How Long Does Cauliflower Last?

Many people are wondering how long fresh vegetables can last. In this article we will deal with cauliflower.

Cauliflower is very popular vegetable because of its high vitamin content and easy way of preparation. Cauliflower is versatile and it can be used as an ingredient in many recipes. But, how long can you store it in your fridge? Does it need to be refrigerated or you can store it at room temperature? Apart from proper storage, we will also tell you something more about the shelf life of cauliflower.

Also, we will tell you how to be sure if your cauliflower is safe to use or it has gone bad. If you also love this vegetable, read along this article. We are sure that it will be useful and interesting for you. First we will tell you something more about cauliflower.

More about Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a vegetable that belongs to the family Brassicaceae that also includes broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and kale. Cauliflower is an annual plant and it reproduces by seed. Only the head of cauliflower is eaten and it consists of a white inflorescence meristem.

Cauliflower is low in calories and it has only 25 calories on the amount of 100 grams. It is also low in carbohydrates, protein and fat. But, cauliflower contains large amounts of vitamin C, as well as moderate levels of vitamin K and vitamins of B group. Cauliflower can be eaten raw, but it is often boiled, fried or roasted. When you cook a cauliflower you should remove the outer leaves and thick stalks.

The leaves of cauliflower are also edible but they are usually discarded. You can substitute cauliflower for rice or potatoes. Below you will find out how long cauliflower can last.

What is The Shelf Life of Cauliflower?

Like most fresh vegetables, cauliflower doesn’t have a sell by date, a best before date or a use by date, so you have to be based on the date when you have purchased this vegetable. Approximately, cauliflower can last about two weeks in the fridge. If cauliflower is frozen it can last for up to 8 months. Of course, you should provide proper storage conditions.

How To Store Cauliflower Properly?

Proper storage conditions are the most important when it comes to the shelf life of cauliflower. Like other vegetables, cauliflower will last for a shorter period of time if it is not stored properly.

If you want to extend the shelf life of cauliflower, you should store the whole head of cauliflower in a plastic bag that is sealed tightly. You should place this bag in the vegetable drawer in the fridge. It is necessary to refrigerate cauliflower if you want it to stay fresh. It is very important that you don’t rinse the cauliflower before storing. You should rinse this vegetable just before using it. If you wash it earlier your cauliflower will go bad more quickly. If you want to store a cauliflower for a long term, you should freeze it. But, you should first blanch the cauliflower and place it into freezer safe containers.

How To Tell if Cauliflower Has Gone Bad?

You will easily notice that your cauliflower has gone bad. The first sign of spoilage are the brown spots that appear on the outside of the cauliflower head. If you notice these spots early, you can cut them off and cauliflower will still be safe to use. But, when brown spots begin to spread over the white head of a cauliflower it means that your cauliflower has gone bad.

Also, it is possible that cauliflower turns completely black or starts molding. In this case you should discard it immediately. If cauliflower is bad it will start also to smell bad and it will change in texture. It will probably be slimy and it will get a moist. Cauliflower will lose its crispness and you should not eat it. If you have a purple or a green cauliflower, similar changes will happen, but it will be more difficult to distinguish brown spots on them.

Summary

Like almost all other vegetables, cauliflower doesn’t have a pretty long shelf life. You should store it properly if you want to maximize the shelf life of your cauliflower. It means that you should place it in airtight containers in the fridge and to keep it away from moisture. As we have already said, don’t wash cauliflower until you decide to use it. It won’t be difficult to tell if cauliflower has gone bad. You will notice brown or black spots on the head of cauliflower and it will be too smelly. In this case you should discard it. Remember that spoiled foods are usually associated with many health issues so don’t use them in your diet.

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