Spreading out our grocery shopping trips is one of the things I do in order to help my family stay within our grocery budget. That means I have to think about how long our food will last. I’ve found that by following my washing and storing techniques, I can store grapes in my fridge for up to six weeks!
Grapes make the perfect crunchy snack so they’re something that we always have in hand. By taking just a few minutes to wash them when you get home from the grocery store, you can prolong how long they stay fresh. This means you won’t waste any of those delicious grapes you just spent your hard-earned money on!
Washing Grapes
To wash your grapes, begin by cutting the bunches of grapes into smaller portions while leaving them on the stem. I call this a “grape cluster”. Cutting them into smaller clusters creates easy grab-and-go size portions for when you want a quick snack or for serving them to your family. When you leave the grapes on the stems they last longer. This is because the oxygen doesn’t get inside of the grapes and cause them to go bad.
Once your grapes are cut into clusters, place them in a large bowl and fill it with cool water. Next you will add ¼ cup of 5% Distilled White Vinegar to the bowl.
This next step is key, set a timer for two minutes and let the grapes soak until the timer goes off. When the timer goes off, drain the grape clusters using a colander and give them a good rinse. This helps to get rid of any extra pieces of stems that were in the water.
Lay the grapes in a single layer on a clean towel at room temperature to dry. They need to lay out for a few hours or until they are bone dry.
It is important to store grapes in a glass airtight container when they are completely dry. I prefer a paper towel at the bottom of a gallon sized glass jar, like this one. Put the lid on and place it in your refrigerator.
It is normal for some condensation to build up inside of your airtight container. You can simply remove the lid and wipe out the excess moisture with a paper towel or clean towel.
How To Store Grapes That Fall Off The Stems
When you have grapes that have fallen off the stems, place them in a separate small bowl. They will go bad faster and you don’t want them mixing with the grapes in the glass jar. Leave the bowl in the front of your fridge, or if it is only a few, on the counter where it’s easy to see. I have taught my family to eat the fruit in bowls first which prevents us from having any waste.
Follow these directions and take a few minutes when you get home from the grocery store to make your grapes last in the fridge for weeks!
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