Here's How Long Fresh-Squeezed Juice Lasts In The Fridge

One of the most refreshing pleasures coming naturally from the earth is the ability to partake in the organic act of creating freshly squeezed juice. Whether you've ventured to a farm and handpicked nature's sweetest candies from the branches, or simply strolled through your local supermarket or produce stand, selecting fruits can become a joyous and engaging adventure. Even more fulfilling is once you've started a good squeeze and created some very delightful — and fresh — drinks. You can celebrate the fact that you've actively participated in the creation of your own juice, a tradition that can easily become overlooked these days.

You may consider stocking up and storing your freshly squeezed juice in your fridge for the week ahead. However, to preserve your juice's optimal freshness, limit storage to no more than three days. What can be better than pouring yourself some freshly made juice on a warm summer day or after a good workout? How about serving some to guests who will finally want to indulge in some of your organic drinks? To ensure the highest quality in your refreshments, it will be necessary to prepare additional juice after the three days. Creating your own homemade juice will genuinely be the fruit of your labor, pun intended.

When you store your freshly squeezed juice, you not only want to preserve its fresh quality but also its nutrients and vitamins. The juice you make by hand, whether from fruits or vegetables, will contain these elements and you'll be much more likely to benefit from them if stored in the fridge for a minimum amount of time. Any longer than three days and not only will your juice lose its flavor and nutrients, but it will also taste less pleasant and may even be unsuitable for consumption. Indeed, the longer your juice is in the fridge, the more likely that harmful bacteria will grow. Barring that, making your own juice can add a lot of benefits to your diet.

If you decide to make juicing a part of your weekly activities, you won't be alone. Food Network star Guy Fieri is well aware of the benefits of juicing, so much so that he insists on bringing a juicer to the set of every episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." That's right, even the mayor of Flavortown makes juicing part of his schedule. If you simply can't make the time to routinely juice, you can opt to store it in the freezer. When you store your juice in the freezer, you'll also be able to enjoy it a bit longer: For up to 12 to 16 months. While you won't get the same amount of nutrients this way, you can still get most of its intended effects and enjoy an ice-cold beverage.

You'll want to find the best containers possible to store your freshly squeezed juices in. One of the best you can use for your refrigerator is airtight containers that are made of glass. You'll want to fill each container up as much as possible so that there's less of a chance of oxygen buildup. You can also throw in a slice of fruit to help restore even more of the nutrients and vitamins in your juice. It can be one of the fruits you used for your juice, or you can vary it up and throw in a different kind to give it a subtle hint of another flavor. 

Make sure to throw in a piece with some of the peel still on. Fruits like apples, plums, mangos, and grapes have edible peels that are full of important vitamins and nutrients. For instance, apples with skin contain higher amounts of vitamins such as vitamin C, K, A, and potassium than apples that had their skins peeled. Another important element in fruit skins are antioxidants and soluble fibers called pectins which help with your digestion. So, there you have it, folks. Hopefully now you'll be on your way to making some delicious and nutritious refreshments that will keep you going throughout the week — as long as you store it all properly.