Simple tips on how to keep strawberries fresh for longer.
Trying to figure out how to preserve strawberries for life? 🍓
Okay, maybe one carton won’t actually last for life, but we’ve got the top 3 hacks to keep those fresh berries sticking around a lot longer – that’s if you don’t eat them all beforehand. 😉
If you’re tired of wasting money on berries that go into the trash too quickly, then you’ll want to try these smart and easy ways to keep strawberries fresh longer!
Here are the greatest hacks for how to store Strawberries at any stage:
- Recently-Bought Strawberries – Vinegar
- Wilting Strawberries – Ice Water
- Strawberries at Any Stage – Paper Towels
1. Cleaning strawberries with vinegar in a bowl makes them last longer.
Do this when you first buy strawberries.
Use a large bowl to make a diluted vinegar wash of 1 part white vinegar to 5 parts water. Soak your berries in the solution for a few minutes. The vinegar will remove the bacteria and mold spores which typically cause the fruit to go bad so quickly. In fact, see the photo above of what the water looks like after you rinse the strawberries. Yikes! 😳
Next, you’ll want to dry your berries thoroughly by either leaving them in a colander to air dry or carefully spinning them in a salad spinner. After drying, store your berries in the fridge.
But you’re probably wondering… do the strawberries taste like vinegar? 🤔
No, they don’t – we promise! And although I haven’t personally tried this method with other berries, I hear it works for raspberries and blackberries, too!
2. Soak strawberries in a bowl of ice water to make them fresher.
Do this when strawberries are starting to wilt.
Use a large bowl and fill it with ice and water. Dump strawberries in and let sit for 20 minutes. That’s it, folks! We originally saw this idea over at House Beautiful, and, according to one viral Instagram post, this hack actually works wonders on wilted strawberries. 🙌
We’re not entirely sure how ice water can produce such magic, but the proof is in the pictures, so if you’re looking to brighten up your strawberries, and make them look a bit plumper and fresh, then this will do the trick.
Of course, this hack will not work if you’re strawberries are already moldy, so don’t consider this a magic trick for turning bad food into something you just picked off the farm.
3. Store strawberries with a paper towel to make them last even longer.
Do this any time until they’re gone.
This trick is handy for a variety of berries! After you’ve completed our first or second hack above, you can layer on the freshness by storing your fruit in the fridge with a paper towel.
Like many situations in life, moisture will eventually create mold, so limiting it as much as possible on your berries will help keep them fresher for longer. The paper towel will help absorb all the moisture as the strawberries ripen in the fridge, so make sure you place it at the bottom of the container for the best results.
Many readers also commented that storing strawberries in a Mason jar in the coldest part of your fridge can keep your berries fresh, too. If you’ve got one on hand, give it a try!
Now it’s time to enjoy your fresh berries! Yum!
