Lemons are one of the most versatile fruits. Used in desserts, savory dishes, drinks, and even cleaning supplies; the possibilities are endless with a bright and juicy lemon. Plus lemons are good for your health. They contain iron, potassium, and significant amounts of fiber and vitamin C.
Here are 10 ways to keep your lemons fresh, preserve them long term, or use them up before they spoil.
1. Store lemons in a jar of water to keep them fresher longer
This simple and vintage tip will keep your lemons fresh for up to a month:
1. Find an empty, clean jar.
2. Put a few lemons into the jar and add in water.
3. Put in fridge.
Why does this work? The water adds extra moisture such that the lemons don't dry out.
2. Can lemon juice 
Here's a recipe for lemon juice:
1. Juice your lemons. You may need to run it through a sieve to ensure there's no pulp.
2. Heat up the juice over low heat. Fill up clean, sterilized jars with the juice, leaving some room at the top.
3. Take the hot jars of filled juice and place in boiling water bath canner for around 5 minutes.
3. Make lemon vanilla jelly 
Before your lemons go bad, try making this lemon jelly with a hint of vanilla:
1. Combine lemon juice (~15 ounces) and vanilla sugar (3.5 cups) in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil for about a full minute. Make sure to discard any foam that might surface.
3. Add in liquid pectin and continue to let it boil for an additional minute.
4. Take the mixture and pure into empty mason jars.
5. While in the jars, toss the jar in hot water bath for another 5 minutes.
4. Whip up a batch of lemon infused honey
Lemon infused honey is divine. Here's how to make it:
1. Fill an empty jar with as many lemon slices as you can, up to the halfway mark.
2. Add in honey on top of lemon slices. Fill honey to top of jar.
3. Cover the top of jar and let the mixture sit.
4. Every day, open the jar and push the lemons deeper under the honey. Repeat for 2 weeks.
5. Strain the new honey into a clean jar. Ta da! Store in fridge.
5. Can lemons to preserve them
Get the recipe from
Natasha's Kitchen.
6. Freeze lemons for instant lemon water and to keep them from going bad
Here's how to freeze your lemons: Put chopped lemon slices in a mason jar and toss in freezer. This simple method keeps the lemons from spoiling as it makes your lemon water nice and cold. They can be used in teas and cocktails, too.
7. Make tangy lemon syrup
Here's how to make this sweet and tangy syrup:
1. Mix up 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, and 1 cup of water in a sauce pan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Let it cool and store in jars.
4. Put it in fridge. This lasts for a solid month!
8. Use lemons to make an all natural disinfectant spray
This all-natural cleaning spray from
Bren Did can help protect your family from germs during cold and flu season.
9. Preserve lemons with salt
Attainable Sustainable explains salted citrus is not for eating. Get her unique recipe
here.
10. Make simple lemon curd in the microwave
Use up your lemons by making lemon curd. Here is a simple microwave recipe from
Live Well Bake Often.
