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Selection & Storage Tips

How to Keep Your Dragon Fruit Fresh

Chef Justin
Chef Justin Timieri

Here are some guidelines for keeping your noble produce fresh and delicious.

Selection

at the Grocer

  • At the grocery store look for plump dragon fruit with smooth skin.
  • The skin should have a few brown spots, but not have shriveling skin or drying scales.
  • Squeeze it slightly. If the flesh gives slightly it is likely a good sign that that dragon fruit is perfectly ripe.
  • If you want to ripen at home for eating later in the week, choose a dragon fruit that is a bit firmer on the squeeze.
  • The fruit will continue to ripen on your counter.

3 to 4 Days

On the Counter or in the Pantry

Store fresh, unwashed, uncut dragon fruit in a room temperature area for 3-4 days. Storing dragon fruit on the countertop will allow the fruit to continue to ripen.

8 to 14 Days

In the Fridge

Place Dragon Fruit in the refrigerator crisper drawer or in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Storing dragon fruit in the refrigerator slows down the ripening process, and the sealed container helps prevent dragon fruit from picking up the flavors of other refrigerated foods.

Up to 6 months

In the Freezer

You can freeze dragon fruit if you follow these directions.

Up to 6 months
in the freezer

You can freeze dragon fruit if you follow these directions.

How to Cut and Freeze for Smoothies and Salads (for long-term freezing)

  • Wash dragon fruit. When produce is not washed dirt and bacteria on the outside will be passed onto the dragon fruit flesh.
  • You can cut the dragon fruit lengthwise and use a spoon or a melon scoop to make small pieces. Or, you can cut off both ends, and make a cut just deep enough to get through the thick skin. You should be able to peel the skin right off, and then cut the dragon fruit into small squares or sections.
  • Place the pieces on a tray covered in parchment paper. Try to keep small separation between the pieces and then freeze. Once frozen, simply put the pieces in a sealed bag or container and place them back in the freezer until you need to use.

See our recipes section to see how to use dragon fruit in smoothies and salads.

Note: It is best to place frozen dragon fruit in your smoothies before it defrosts.

Lightly Freezing the Whole Dragon Fruit

(Short-term freezing for the sweeter yellow dragon fruits)

Yellow dragon fruit is the sweetest variety, sometimes called “nature’s ice cream.”

To enjoy as a frozen treat, lightly freeze the whole fruit in a sealed bag for a day or less. Then cut in half through the middle (not lengthwise). Scoop out the frozen sweet flesh from each half with a spoon. Serves two.

See our video in the recipes section if you want to enjoy yellow dragon fruit this way.

Warning!

Do Not Freeze

It is recommended that you don’t freeze whole citrus fruit. Because of its water content and structure, when thawed it will be reconstituted a bit more soggy and with less of its original flavor.

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Oranges vs. Tangerines Per Capita was 80/20–Now is 60/40 (and Gaining)

According to the USDA, the Florida tangerine citrus group “has soared in popularity, with per capita availability more than doubling between 2000 and 2022. This broad group includes tangelos, mandarins, clementines, and traditional tangerines. A comparison of per capita fresh tangerine and fresh orange availability over the last 20 years shows the share going to tangerines increasing from 20 to 40 percent.”

The article goes on to say that growth of the U.S. tangerine market coincides with the launch of marketing campaigns for easy-peel seedless mandarins…”

See the USDA Economic Research Service Article