Winter squash can last for months when stored properly! Use these storage tips for butternut, acorn, pumpkin, spaghetti, and delicata squash to enjoy these all season long.
Is your fresh produce always going bad before you use it? Winter squash like pumpkin, butternut, spaghetti, acorn, and delicata squash can be a great option for you!
These sturdy squash are picked in the fall and when stored properly can last until springtime.
Type of Winter Squash that Can Be Stored for Months
Winter squash differs from summer squash because it has a hard, thick outer peel. The peel of butternut, spaghetti squash, kabocha, buttercup, and hubbard and pumpkin are inedible, but you can eat the peels of delicata and acorn squash if sliced thinly enough.
This thick outer peel allows winter squash to be stored for many months in the right conditions.
Varieties of winter squash that can be stored for months include:
- Pumpkin
- Butternut
- Acorn
- Hubbard
- Kabocha
- Spaghetti
- Buttercup
- Turban
- Red Kuri
- Delicata
How to Store Winter Squash to Increase the Shelf Life
Keeping winter squash in the right conditions can greatly extend their shelf life.
Find a place in your home with these conditions:
- Temperature: 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit
- Humidity: less than 70%
- Storage: Good air circulation – store off the floor in a wire crate if possible to allow airflow from all directions
- Location: Away from fruits like apples and pears, which release ethylene gas and can cause other produce stored nearby to spoil more quickly
Always make sure to check on your squash regularly to check for spoilage. At the first sign of a blemish or if the winter squash is becoming soft, it’s time to cook it!
Winter squash can go from “perfectly fine” to “a complete disaster” almost overnight, which can shorten the shelf life of any other squash stored nearby.
How to Tell if Winter Squash Has Spoiled
With winter squash, it’s clear if it’s gone bad. Sometimes the entire squash will literally implode in on itself!
Before that happens, the first signs of spoilage are usually soft areas in the otherwise dense, hard outer peel. Also look for unnaturally dark spots, cuts in the skin, or liquids coming from the squash.
Sometimes there will be liquid that leaks from the stem after being picked; this is normal and doesn’t mean the squash has gone bad.
Ways to Cook Winter Squash
Winter squash are so versatile and can be used in savory dishes like this Greek Spaghetti Squash or in sweet meals like this Pumpkin Spice Granola.
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Happy seasonal eating,
Dietitian Ann
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