Grapes are a delicious and healthy fruit snack. Then, after a week of planning, you discover your fridge is full of moldy, squishy berries you had planned to snack on throughout the day.

Or do the grapes spoil so quickly because you’re doing something incorrectly?

Grapes have a shelf life of about a week. For 3 to 5 days, grapes stored at room temperature are perfectly fine. Grapes should be kept in the refrigerator to preserve their freshness and shelf life. Refrigerated grapes keep for up to 14 days.

Storage conditions and shelf life of this tasty and healthy fruit are covered in detail in this article.

You’ll also discover how to keep grapes fresher longer and what to do if you find yourself with an abundance of grapes that you don’t know what to do with.

Do Grapes Go Bad?

Grapes must be consumed within a short period of time due to their high perishability. Apples, pears, and oranges are the only fruits that store well. As a result of their high sensitivity to moisture and heat, grapes spoil quickly.

Because grapes spoil quickly, we advise buying them in smaller quantities to avoid throwing away any of your hard-earned money. Picking the best bunch is the most critical step in ensuring that your grapes have the longest possible shelf life.

There are four things to look for when buying grapes:

1. A firm and a plump bunch of grapes is ideal.
2. The stem should be firmly attached to the flowers before placing them in arrangements.
3. The color of the grape cluster should be uniform throughout. In order to tell if grapes are green or not, look for a yellow tint to them. You should stay away from anything that has a green tint when cooking with purple grapes.
4. Instead of being brown and dried out, the stem should be bright green. Grapes with dried-out stems were harvested long ago and will go bad in a matter of days once you bring them home from the store.

In case the grapes are covered in the white powdery layer, don’t be alarmed. It’s a process known as blooming. The fruit is protected from drying out by this waxy, naturally occurring substance. It also serves as a defense against insects getting into the fruit.

The fact that something is in bloom also signifies that it is new. A few clusters of silver-white-coated good grapes are definitely worth snatching up when you see them.

Aside from learning how to pick good grapes, understanding how to store them properly is critical.

Even the freshest grapes from your local market will spoil in a matter of days if you don’t store them properly.

How to Store Grapes?

The shelf life of grapes can be extended by storing them either at room temperature in the pantry or in the refrigerator. When it comes to storing grapes, there are two things to keep in mind regardless of the method you choose.

The first thing to remember is not to wash the grapes in one go. Rinse as many grapes as you intend to consume before serving them to your guests. Leave the rest of the grapes unwashed to prevent them from going bad faster if there are water droplets between them.

Second, make sure the grapes are kept in a well-ventilated location. When it comes to keeping your grapes as fresh as possible, you need plenty of airflows.

Grocery store grapes are frequently sold in tattered plastic bags. In the event that you purchase grapes in one of these bags, you may choose to leave them there.

Should You Store Grapes in the Fridge?

The ideal storage temperature for grapes is 32°F, so the refrigerator is the best option.

When you bring the grapes home, immediately place them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. When it comes to grapes, the humidity in this drawer is just right.

Perforated plastic bags of grapes should not be opened or transferred to another container or bag. Remove any mushy or discolored grapes from the clusters.

Ventilation is essential if the grapes are packaged in a non-perforated bag. When not in use, keep the grapes in the crisper drawer and only wash them when ready to eat.

Visit How Long Does Tiramisu Last? to learn about Tiramisu.

How Do You Make Grapes Last Longer in the Fridge?

Here are some suggestions for preserving the freshness of grapes in the refrigerator.

1. Never Leave Bad Grapes on the Stem

Never store fresh grapes with bad grapes in the pantry or refrigerator. Every other day, check the grape clusters for defects and remove them.

Doing so is more critical than you might imagine. Removing moldy or rotten grapes from the bunch as soon as you notice them will help keep the rest of the bunch fresh for a longer period of time.

2. Store the Grapes in the Back of the Fridge

It’s a bad idea to keep grapes on the fridge door. The door of the fridge has a higher temperature than the rest of the fridge.

It’s best to store the grapes at the back of the fridge, where it’s the coolest and darkest.

Grapes store well in the crisper drawer. However, it frequently contains a wide variety of other healthy ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables. It’s critical to know where else you can keep your grapes.

3. Store Grapes Separately from Strong-Smelling Products

Grapes are good at absorbing odors because they have a porous surface area. Keep grapes away from strong-smelling foods like garlic and cheese, whether they’re in the pantry or the fridge.

How to Store Grapes Without a Fridge?

As long as your fridge has room, you can keep grapes out of the fridge if you prefer not to eat them cold.

Only if you know you’ll be eating them all day should you leave grapes out at room temperature. However, in this case, you must ensure that the fruit is kept away from sources of heat and sunlight.

Also, dry the grapes completely before putting them in a bowl to look lovely on your kitchen counter.

Should You Leave Grapes on the Stem?

Unwashed grapes should be left on the stem if possible. Grapes that are tightly wound around the stem will stay fresher longer.

You can wash the grapes ahead of time so you can just grab a jar and go about your day, but here’s how to do it:

1. Fill a bowl halfway with water and add the grapes.
2. To the water, add 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar.
3. For about 10 minutes, soak the grapes in the solution. When you use vinegar on the grapes, the mold spores will die off.
4. You can begin removing the grapes from the stem while they soak. Taking the stems off the grapes stops ripening immediately. Do not eat any grapes that are wilted or discolored in any way.
5. Run cold water over the grapes to remove any remaining pesticides.
6. Let the grapes air dry on a piece of paper towel.
7. Once the grapes have dried, place them in a glass jar of your choice.
8. Keep a jar of chilled grapes in the fridge for snacking on throughout the day.

