Bell peppers have low calories, a high concentration of vitamins, and intense flavour. They are highly versatile and enjoyable in any form, as a raw snack in a salad or adding to your favourite entree. The life of the pepper totally depends on the purchase date, as it doesn’t have any use by date or best before date. The shelf life of bell peppers is limited like all other vegetables. It depends upon the type of bell peppers and also on how they are stored. The way of cutting bell peppers, and the place of storing them, deeply influences the life of bell peppers. Here are the scenarios discussed on how long do bell peppers last in the fridge.
Refrigerating The Bell Peppers
One of the finest ways to store pepper is to store whole bell peppers in a plastic or produce bag. Produce bags are made of mesh which allows them to receive plenty of air. Make a hole in the bag if you are using a plastic bag. Avoid tying a knot or closing the bag to ensure airflow to keep it fresh. The airtight bag will spoil it faster. Make sure you store them without washing them as moisture will make them rot faster. This will allow them to last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Chopped or stored peppers can last for three to five days if stored properly. Cooked peppers have a shelf life of three to five days.
Freezing The Bell Peppers
- Begin with cutting off the stem and slice them in half. Slicing, chopping, or dicing the bell peppers will make them freeze effectively.
- Put the cookie sheet and set it in the freezer until they are frozen. Pour and spread the peppers into a freezer bag. Both raw and cooked peppers last up to one year when frozen properly.
- Place the peppers in a freezer bag or airtight container and squeeze out the air before sealing the bag. Mark date on the bag or on the container as they last up to one year.
- Move the frozen pepper out of the fridge before defrosting it for eating.
Tips To Save Chopped Bell Peppers
You may often wonder how to save your chopped bell peppers. Here are simple few steps to follow:
- Slice them into pieces and allow them to dry. Use tissue paper or a dry paper towel to wrap them nicely. This helps them not get damp in the fridge.
- Always keep the chopped pieces in the plastic bag or in an air container. They should be placed in a sealed container within 2 hours of chopping.
- Put the container in the drawer of the fridge.
Bell Peppers Expiration Date In Refrigerator
The better quality of peppers will stay long. Always buy peppers with firm skin, with a green stem, and without any wrinkles. Here is a rough idea of how long the peppers last in the fridge.
- whole green bell peppers last for two to three weeks
- yellow whole bell peppers last for one to two weeks
- Fresh whole red bell peppers last for one to two weeks
- Fresh orange bell peppers last for one to two weeks
- Chopped bell peppers last for one to three days
- Frozen chopped bell peppers last for four to six months in a freezer
How to tell if Peppers are spoiled, rotten, or bad?
The type of pepper can affect its shelf life and also how it is stored can have a greater impact. The bacterial growth causes spoilage, which forms moulds when the inner surface of the peeper is exposed to the air carrying microbes. There is often confusion in finding out whether the peeper has turned bad or spoiled. Here are signs to identify the bad peppers.
- The skin of the pepper should be smooth and shiny and reflect back light to give it a glossy look. The peppers with large sunken points are not good to eat.
- Throwout and discard the veggie if it starts growing mould onto it or becoming rotten.
- The fresh peppers are firm and tight to touch. Place them into your palm and press a little. It is likely to go bad if it has a dent in it.
- Smell and check the odour of the pepper. An unpleasant smell is surely a sign of rotting.
- The bell should be crunchy and delicious in taste. The bad pepper feels flimsy and chewy while eating.
Conclusion
Bell peppers are colorful and yummy produce which adds a lot of taste to a recipe from salads to soups. The first question that always arises after buying them is, how long do they last in the fridge. The lifespan of a refrigerated pepper is about one to two weeks. This can slightly vary if the bell peppers have been chopped or sliced. This is followed by another question, How Long Do Bell Peppers Last In The Fridge. Usually, you can store them in the freezer for about one year.