You do not have to refrigerate butternut squash if you plan to use it within a few weeks, and in fact, keeping it out of the fridge is often the better choice.   Butternut squash is a winter squash that stores beautifully at room temperature, so refrigeration is not a requirement for most home cooks. … Read more

Yes, you do have to pollinate squash if you want to enjoy a harvest of plump, delicious fruit later in the season.   Squash plants produce separate male and female flowers, so pollination isn’t automatic.   If you’ve ever wondered, “Do you have to pollinate squash, or will the bees just handle it?” the short … Read more

Yes, you do have to pick butternut squash before frost if you want to save the fruit from damage, because a hard freeze can ruin the texture and shorten storage life.   If you’ve been asking “do you have to pick butternut squash before frost,” the short answer is yes, ideally before the first killing … Read more

You don’t have to peel yellow squash before cooking, and in most cases, you shouldn’t.   The skin of yellow squash is thin, tender, and completely edible, so peeling it is optional rather than necessary.   That said, there are a few situations where peeling yellow squash makes sense, and we’ll get into those below. … Read more

You don’t have to peel summer squash, and for many types, leaving the skin on is actually the better choice.   The skin of summer squash is thin, tender, and completely edible, so peeling is more of a personal preference than a necessity.   If you’ve ever wondered whether you have to peel summer squash … Read more

You do not have to peel patty pan squash.   Their thin, tender skin is completely edible and actually holds plenty of nutrients and flavor.   But whether you peel patty pan squash depends on a few things like size, texture, and how you plan to cook it.   So if you’ve been wondering, “do … Read more

You don’t have to peel honeynut squash.   That’s right, that thin, tender skin is completely edible, and leaving it on saves you time, effort, and a whole lot of frustration.   If you’ve been asking yourself whether you have to peel honeynut squash before roasting or mashing it, the short answer is no.   … Read more

You don’t have to peel kabocha squash, and in fact, many people don’t.   The skin is edible, nutritious, and becomes perfectly tender when cooked properly.   So if you’ve been asking yourself “do you have to peel kabocha squash,” the short answer is no.   But there are a few situations where peeling kabocha … Read more

You don’t have to peel crookneck squash, and many cooks actually prefer leaving the skin on.   The skin of crookneck squash is thin, tender, and completely edible, especially when the squash is young and fresh.   So if you’ve been wondering whether you have to peel crookneck squash before cooking, the short answer is … Read more

You don’t have to peel chayote squash if you don’t want to.   The skin is thin, edible, and perfectly safe to eat whether the chayote is raw or cooked.   So if you’ve been asking yourself “do you have to peel chayote squash,” the short answer is no.   That said, some people still … Read more