It’s critical to store your grapes in an airtight container to preserve their freshness. You shouldn’t put your grapes back in the bag from which you took them.

How Long Do Grapes Last?

Grapes have a short shelf life due to two factors. To begin, consider how fresh and flavorful the grapes were when you purchased them. Second, whether or not you’ve done a good job of storing your grapes.

Fresh grapes will keep for 3-5 days if kept at room temperature. Grapes kept in the refrigerator have a much longer shelf life. Depending on how fresh they were when you bought them, grapes keep well refrigerated for seven to fourteen days.

When it comes to grapes, you can tell if they’re still good or if they’ve already gone bad.

Here are the signs of bad grapes:

1. As they sit in the fridge or on the kitchen counter, grapes lose their plumpness, so their texture changes as well. Having a few days’ worth of soft grapes is to be expected; however, overly soft and mushy grapes should be thrown away.
2. Changes in Color – Another sign of spoiled grapes is discoloration. Toss any grapes that have turned a dark brown while you’re cooking them.
3. An Unpleasant Smell – If the grapes smell sour, don’t assume they are aging like fine wine. It’s about time they went.
4. If you see mold growing on your grapes, it’s time to toss them.

It’s critical to practice food safety at all times and to avoid eating spoiled grapes. You should be able to eat your grapes if there are no signs of spoilage on them.

How Can You Make Grapes Last Longer?

It’s not uncommon for large quantities of grapes to go bad if you either grow your own or buy too many when you see the plump, fresh fruits at your local market.

Do you have any ideas on how to extend the life of these grapes?

1. Freeze Grapes

The best thing to do with an excess of grapes that you won’t be able to finish is to freeze them. It doesn’t take long or much effort to freeze grapes.

Here’s how to freeze grapes:

1. Wash the grapes after you’ve removed the stems from them.
2. Dry them with a paper towel.
3. Put the grapes in a single layer on a baking sheet and cover them with parchment paper. In order to keep the grapes from sticking together, this step is critical.
4. Freeze the baking dish with the grapes on it after you’ve finished baking them.
5. Once the grapes are completely frozen and no longer stick together, place them in freezer-safe plastic bags.
6. For best results, consume within three to five months of purchase. In the freezer, you can keep your grapes for up to a year before eating them.

Frozen grapes don’t need to be thawed first. Actually, they’re much better off frozen than thawed, because thawing makes them soft.

You can’t go wrong with frozen grapes as a post-meal treat. Make cold shakes and smoothies with them, too.

Frozen grapes can be used to cool juices and even alcoholic beverages like wine. If you use frozen grapes instead of ice cubes, your drinks won’t get watered down.

2. Make Grape Jam

If you have an abundance of ripening grapes and no idea what to do with them, consider making jam. There are only a few ingredients needed to make grape jam.

To make a tasty preserve, simply combine sugar and lemon juice with the grapes.

Here’s how to make grape jam:

1. Make a pot of grapes and remove the stems before placing them in.
2. Cook the grapes in a small amount of sugar and lemon juice until soft. 4 cups of seedless grapes should have 1 tbsp. of lemon juice and 1 cup of sugar added to them, if possible.
3. The grapes should be crushed until they are the desired consistency.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes.
5. Allow the jam to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes before serving. The longer it takes to thicken the mixture, the more water there is in the grapes.
6. Turn off the heat when the jam has thickened and is holding its shape. Transfer the jam to clean, sterilized jars after it has cooled.
7. After making your own grape jam, store it in the refrigerator for up to a month before using it.

Water bath canning is the best method for preserving homemade grape jam. Homemade jam has a shelf life of 5 to 6 months when prepared this way. The jam will keep for up to a year if frozen.

You can even freeze your grapes now and make grape jelly later if you like to do that..

3. Make Raisins

The shelf life of grapes can be extended by up to two years by dehydrating them to make raisings. However, this is only true if you properly dried and stored the grapes.

Dehydrating grapes can be done in three ways: in a dehydrator, in an oven, or by letting them dry in the sun.

Directions for using a dehydrator are very simple if you have one. Simply wash and arrange the grapes in an even layer on the serving tray.

Dehydrate the grapes for 1-2 days on the fruit set. Every 7 hours, check on the drying of the grapes.

It’s also a snap to dry grapes in the sun. The grapes should be placed in a single layer, covered with a kitchen towel, and allowed to air dry for about three days in the sun.

If you live in a warm, dry climate, this is the best way to make raisins for you. A simple and accessible method is to dehydrate grapes in the oven, which almost anyone can do.

Here’s how to dehydrate grapes in the oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the grapes by removing the stems, washing them, and patting them dry while the oven is preheating.
3. Lay the grapes out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Leave the oven door slightly ajar when placing the baking tray in the oven. Drying grapes requires a lot of air circulation.
5. Dehydrate the grapes in the oven for about 4 hours, or until they are crisp-dry. Take the raisins out of the oven earlier if you prefer them plump.

The shelf life of plumper grapes is shorter. It is best to refrigerate and use up raisins within 20 days if they are still juicy inside.

Always keep in mind that drier grapes keep for longer periods of time.