A Waste-Not Guide: How To Select, Store & Use Limes

One thing you can do: Make perfectly good food go the distance. We have tips.

Seasonality is the key to healthy eating, but fresh produce doesn’t last forever. The average New Zealander throws out more than $1500 worth of groceries every year, much of it fruit and veg that was past its best when sold, then stored incorrectly and not eaten fast enough at home.

So our mission is two-fold: to eat with the seasons, prioritising sustainability, freshness and locally grown produce; and to reduce food waste, by learning what to look for when buying fresh produce, and what to do with it when you get home.

In this series we cover the basics everyone should know about how to select and store their fruit and veg, and then the easiest, most delicious ways to prepare and eat them, from figs to tomatoes and cherries. This week: limes.

When are limes in season?

The New Zealand lime season runs from mid-March until late July. You’ll see them in stores almost year-round, but if you’re buying outside that window, they’ll either be imported or grown in NZ under glass or plastic — and the price will reflect that.

The price of limes

It’s an annual news event, talking how about damn expensive limes are — but if you’re eating seasonally and buying limes when they’re in season, limes can drop as low as $5 a kg.

“The problem is that New Zealand limes are ready in the winter,” says Greg McCartney of Lime Affair in Ardmore, “and that’s not when people want them in their cocktails.”

What to look for when buying limes

Limes start out deep green then slowly lighten, through green to yellow, which is when they’ll drop off the tree. Shoppers generally want a light green lime for the appearance, but there’s nothing wrong with yellow — they’re full of juice.

Give them a little squeeze — there should be a slight give and that’ll tell you your lime is full of juice. If they’re rock hard, put it back — although limes will soften a little over two or three days, a rock-hard, dark-green lime is not going to develop into a light green juicy one on your kitchen bench. So buy them at the colour and texture you want them.

If you want to try your hand at growing them

Go for it, says McCartney. “Limes are hardy — we hack the hell out of them and they just recover. Shape them how you want them — our fruiting limes are basically hedges. You can be pretty nasty to them, and they’ll be fine.”

But they do like a good sunny place and no wind, and no wet feet. “If you’re planting them in clay, make sure they’re up the slope — don’t dig a bathtub for them.”

How to store and care for limes

A New Zealand lime will store for much longer than an imported one, simply because it hasn’t been harvested long ago. (If your lime has travelled from California say, it’s likely to have been picked more than a month ago, and will likely develop brown blotches within a week of you buying it.)

Local limes, however, should last around six weeks in a nice, cool place such as your pantry (9C is ideal, so the fridge is too cold). Don’t store them in the fruit bowl, where the ethylene from your bananas will cause your limes to age too quickly.

Before slicing, you should roll the lime on a board or your bench to release the juice inside. Then cut the lime from end to end rather than round the middle — you’ll get more juice from the fruit that way.

As for how to use them, “obviously in a cocktail is not that bad,” says McCartney. He also throws them into dressings, stir-fries, curries, and ceviche. Basically, in everything.

Our favourite lime recipes

Lime pickle

This fragrant pickle is great on a cheese board, and will last up to six months.

Wasabi, ginger and lime-crusted salmon

Sour, crunchy, salty and spicy, it’s a winning formula over vermicelli noodles.

Cucumber and citrus salad

Light and refreshing cucumber and citrus go perfectly together in this simple salad.

Potato, lime and cherry tomato curry with raita

Cutting limes into wedges is a quick way to add flavour to a slow-cooked dish or a simple potato curry recipe like this one.

Petite Kitchen’s zesty breakfast tabbouleh

This breakfast tabbouleh using puffed millet is light, zesty and full of great texture.

Mandarin and lime marmalade

Try using this marmalade as a glaze on a pork loin (pictured) with some slow-cooked fennel — just one of the many ways to enjoy its sweet goodness.

Ginger and lime kisses

These gingery biscuits go well with morning coffee, a cuppa or a sweet treat after dinner. The lime and rum flavour will get only better with time.

Brioche and poached rhubarb with lime curd

Perfect for a weekend breakfast, this moreish brioche is perfectly paired with soft rhubarb and an easy-to-make lime curd.

Key lime pie with quick candied limes

A tart tin with a loose bottom will help make the removal of this key lime pie simple. If you don’t have one, line the tin with baking paper so when it’s cold you can carefully lift it out.

Melon with mint, lime and pink sea salt

The subtle, sweet flavour of melon is accented with a hint of lime and fresh mint. Try adding crushed pistachios to lend a lovely crunch.

Passionfruit and lime mousse

A light and luscious mousse with plenty of passionfruit tang.

Dairy-free mango, lime and mint thickshake

Try this light breakfast thickshake recipe — it’s bright, creamy and refreshingly invigorating. It’s also gluten and refined sugar-free, as well as being suitable for vegans.