You cut open an avocado to put a slice on your salad or to spread on your toast. Rarely do you ever use the whole avocado, but once you put it in the fridge, the surface turns brown. To avoid tossing even a morsel of these tasty but pricey fruits, try one of the following tips next time.
The usual solution: Leave the pit in
Photo by Gabby Phi
This tends to work at least a little. The area under the pit stays green, but the rest of the surface still tends to turn brown.
Plastic Wrap
The plastic wrap acts as a slight barrier against oxygen, which will slow the browning, but over time, the surface will still turn brown.
Lemon Juice
Photo by Caroline Liu
The acid from the lemon slows the browning process. However, over time, the avocado may turn slimy.
Onion
Photo by Elizabeth Layman
Cutting an onion releases various sulfur compounds, so placing several chunks of onion in the container keeps the avocado green.
Olive Oil
Photo by Jessica Payne
The oil prevents the avocado from hitting the oxygen and stops or slows browning.
Special tip: Top guacamole with water
Photo by Parisa Soraya
Put your homemade guacamole in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Make sure to pack it in to get rid of any air pockets. Fill the container with water to the top, seal the container, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to eat the remaining guac, poor off as much water as you can, and stir the rest into the guacamole.