Brussels sprouts are a type of vegetable that really divides opinion. When it comes to these green, pungent vegetables, you either love them or hate them.
There really isn’t any middle ground when it comes to Brussels sprouts. But there is no denying that these vegetables are incredibly nutritious.
If you are new to eating Brussels sprouts, then you might want to find out more about how to prepare, cook and store these vegetables.
If so, you are in the right place. In this quick guide to Brussels sprout shelf life, we’re telling you everything that you need to know about these vegetables.
Read on to find out more.
What Is The Shelf Life Of Brussels Sprouts?
First things first, let’s take a look at how long the shelf life generally is for Brussels sprouts. Like most vegetables, Brussels sprouts will generally last for a couple of days when bought fresh.
If you purchase your Brussels sprouts fresh, you will need to store them in the refrigerator when you bring them home, regardless of if they are raw or cooked.
No matter whether you cook or leave your Brussels sprouts raw if you are storing them in the refrigerator, they will be safe for a maximum of 5 days. After that, they will need to be thrown away as they will be unsafe to eat.
Alternatively, if you want to extend the shelf life of your Brussels sprouts, then you can freeze them. As is the case for pretty much all foods, you can easily extend the shelf life of your Brussels sprouts by freezing them.
You can cook your Brussels sprouts before freezing them, or you can freeze them raw. Either way, freezing your sprouts will extend their shelf life by around 12 months.
So, generally, the shelf life for your Brussels sprouts will be 3–5 days when they are fresh. But, you can extend the shelf life to around 12 months if you freeze your sprouts.
Buying Brussels Sprouts
If you want to extend the shelf life of your Brussels sprouts by as much as possible, then this begins when you are buying your Brussels sprouts.
Purchasing the right type of Brussels sprouts will allow you to get the best shelf life for the vegetables. So when you are buying Brussels sprouts, consider the following.
Your Brussels sprouts should be tightly packed together, and not loose. They should be bright green in color and have a natural, fresh smell to them.
Choose smaller Brussels sprouts over larger Brussels sprouts, and avoid any with blemishes, holes, or signs of fungus. This will give your Brussels sprouts the best possible shelf life.
Storing Brussels Sprouts
The next step in extending the shelf life of your Brussels sprouts is the way in which you store them.
Lots of people wash their sprouts immediately after purchasing them, but this is a mistake if you want to extend the shelf life of your Brussels sprouts as much as you possibly can.
Instead of washing your Brussels sprouts immediately after purchasing them, delay washing them until you are ready to eat them.
Washing them early can cause the leaves to turn yellow, and from there, your Brussels sprouts will deteriorate quickly. So delay washing your Brussels sprouts until you are ready to use them to make them last longer.
Handling Brussels Sprouts
When you are preparing your Brussels sprouts to cook, you should begin by washing them thoroughly with water. This will get rid of any impurities and dirt, leaving your Brussels sprouts clean and ready to eat.
Once washed, you should trim your sprouts from the outside in. This will protect any of the healthy leaves in the center of the Brussels sprouts.
Loosen the leaves ready for cooking, and cut away any signs of deterioration. You should only eat Brussels sprouts that have a healthy appearance, otherwise, you might make yourself unwell.
Cooking Brussels Sprouts
Finally, cooking your Brussels sprouts in the right way is essential in order to allow you to access the nutrients of these vegetables. In fact, if you want to maximize the nutrients, you don’t even need to cook your Brussels sprouts.
There are tons of different ways to cook your Brussels sprouts, so follow the recipe for whatever style of sprouts you prefer.
No matter whether you prefer your sprouts fried, baked, or boiled, they are delicious vegetables and a great source of nutrients.
Summary
In short, Brussels sprouts have a fairly short shelf life when stored in the refrigerator, and this is fairly standard for most vegetables.
However, if you want to extend the shelf life of your sprouts, you can easily do this by freezing them. Once frozen, your sprouts will last for roughly 12 months in the freezer.
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