How to Store Kiwi

How to store ripe kiwi fruit and keep it fresh for a month, plus how to freeze it and tips for eating the skin.

Kiwi fruit is about the size of an egg, has green or yellow flesh, is a sweet-tart treat, and is available in the U.S. from October to May. California is the sole producer of commercial kiwi. 

A staple for fruit salads, smoothies, and more, here is everything you need to keep kiwi fruit fresher longer. 

What is Kiwi Fruit

Also known as the Chinese gooseberry, kiwi is packed with fiber, folate, and antioxidants, making it very nutrient-dense. The fruit has green or yellow flesh and is a sweet-tart treat, and is locally available in the U.S. during the winter months. Most American-grown kiwifruit comes from California, which is responsible for about 98% of the production.

How to Buy Kiwi

Before cutting it (or eating it whole), you want to start off with the best kiwi fruit you can buy. Using your palm and the pad of your thumb, apply light pressure to the fruit. Do not use your fingertips! Feel for soft squishy spots. The fruit should be firm and bounce back to pressure. The skin should also be taut and not wrinkled.

How to Store Kiwi

Kiwi fruit prefers to be cold and like humidity. It is also highly sensitive to ethylene gas. This means store them away from apples, avocados, and tomatoes, to name a few. Store them in an airtight container for optimal freshness, but a sealed bag is fine. 

Unripe kiwis can last for a month or even longer in the fridge. Once they are ripe, just a few weeks. Well, longer actually but the sweetness will fade a lot before they spoil. Cut kiwi will only last about 3 days. 

How to Freeze Kiwi

You can freeze kiwi fruit if you don’t use the fresh fruit in time; however, the texture changes a bit—best frozen for smoothies. Lay prepared kiwi fruit on a lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer for 4 hours. Transfer frozen kiwi to a freezer-safe container. It will keep frozen for 12 months. 

Can You Eat Kiwi Skin?

The skin holds many antioxidants. In fact, there is a higher concentration of antioxidants in the skin than in the flesh of the fruit itself. The skin is a particularly good source of two major antioxidants: vitamin C and vitamin E.

You can save the skin from peeled kiwis which can be added to smoothies as a way to fight food waste.