Angie Marie It’s important to store fresh strawberries from a pick your own farm or orchard properly so that they don’t spoil quickly. Fresh strawberries are so flavorful! We recently bought some from a local orchard, and I didn’t want the gallon size container to go to waste while we worked our way through them. I did a lot of research to ensure that they stayed fresh for as long as possible, and I compiled the best kept secrets in this blog post today to help you keep yours fresh, too.
Do Not Wash Your Strawberries Immediately
As soon as you bring your strawberries home, don’t wash them immediately until you are ready to eat them. It’s safe to wash the ones that you plan to consume within a few days, but the rest of the strawberries should remain unwashed. This is because washing strawberries exposes them to moisture, which in turn makes them moldy.
Keep Fresh Strawberries Whole
Avoid cutting the tops off the strawberries. If you keep them whole, then they will last a lot longer in the refrigerator. If you remove the leafy green tops, then your strawberries are more likely to spoil quicker.
Line a Container with Paper Towels
The paper towels will absorb any moisture from the strawberries so that they don’t get moldy. Choose a container that will allow you to place the strawberries in a single layer. A glass dish or a baking pan will work nicely for this.
Sort Through the Fresh Picked Strawberries
Place the strawberries that are free of blemishes, bruises, cuts and mold into the container lined with paper towels. It’s best to put them in single layer if possible. You can place them in more than one layer, but strawberries can spread mold easily. Placing layers of paper towels between layers will help you to reduce the moisture and contact.
Store the Fresh Strawberries in the Refrigerator
Place the container of strawberries into the refrigerator. I’d suggest putting a loose lid on top or a loose layer of plastic wrap so that other foods or liquids don’t come into contact with the strawberries. And this also ensures that the strawberries can breathe. They will last for a week to up to two weeks using this method. If you don’t eat your strawberries within a week, I’d suggest freezing them to preserve their fresh flavor and texture so that you can use them later.
A Vinegar Solution Bath Can Also Keep Strawberries Fresh
I have used this method myself, and it really does work well. It also cleans your strawberries so that you can eat them whenever you’d like. The downfall is that some people believe that it can alter the taste of the strawberries. To do this method, you should make a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Soak them for a few minutes, and then dry them thoroughly on paper towels. Then store them in a paper-towel lined container with a loose lid. The fresh strawberries will keep for one week.
Whichever method you choose, you’ll be thankful that you stored the strawberries properly so that you can enjoy them without fear of them spoiling too quickly. Be sure to check your local farms and orchards to see if they have pick your own strawberries nearby. I am a big proponent of supporting local farms and eating local whenever possible.
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