How long do melons last?
Melons keep for 2 weeks in the fridge, until ripe in the pantry, up to 1 month in the freezer. Times are USDA FoodKeeper quality guidelines from the point of purchase unless noted.
Until ripe
Until Ripe, then 7 days. Ripe is when this item is tender, fully developed and ready to eat.
2 weeks
from the package date; after opening: 2 to 4 days
1 month
best quality within
Freezing guidance applies to balled melon.
How to tell melons have gone bad
General signs for produce: fresh fruits, the group USDA lists melons under.
- Soft, mushy spots that were firm a day or two before
- Visible mould, often fuzzy white, green or grey
- Leaking juice or a fermented, alcohol-like smell
- Wrinkled, shriveled skin on fruit that used to be firm
- Sour smell replacing a fruit's normal sweet scent
More on produce: fresh fruits. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Keep most fruit in the fridge's crisper drawer, but leave bananas, avocados and stone fruit on the counter until ripe. Store ethylene-sensitive fruit, like berries, away from apples and bananas to slow ripening. Wash fruit just before eating, not before storing, since early washing speeds up spoilage.
More in produce: fresh fruits
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). Times assume a fridge at 40 F (4 C) and a freezer at 0 F (-18 C). How we decode the data.