How Long Do Fresh Green Beans Last? – The Best Storage Methods

Sharing is caring!

Last Updated on December 6, 2022 by Guillermina

Green beans are found in almost any holiday staple.  These great tasting beans go well with so many dishes because they are so delicious and nutritious.

They can also be highly productive, meaning you can harvest more than you can eat at any one time and will need to store them. This makes it important to know the answer to the question, ‘how long do fresh green beans last?’, and in this article, we will do just that.

How To Store Green Beans In The Fridge

Whether you are purchasing or buying your fresh green beans, it is important to know how to store green beans in the fridge, and how to clean green beans before storing them. Only select the ones that do not look like they are close to rotting for storage. So look for ones that have a vibrant green color and do not have any brown or soft spots on them. If you do have these ones, process them first. Another way to check your green beans for freshness is to check whether they snap when you break them.

Once you have selected your beans, you can choose to cut them up or store them whole. Either way, just dust them off to remove any soil or other particles that you do not want, do not rinse or wash them before storing them. The drier they are, the less likely they will be to spoil quickly, sometimes moisture can be your enemy. If you do have to wash your green beans for whatever reason, it will be better to freeze them, that way they will last longer.

Airtight plastic bags such as these, which can be purchased off amazon or your local grocery store work best for storing your beans fresh or frozen.

How Long Are Fresh Green Beans Good For?

And, how to store green beans after harvest? If harvested, processed, unwashed and stored correctly in the right container or plastic bag, and then put in the crisper in the fridge, fresh green beans will stay fresh for 5-7 days.

While you can keep green beans fresh in the fridge, you can further extend their shelf life by storing them in the freezer. Freezing will help you get the most out of your green beans. This will be especially helpful if you have harvested or bought more than you can eat in the 5-7 days that they will stay fresh for.

A great way of storing your green beans in the freezer is to first blanch them. Blanching is the process of bringing your vegetables into a quick boil, usually followed by plunging them into ice cold water. This process helps to stop the actions of the enzymes that would otherwise cause loss of flavor, texture and color. Blanching will help your green beans stay fresh and maintain their crunchiness. Frozen green beans can stay fresh for up to 8-10 months.

 how long are fresh green beans good for

When To Throw Away Your Stored Green Beans

Despite all the best efforts you could use to keep your green beans fresh, there is only so much time you can keep them before needing to toss them. Over time, as they get old you will see them start to develop brown spots, the seeds start to come out of the pods and they may also get moldy. When you start observing all these, sadly, it is time to get rid of your beans. Once they start to get slimy, they are no longer safe to eat.

Green Beans Season

It is possible to harvest green beans all year round if they can be provided with the best growing conditions, however, their peak production season is in the summer or early fall. These beans are highly productive and can be incorporated into many dishes such as salads, curries, stir-fries, and stews. Did you know that you can also pickle them for longer storage life? You can do so much with green beans, the choice is yours.

Green Bean Recipes

As already mentioned, there is so much you can do with green beans, and here I will give you a list of my top 5 favorite green bean recipes that you can try using your fresh or frozen green beans;

  1. Green bean casserole
  2. Green beans and potato curry
  3. Parmesan roasted green beans
  4. Lamb stew with green beans
  5. Summer minestrone soup

Health Benefits Of Green Beans

Green beans are high in vitamin K and calcium. These are important nutrients for maintaining bone strength and health. The vitamin B in green beans is important for treating or helping with mental health issues such as depression.

Incorporating green beans into your diet and whatever age, fitness or health level you are at will be nothing but beneficial. So why not do so now and build up your health bank, instead of only starting to eat them as a treatment method? With so many recipes to choose from, it has never been easier to get healthy

Conclusion How Long Do Fresh Green Beans Last?

We hope this article has been helpful in providing you with the information you needed to know about storing green beans and extending their shelf life.

This should not be hard, as demonstrated in this article. As long as you can you can process them correctly, reducing the amount of moisture if you are storing them in the fridge or freezing them properly in a zip seal bag or another container will help your green beans store well for a long time.

how to store green beans in the fridge
How Long Do Fresh Green Beans Last? - The Best Storage Methods 10

The bonus information such as the recipes and nutritional benefits provided here should help you get excited about consuming more or start to consume green beans.

You can also grow your own green beans at home if you would prefer, but they are also widely available at supermarkets. You can purchase small quantities to get started, and we can guarantee that you will go back for more!

If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, please feel free to share it with your friends and family.

Sharing is caring!