How long does cantaloupe last?

A whole cantaloupe keeps 2 to 4 days at room temperature and 5 to 15 days in the fridge from purchase. Honeydew keeps 2 to 7 days on the counter and 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Cut melon keeps 2 to 4 days in the fridge, according to FoodKeeper.

Food	Fridge	Freezer	Pantry
Cantaloupe	5–15 daysfrom purchase	12 months	2–4 daysfrom purchase
Honeydew	3–4 daysfrom purchase	12 months	2–7 daysfrom purchase

Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.

How to tell if a melon has gone bad

A fermented, alcoholic or sour smell, much stronger than ripe melon's sweet scent.
Soft, sunken or moldy spots on the rind, or leaking juice.
Mushy, slimy or translucent flesh.

How to store melon

Let an unripe melon ripen at room temperature, then move it to the fridge.
Scrub the rind under running water before cutting: bacteria on cantaloupe's netted rind can be carried into the flesh by the knife.
Refrigerate cut melon within 2 hours in a sealed container and eat it within 2 to 4 days.
Keep cut melon away from other foods: its smell spreads.

Can you freeze melon?

Yes, cubed or balled, for up to 12 months. Freeze the pieces in a single layer, then bag them. Thawed melon is soft, so use it in smoothies, sorbets or drinks.

Questions

Should melon be refrigerated?

Whole melons ripen on the counter, then keep longer in the fridge. Cut melon must always be refrigerated.

How long does cut cantaloupe last?

2 to 4 days in the fridge, in a sealed container.

How can you tell if a cantaloupe is ripe?

It smells sweet at the stem end, gives slightly when pressed there, and the netting stands out over a golden, not green, background.

Add melons to ShelfLife and get a reminder before the cut half in the fridge goes off.

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