Delicata Squash – Long and skinny, Delicata squashes are yellow with green or orange stripes running the horizontal length. They have thinner skin than a butternut and are great for using as a cooking vessel (see recipes below), since they hold their shape well when cooking.

Cushaw — Most often used in the more savory dishes, this type has a long and slightly curved neck, is usually a brownish tan, and has a thin skin like butternut squash. These come in a dark green variety also that can be confused with the inedible gooseneck squash, so be wary.

While butternut squash is not among the most pesticide-laden foods according to the Environmental Working Group, purchasing it organically, preferably from a farmers market, is still our preferred route – especially since we advocate eating the skins!

However, they could also make you quite ill if you’re not careful. Squash can contain a toxic compound called cucurbitacin E., which can cause cucurbit poisoning, also known as toxic squash syndrome (not to be confused with toxic shock syndrome) in people who ingest it.

Both the rind and flesh will develop dark spots when the squash begins going bad. You can also look for small white patches on both the skin and flesh which are a sign that the squash has spoiled. Mold will sometimes appear as a green or black growth on top of or within the skin or flesh.

How to Tell If Butternut Squash Is Bad? You should start by checking the rind. It should be firm, fairly even in color, and without any mushy or rotten spots. Of course, if there are only a few small squishy or damaged spots, you can cut them out as you do with other veggies.

A study published in Clinical Toxicology in 2018 published a study from France that found 353 cases of reported adverse effects reported from eating bitter squashes. Diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain were the most common symptoms.

For cut or chopped butternut squash, it can last 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Make sure to store them in an airtight container or it will shorten their shelf life dramatically. Once the butternut is cooked or baked, it should last 4 to 5 days in the fridge.

This rot begins just below the sunken spot visible on the outside of the fruit. In cases where only a few fruit spots occur, rotten areas can be cut out and the remainder of the fruit can be cooked and eaten.

It all comes down to color and firmness. Bright orange flesh that’s firm to the touch is what you’re looking for. If there are any minor mushy or rotten spots, cut them out. Over time the seeds’ section might turn stringy and look kind of disgusting. That’s the butternut starting to dehydrate.

Cut. Refrigerate cut butternut squash immediately. Wrap the squash securely in plastic wrap, or slide the squash into a resealable plastic bag, then store the squash in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer. When securely wrapped, cut butternut squash keeps it quality in the refrigerator up to five days.

You should store summer squash (like zucchini) in the fridge, but thick-skinned squash like acorn, butternut, or kabocha should stay at room temperature. This is partially to preserve their texture, but it’s mostly because squash tend to take up a lot of real estate in the drawers and on the shelves of your fridge.

3 to 5 days

If you wait too long to harvest, the squash will be too mushy. When butternut squash first appear on the vine, they will have green vertical lines on them. As the squash matures, the lines begin to fade and the rind turns to a pale orange or brown color, depending on the variety.

Answer: Butternut squash are mature (ready to harvest) when the skin is hard (can’t be punctured with the thumbnail) and uniformly tan in color. When harvesting, leave a 1-inch stem on each fruit.

Butternut squash tastes better and lasts longer when allowed to ripen on the vine, but if winter arrives early, you can harvest early and try using curing techniques to improve the length of storage.

Keep it At Room Temperature If you don’t need to use your butternut squash right away, you’ll want store it raw and whole (don’t peel it!) in a cool, dark place; on the counter works, too. It can last for one to three months this way, so don’t worry about it going bad if you decide to stock up way ahead of time.

When picking butternut squash, carefully cut the fruit from the vine with a sharp knife. Make sure about 2 inches (5 cm.) Fruits that have been bruised, cut, or have their stem removed should be eaten as soon as possible because they won’t store well.