How long does butternut squash last in the fridge?

How long does butternut squash last in the fridge?

The butternut squash is a winter-type squash that grows on vines. It belongs to the same squash family of Ponca, Waltham, pumpkin, and calabaza. It is commonly known as butternut pumpkin or gramma in Australia and New Zealand. Butternut squash has a nutty and sweet taste in tan-yellow color. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A sources. Let’s get into how long cook butternut squash lasts in the fridge.

Freeze Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is seasonal food. An individual can only store them to enjoy their taste during the other days of the calendar. Thus, the individual wants to know how long butternut squash last in the fridge. The storage requires freezing. This method requires air-tight fridge bags.

Portioning cooked butternut squash makes thawing easier, always to thaw overnight in the fridge.

Here, we will discuss keeping the butternut squash fresh in the freezer for months.

• Peel the skin of the butternut squash, then cut off and remove the stems and seeds. All these needs happen before putting the butternut squash in the refrigerator.
• Chunk and smash the butternut squash. The butternut squash is either sliced down in chunks or mashed in this step. The chunks are then lined on wax paper and frozen for an hour. After all these, an individual puts the butternut squash in a freezer bag for storing purposes.
• Label the container containing the butternut squash to note how long the butternut squash has been in the refrigerator. And will also helps understand how long the butternut squash stays fresh.

Ways to Thaw Butternut Squash

The butternut squash needs thawing before consumption. Unlike most vegetables and fruits, one cannot thaw raw butternut squash in the refrigerator. Thawing turns the butternut squash into a mushy texture and degrades its quality.

However, this isn’t the same for cooked butternut squash. Cooked butternut squash should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight. Cook the raw butternut squash after taking it out of the freezer to preserve the quality of the butternut squash.

Butternut squash has a similar shelf life, just like spaghetti squash. One can store whole butternut squash in the pantry or a kitchen for a month or a little more. A cellar with controlled temperatures can store butternut squash for two months or more.

A sliced butternut squash stays fresh for a maximum of five to six days. The same goes for butternut squash as well.

Ways to Store Butternut Squash

Store butternut squash in a cool and dry place. Keep butternut squash similar conditions as that of eggplant. The ideal temperature to store butternut squash is 50 F to 60 F. The second best option is to store them in a pantry.

Butternut squash in refrigerators destroys the vegetable’s texture. If brought in packaged butternut squash, one should never forget to remove the packaging. Never keep butternut squash close to any other ripened fruit. The ethylene gas produced destroys the shell life of the butternut squash.