How to Keep Those Strawberries Fresher Longer
We love spring and summer strawberries, but hate what happens when you don’t eat them right away. You reach in the refrigerator and grab those luscious little sweet berries, and yuck – they are covered in mold!
We spend good money at the grocery store or farmers’ market on fresh fruits and vegetable in the summer, so how can we keep those yummy strawberries that we just bought a little fresher just a bit longer?
First of all, Always Buy Organic Strawberries if Possible –
Strawberries are on the list of the top 12 dirty fruits so try and buy organic strawberries if possible. Your local farmers’ market should have a nice array of organic fruits and vegetables that are typically sold a little cheaper than the grocery store.
Don’t Wash Fresh Product and Then Let it Sit –
We never wash our produce until we are ready to eat whatever we purchased. Water helps the mold grow much faster – so we always want to keep out fruits and vegetables as dry as possible.
Get Fresh Strawberries Out of Their Container as Quickly as Possible –
When you bring home your fresh strawberries, don’t leave them in their container for more than one day without tending to them. First you want to do a visual inspection of the strawberries for any mold and remove the contaminated strawberries immediately.
It’s fine to keep the rest of the strawberries if you find a few moldy culprits, just make sure to remove them so the mold doesn’t spread.
Fresh strawberries don’t like to be crowded. Take the strawberries out of the containers
When you Are Ready to Eat Your Fresh Strawberries –
Place the strawberries in a colander and spray well with cold water. Let the strawberries dry for a few minutes then remove the green leaf or the stem with a sharp knife.
Dry the strawberries well with a paper towel. Cut the strawberries into bite-sized pieces and put them into a bowl. Sprinkle the strawberries with a small amount of sugar and toss to coat.
If you don’t eat all of the strawberries, cover with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
