Food Shopping and Storing How to Store Grapes So They Stay Firm and Fresh Stretch the shelf-life of your grapes with these tips. By Ariel Klein Ariel Klein Instagram Ariel Klein is a freelance writer specializing in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, technology, home, cooking, and gardening topics. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Well+Good, Travel+Leisure, Better Homes and Gardens, and Food & Wine magazine. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 9, 2023 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article View All In This Article Whole Grapes Cut Grapes Freezing Grapes No matter the variety, grapes make for a delicious snack, especially when they’re spread across a beautiful charcuterie board (they’re of course also delicious in liquid form, if you catch my drift). But grapes also happen to be a pricier produce item, and can spoil quite quickly if not stored properly. It can also be difficult to pick the perfect bunch of grapes since they’re so tightly clustered together.Still, there are a few things to look out for when examining grapes at the grocery store. It’s always important to make sure they’re firm, plump, and attached to the stem. If you pick up a bag with loose grapes rolling around at the bottom, that’s a good indicator that they may be quicker to spoil. And while this may seem like common knowledge, you should also avoid grapes that are moldy, watery, and shriveled at the stem. However, if you see a whitish coating on a bunch of grapes, that’s totally fine. It’s called “bloom,” which is a naturally occurring substance that protects grapes from moisture loss. Larisa Davydova/Getty Images 13 Foods That (Basically) Never Spoil Now that you know how to pick out a stellar bunch, keep reading for tips on how to store grapes so you can enjoy them for weeks at a time. How to Store Whole Grapes Have you ever walked into someone’s kitchen and noticed a big, beautiful bowl of grapes on the counter? While grapes may make for a convenient grab-and-go snack when stored this way, this is the quickest way for grapes to lose their moisture and crispness.Instead, whole grapes should be washed, patted dry, and then stored in a well-ventilated container in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. This will allow them to last for up to three weeks. You’ll want to avoid putting them into an airtight container or plastic bag, since that prevents air circulation. You could also keep whole grapes in the bag they came in if you don’t have a proper food storage container. How to Store Strawberries So They Won't Spoil Quickly How to Store Cut Grapes If you have leftover cut up grapes, there’s no need to toss them just yet! Cut grapes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. If you notice the edges start to dry up and brown, that’s fine—they’re still safe to eat.Use any leftover cut grapes as a yogurt or oatmeal topping, or as a bite-sized snack. Can You Freeze Grapes? Yes, you can freeze grapes. And if you’ve never had frozen grapes, what are you waiting for?! They make for such a quick and delicious snack or dessert—basically like an all-natural, bite-sized freeze pop. Does Flour Go Bad? Here's When You Should Replace Your Baking Staples To freeze, simply rinse and dry your grapes and spread them out on a lined baking sheet. Place them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight, and once they’re frozen, you can put them in a storage container so they’re easily accessible. Just make sure that your grapes aren’t clumped together on the baking sheet, otherwise they will freeze together (which I guess isn’t the worst thing). If you’re feeling especially fancy, you can roll your frozen grapes in coarse sugar to add some extra sweetness. Just make sure you enjoy them immediately! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Indiana Yard and Garden -- Purdue Consumer Horticulture. Harvesting Grapes. Accessed March 14, 2023.