The Best Ways To Store Strawberries To Keep Them Fresh Longer
It’s strawberry season at my house! Oh how I love picking fresh strawberries from the garden. There is just nothing better than sitting on my backyard deck eating a bowl of freshly picked strawberries. However, the one thing I do not like about strawberry season is when my beautiful, perfect strawberries start to go bad (so sad!!!). Fortunately over the years I have learned a few tricks about how to keep strawberries fresh! It takes a little extra work and prep, but it is so worth it to keep your strawberries from spoiling quickly.
These tips for keeping strawberries fresh work for both garden strawberries and store bought strawberries! I try to look for strawberry sales during the spring and buy a huge batch to eat throughout the week.
Feel free to pick and choose which method you prefer for your preventing spoiled strawberries! I’m just sharing a few of my favorites below.
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1. Wash Strawberries In Vinegar Solution
I’m super excited to share this first method for keeping strawberries fresh (prob because it’s my fave!) I learned it a few years ago and my life changed! Seriously! I’ve thrown so many less strawberries away, making my belly and wallet very happy!
One of the best ways I have found to keep your strawberries fresh longer is to wash them in a vinegar solution before storing them in the fridge.
I love this method because:
- It’s easy
- It’s quick
- It’s cheap
- It works!
Washing strawberries in a vinegar bath only takes a few minutes of prep time, but will make a huge difference (promise!).
To make your vinegar solution, simply combine one part vinegar to three parts water in a clean sink (I honestly just eyeball this part!). Place your strawberries in the vinegar solution and let them soak for about 5 minutes. Make sure to stir them around a few times so they all get evenly bathed!
After 5 minutes, rinse the strawberries thoroughly in a strainer and lay them on a paper towel to dry for 1-2 hours.
Once the strawberries are thoroughly dry (this is important!), put them back into their original container and store them in the fridge.
I personally like the containers that strawberries come in from the store, but I know a lot of people swear by these storage containers from Amazon.
2. Store Strawberries in a Mason Jar
Another way to keep your strawberries fresh longer is to store them, unwashed, in an airtight glass mason jar.
I’ve tried this strategy a few times and it does a great job at prolonging the life of your strawberries.
I love the mason jar method because:
- It’s easy
- It’s quick
However, I have found a couple of things that I don’t like about this method.
The first thing that I don’t like is that the bottom layer of strawberries tend to become soft and mushy fairly quickly. The weight from the strawberries stored on top of them tend to squish the bottom layers, making some of your delicious strawberries go bad faster than they should (which is what we are trying to avoid!!).
And the second thing I dislike about storing strawberries in a mason jar is that a mason jar typically doesn’t have a large storing capacity. So, you will need a few jars to store a large amount of strawberries. This isn’t a huge deal breaker, but just something I have noticed.
- Related: Easy Huckleberry Muffin Recipe
3. Store Strawberries Unwashed in Fridge
Another storing method I have tried is to simply store strawberries in the fridge unwashed. I know, I know…..unwashed sounds a little absurd, but there is good reason behind this idea.
Strawberries will begin to spoil when they are wet, so if you store them pre washed you will ensure the strawberries don’t experience any excess moisture.
I love the unwashed strawberry method because:
- It’s easy
- It’s quick
- It’s cheap
However, I have learned that this method will not keep your strawberries fresh for days and days. If you plan to eat your strawberries within the next day or two, storing them unwashed in the fridge will work just fine. But, if you want them to last longer, then I would recommend trying a different method.
A Few Tips to Remember
I have used each of these three methods in my attempts to keep my strawberries fresh.
However, I don’t believe they are all created equal, and I highly recommend you give the vinegar wash a try! Although it is a little more time consuming, it has worked the best for me!
Here are a few tips for you to keep in mind:
- Strawberries need to be stored dry. If you wash them, make sure to let them thoroughly dry before refrigerating. I have found that storing strawberries in the fridge, on a paper towel will help absorb any excess moisture.
- Make sure to remove any moldy strawberries before storing strawberries. One moldy berry in the container will ruin the rest of the bunch.
- Keeping strawberries on your counter for a day will be fine, but if you want them to last any longer than that, you will want to store them in your fridge.
- Strawberries are very easy to freeze! I love buying strawberries on sale, or picking them from my garden and freezing them for long term storage. Here’s my easy tutorial for freezing strawberries!
In Conclusion
Now that we have gone over a few different ways you can keep strawberries fresh longer, it’s time for you to try out the different methods and pick the one that works best for you!
Don’t forget to read a few of my other articles to help you keep your food fresh:
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