How to store watermelon
Best place: the counter or pantry, then the fridge. Watermelon keeps for 1 to 2 days at room temperature; the fridge stretches that to 3 to 4 days, and the freezer to 12 months.
1 to 2 days
from the package date
Or until ripe.
3 to 4 days
from the package date
12 months
best quality within
USDA notes for watermelon
- Or until ripe.
How to tell watermelon has gone bad
General signs for produce: fresh fruits, the group USDA lists watermelon 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.
How to store other produce: fresh fruits
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.