Beverages
How long does fresh-squeezed lemon juice last in the fridge?
Juice you squeezed yourself gets 6 days in the fridge and 12 months in the freezer — squeeze what the recipe needs and freeze the rest in cubes.
How long does it keep?
| Fridge | 6 days |
|---|---|
| Freezer | 12 months |
Can it sit out?
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is perishable — the FSIS 2-hour rule applies.
Perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown out — 1 hour if it’s 90°F or hotter (a picnic, a hot car, a summer kitchen).
How to tell if fresh-squeezed lemon juice has gone bad
- A fermented or yeasty note riding over the citrus
- Fuzzy specks floating in the jar
- A bitter, flattened taste it didn’t have on day one
When in doubt, throw it out.
Roll the lemons hard on the counter before juicing — you get noticeably more out of each one.
Quick answers
How long does fresh-squeezed lemon juice last in the fridge?
Juice you squeezed yourself gets 6 days in the fridge and 12 months in the freezer — squeeze what the recipe needs and freeze the rest in cubes.
Can you freeze fresh-squeezed lemon juice?
USDA’s freezer window for fresh-squeezed lemon juice is 12 months.
How long can fresh-squeezed lemon juice sit out?
The FSIS 2-hour rule applies to fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be thrown out — 1 hour if it’s 90°F or hotter (a picnic, a hot car, a summer kitchen).