You've Been Storing Cantaloupe Wrong This Whole Time

A summertime fruit, cantaloupe has a rough, very textured exterior with a bright orange, juicy interior. Similar to that of other summer fruits, cantaloupe tastes delicious in smoothies, desserts (sorbet, anyone?), alcoholic beverages, fresh bowls of fruit (obviously), and with prosciutto — a savory, authentic Italian antipasto (via The Spruce Eats).

In case you aren't persuaded yet to hit up your local grocery store and stock up on cantaloupe, the sweet fruit also has lots of health benefits. According to Healthline, cantaloupe is super rich in beta-carotene (an antioxidant), vitamin A (great for healthy red blood cells and the immune system), vitamin C (aids with muscles, cartilage, and collagen), fiber, and potassium, which can help refuel electrolytes.

Likewise, Healthline says cantaloupe has 1.5 grams of protein per cup and can also boost your magnesium, calcium, copper, and vitamin K levels. Basically, cantaloupe is an all-around winner, and because not a lot of people have all this information in their back pocket, cantaloupe is typically always in stock. Lucky you!

Unlike refrigerated-only fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, cantaloupe doesn't need to be refrigerated until it's ripened and prepared, as explained by The Spruce Eats. However, it's a little trickier than that. You see, placement and storing temperature greatly differs on whether your cantaloupe is already ripened or not upon purchase.

If ripened and uncut, it's okay to keep it on the counter for up to three days, or it can go straight to the fridge and will stay fresh there for up to five days. Once you break into the cantaloupe, you should try to finish it within three days, as the freshness and taste will start to dilute as days go by. It may also start to get mushy. Store cut cantaloupe in an airtight container such as Tupperware.

Onto unripe cantaloupes. If the cantaloupe isn't ripe when you bring it home, allow it to ripen on the kitchen counter, but never next to other fruits or veggies. The Spruce Eats explains, "...the ethylene it [cantaloupe] gives off will cause the produce around it to ripen more quickly." When the cantaloupe is ripe, prepare immediately and follow ripened cantaloupe instructions for fridge storage and best by dates.