Cuties are a delicious citrus fruit and healthy snack for kids and adults. You can buy them in large quantities, so you always have one ready to go when you get a craving.
But do they last forever? When do they expire? Fresh fruit can’t last forever, but if you store clementines in the fridge it can certainly can help. So how long do Cuties last in the fridge?
Cuties clementines will typically last between one and three weeks when stored properly in a refrigerator. On average, you can expect a shelf life of about two weeks or so before they start to loose their freshness and go bad.
Cuties are these adorable clementines specifically marketed toward kids. Unlike some mandarins or oranges, Cuties clementines are small, sweet, easy to peel, and soft.
Some oranges, mandarins, and other clementines can have seeds or fluctuate in flavor. But Cuties are consistently yummy and ideal for getting kids to eat fruit and get their Vitamin C!
The Cuties company loves to advertise how much kids enjoy this fruit. But how healthy and beneficial are Cuties for kiddos?
Cuties are a Quick and Easy Snack that are Easily Transportable
Even though Cuties are sweet and tasty, they’re very beneficial to a child’s diet. Clementines are also a great addition to an adult diet. Check out these four health benefits of eating these adorable clementines.
Cuties and similar fruits are antioxidant-rich, making them a great snack to have every day. Some antioxidant compounds, like hesperidin and naringenin, are only in citrus fruits like oranges and clementines.
Antioxidants can help prevent cancer and combat signs of aging and the presence of harmful free radicals in the body.
The human body needs minerals to maintain bone health, balance fluids, and more. Cuties contain valuable minerals like copper, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
But clementines are incredibly high in potassium, one of the most important minerals for the human body. Potassium supplies your body with electrolytes for energy, as well as enzymes to aid in digestion.
As mentioned, Cuties have tons of Vitamin C, which is one of the most important vitamins for humans. It helps boost immunity, fighting off harmful bacteria to keep you healthy and energized. Vitamin C also helps keep your hair, skin, and bones healthy.
Along with Vitamin C, Cuties also have high amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, niacin, thiamine, and pantothenic acid.
These vitamins can be hard to work into your diet, but having a Cutie as a daily snack can supply your body with more than enough Vitamin C and other nutritious compounds.
The human body loves fiber! Cuties, like most fruits, deliver a high supply of dietary fiber, which can help regulate digestion and keep your gastrointestinal tract healthy. Cuties are high in soluble fiber, helping the body process food, and may prevent diabetes and high cholesterol.
Now that you know why you should enjoy Cuties as a guilt-free snack, it’s time to learn how to properly store them so they won't go bad on you.
Not everyone likes their fruit the same way, so you may want to leave them out of the fridge for a mild room temperature. And most of these orange storage rules also apply to fresh orange and mandarin oranges.
The simple and quick answer is that a clementine will typically last about two weeks! But they can also be kept frozen or at room temperature if you prefer. But the fridge is the best place to keep Cuties fresh, plump, and juicy.
The best way to store oranges - including Cuties - is to keep them accessible and fresh is to put them in your fridge. Keep them loose or in the netted mesh bag they come in, as sealing them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag can trap moisture and make them go bad more quickly.
Store them in a way that allows air to circulate them, keeping them fresh longer.
The best place to store your cuties in the fridge is in a crisper drawer! These drawers allow air to circulate but keep the Cuties perfectly cold and juicy.
You may store clementines in another part of the fridge, but they soften more quickly or lose some flavor over time. So how long will Cuties last in the refrigerators?
As mentioned, Cuties will last between one and three weeks in the fridge, depending on their condition.
Cuties Store Clementines and Other Fruits in Your Refrigerator to Preserve Freshness
Cuties will last significantly longer in the fridge, but you can also keep them at room temperature if you don’t enjoy a super cold clementine. Simply leave the clementines on a counter or table out of direct sunlight. Do not keep them in an airtight container.
Like Cuties in the fridge, Cuties out of the fridge need air circulation around them, so they stay fresh and don’t soften too quickly.
Store them in an open bowl, bag, or box. It’s best to leave them in an open space rather than in a pantry or cabinet where there is no air circulation.
Cuties at room temperature, properly stored, will last between two and eight days before they start to go bad.
Can you store Cuties in the freezer for later? Contrary to what many people believe, yes, you can! Many fruits cannot be successfully frozen, but clementines freeze well and hold most of their flavor.
To freeze clementines, you must peel and separate each orange segment. The same applies for all frozen oranges. While you can put whole, unpeeled Cuties in the freezer, they likely won’t be good when they finally thaw.
So peel and separate the segments. Then, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and put them in the freezer.
They will lose some flavor from being frozen and may be mushy when thawed. But they won’t go bad and will still be edible.
Frozen Cuties segments will last between ten and fourteen months.
Aside from freezing, Cuties will always last longer when the orange peel is left on. It’s best to keep the peel on your clementines if you want them to last longer. Only peel them if you plan to eat them within a day or two.
At room temperature clementines with the peel can last up to eight days. In the fridge with a peel, they can last up to three weeks.
Clementines without their orange peels are a different story. If you unpeel the clementines and divide the orange slices, they will only last about 24 hours at room temperature. Their shelf life may be even shorter if they are not in an airtight container.
When storing peeled fresh clementine slices in the fridge, they can last up to four days if kept in an airtight container or bag.
Old oranges and old clementines start to go bad in the same way. Fresh orange and fresh clementine will be round and firm. But if you notice your Cuties clementines taking on any of the following characteristics, they may be too old.
Old oranges and Cuties clementines start to get soft and mushy. Clementines are much softer naturally than oranges. But if they feel way softer than they were when you bought them, they may be bad.
They should have a firm feeling when you gently squeeze them rather than a flexible shape. A mushy clementine is typically still safe to eat but likely won’t taste as yummy.
As clementines lose their freshness, the peel will darken. As long as the peel is still orange, it should still be fresh and safe to eat. But if they’re becoming brown, green, or black, they have likely reached the end of their shelf life.
Clementine discoloration is obvious and the same with a bad orange, so you’ll know right away they are no good. But if you notice discoloration, check all the clementines.
You don’t need to throw away ones that look unaffected and are still a lovely orange. But if you see any fuzzy mold, it’s time to move on.
Simply put, clementines should always smell sweet and citrusy. If you notice they smell like anything else, especially a rotting type of smell, they’ve probably gone bad, and you should dispose of them.
You Can Use Cuties for Blends, Fruit Juices, Smoothies - or Even in a Fruit Salad Before They Go Bad
Below are commonly asked questions about storing similar citrus fruits.
Oranges last approximately the same amount of time as Cuties, staying fresh for a week at room temperature and ast most a month in the fridge.
A clementine is a type of mandarin orange that will keep for the same duration as an orange. About a week on the counter and at most a month in the fridge.
Clementines typically only grown in warmer climates like Florida in the United States. But if You’re a big fan of clementines, you can actually get your own indoor tree that should bear fruit within a year or two!
Yes. While not as popular as regular orange juice, you can buy mandarin juice which can be made from clementines. You can also use cuties to make your own clementine orange juice at home.
Unless you have a large gathering and can count on the cuties being consumed within a couple of days, cuties should be refrigerated to extend their shelf life up to two weeks or more - even up to a month in some cases.
