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Fruit and vegetables

Lemons: what they are, how to pick and store them

Juice and zest add brightness. The zest is the thin yellow outer skin, where the fragrant oils are; the white pith under it is bitter.

How to pick them

Choose lemons heavy for their size, with thin, glossy skin that gives a little when you press: they're the juiciest. One lemon gives about 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice.

Usually at their best from December to April: see lemons in season.

How to store them

Refrigerate them in a bag in the crisper; they keep far longer than on the counter. Zest before you juice.

Out of lemons? What to use instead

  • Lime juice: The same amount. A different, more floral aroma; works almost everywhere.
  • Bottled lemon juice: The same amount. More sour and flatter; fine in cooking and baking, less bright in dressings and drinks.
  • White wine vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sharper, with no citrus aroma.

Swaps for lemon juice, with what changes

Lemons: cups to grams

Lemon juice
MeasureGrams
1 cup244 g
½ cup122 g
⅓ cup81 g
¼ cup61 g
1 tablespoon15 g
1 teaspoon5.1 g
Lemon zest (grated peel)
MeasureGrams
1 cup96 g
½ cup48 g
⅓ cup32 g
¼ cup24 g
1 tablespoon6 g
1 teaspoon2 g

Weights from USDA FoodData Central. Lemon juice: converter and grams to cups Lemon zest: converter and grams to cups

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Pick and store tips are in our own words. Storage times and safe temperatures are only shown where a U.S. government source gives them, named on each line; for anything not listed here, see USDA's FoodKeeper app.