°F or below.
However, for long-term use, it’s best to place them in the freezer since the cold will stop the oxidization process.
To help you remember the date of when you first placed the onion, it’s best to label it using a sticky note, so you can ensure that you consume it before it spoils.
Now that you’re aware of the best way to store your cut onion, we can now proceed to….
The New Learnings
Certainly, it’s a great feeling to know that you’ve learned so much about how to store cut onions and that this knowledge will help you save a lot of time in the future.
You’re now aware of the importance of storing cut onions, the benefits of doing so, and of course, how to properly do it.
With this learning, you’re sure to get the most out of your onions and not waste any single slice of them.
However, there are still many other things you need to know about onions and one of those is.
How Long Can You Keep Onions in The Fridge
Now that you know how to store onions, it’s time to talk about how long you can keep them.
In general, this is a question that has no specific answer because it depends on how quickly the onions will spoil.
Although you may be tempted to store your cut onion for longer than usual to save up, this might actually make things worse since it can affect the taste of your meal.
That’s why it is better to make sure you store your cut onion for no more than three days, but this may vary depending on how often the fridge door opens and how humid it gets in there.
When you store onions at room temperature, you can bet that they’ll only last for about two days.
But if you keep them in the fridge, they’ll last up to a week and if you store them in the freezer, they can stay fresh for as long as six months!
When storing them in the freezer, you need to make sure that you don't store them in a package, but rather spread them out on a tray and covered them with a plastic bag.
And when you store them in the fridge, make sure that they are wrapped tightly with plastic wrap too and a rubber band or parcel tape to avoid bruising.
This way they’ll last much longer and won’t take up too much space as well!
But how will we know when the onions you’ve stored are already beginning to spoil?
Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered!
Let’s read more about this in the section below…
Signs To Look Out For In a Spoiling Onion
Although you’ve followed proper storage, it’s still possible for your onion to spoil mainly because of environmental factors that have affected it like humidity or temperature changes caused by the frequent opening of the fridge.
If the onion has dark spots on its skin with a strong odor, this is a sure sign that it’s already beginning to spoil.
But if you’re not too keen about checking your onions regularly for these signs then there are other ways for you to know when they’ve gone bad!
Here are some of them below:
- Your onions will begin to feel soft and will have a pungent odor.
- The onion’s skin has turned gray or brown in color, which is not normal because it should be white.
- Your onions will feel slimy to the touch and may start emitting an unpleasant smell from their juices.
- Molds have started growing, or the onion has turned into slimy goo.
- The skin of the onions is breaking apart and has started to shrivel, this is another sign that they’re not fresh anymore.
- When you run your fingers across an onion’s surface it should feel smooth or slightly bumpy but if there are dry patches on its surface then it might be spoiled.
Regardless of how much you want to,
Never ever consume bad onion because it contains high amounts of sulfur, which will irritate your eyes and nose.
It can also give you stomach aches and even affect the taste of the food that you’re preparing with it.
Furthermore,
The unpleasant smell of spoiled onion will stay in the air and stick on your clothes for a long time too!
Learning Summary
The section discussed above surely is a life-saver that will not only help you ensure the outcome of your dish is fine, but also the health of you and your loved ones is ultimately protected.
With the given information, you now know that:
- Storing onions at room temperature can last for only 2 days.
- Storing them in your fridge will last them up to a week.
- Placing them in the freezer, spread out with a plastic wrap can last them up to 6 months.
- There are signs that can help you determine if the onion has spoiled or not.
We’re sure that you’ll be able to protect your family with this new learning and come up with the best tasting dish possible thanks to your fresh onions!
Now that we’re almost reaching the end
Let’s finally have our…
The Final Sayings
Indeed, we’ve learned so much in this reading journey!
You now know:
How to store cut onions in the refrigerator, how long you can keep them there, the signs you must look out for in a spoiling onion
and along with a lot of other things…
We’re now confident that you won’t ever have to waste a single onion thanks to all the information you’ve gotten and we hope that this article has been helpful to you!
Be sure to re-check this guide so you know how to use onions correctly and for the longest possible time.
Now go make some delicious food with your fresh, long-lasting cut-up onions!
And as always, don’t forget to save this post!