Storing Apples

It’s apple season. Take advantage of the wide variety and availability by storing some of these nutritious fruits to enjoy for months to come.

Some apples like Lodi only last a few weeks while Cortland, McIntosh and Red Delicious last for 3 to 4 months or more.

Use bruised, cut or damaged fruit as soon as possible. Only store firm blemish-free apples. Use larger ones first as their quality deteriorates faster than the smaller ones.

Apples keep best when stored at temperatures between 40 and 30 or 32 degrees with 90 percent humidity. Most of us don’t have spaces suitable for keeping large quantities of apples over a long period of time.

You can extend the life of apples by storing them in perforated plastic bags in  a cool refrigerator. This increases the humidity around while allowing for air to flow through the holes.

A bit more information: If long-term storage is not possible, consider preserving apples. Make them into sauce or apple pie filling for canning. Or dry them into fruit leathers. If all this is too much work, consider sharing with a neighbor or donating to a food pantry in your community.