How to store Strawberries

Strawberries have always been a favorite fruit because of their red color, and sweetness, and they can fit in various foods. You can snack on them, use them in a dessert, toss them into your salad and, strawberries will always add freshness with a hint of sweetness to your meal. However, these fresh berries can also go bad when they are not kept well. In this guide, we are going to see how to store strawberries to avoid throwing them away now and then and also keep them fresher for longer.

Why it is Important to Store Strawberries Properly ?

Strawberries are among the fruits known to go stale in a relatively very short period after harvest. This is because they are soft moist fruits leading to them being prone to molding, softening, bruises, decay, etc. A good idea for using strawberries is to know how to store them from day one when you have bought them so that you can have them for weeks on end. A reasonable storage method can prolong their freshness and usability, and minimize wastage of food.

Choosing the Best Strawberries

Now that we are ready to learn the storage methods and how to store food properly, it is wise we consider the strawberries that we will be going to store and what attributes it has. Here’s what to look for:

1. Firmness: While choosing your strawberries look for ones that are firm but not hard. Strawberries that are soft or mushy sometimes are likely very ripe making them more prone to going bad rapidly.
2. Color: If buying strawberries, a bright red color with no white or green patches has to be chosen. Such berries are fully ripe and ready for eating.
3. Smell: Fresh strawberries are aromatic and have a sweet fragrance. If they do not smell then probably do not taste better.
4. Leaves: Make sure the green leaves located on the top are fresh, and not drying-wilting.

There is no problem with that because you can move on to the next task of how to store these strawberries to maintain their freshness.

General Guidelines for Storing Strawberries

There are a few basic rules that all of them have in common, which help somewhere support and enhance the shelf life of strawberries. Let’s break down these steps.

1. Don’t Wash Strawberries Immediately

It’s especially important to put off washing the berries for proper storage of strawberries, simply, whenever you do not mean to eat them at the time. The problem with washing strawberries before storage is that it introduces a water shutter which encourages growing mold. There is no need for them to wet, dry storage, and eat them and in the end, only wash before eating.

2. Remove Damaged Berries

First of all, you should always look for any damaged or overripe strawberries that should not be put with the others. Take out any strawberries that are wet, soft, decayed, or have black spots since they will hasten the spoilage of the remaining strawberries. Doing regular checks on your strawberries would also be wise as there are berries that could be rotten and hidden.

3. Refrigerate

Strawberries are also best stored inside a fridge simply because it prevents them from overripening too quickly. Put your strawberries inside the crisper cupboard because this increases the humidity which helps refresh the berries.

Here are a couple of ways in which you would want to keep strawberries in the fridge:

• Just in the store container: Many strawberries come in a plastic/corrugated style container which has holes for ventilation, a big portion of the strawberry stalk is still intact which would allow for aeration, hence the hoarding of moisture and subsequent rot is avoided. If your strawberries are in a container like this, you can leave them there as the design allows stoma-free distance to escape moisture buildup.
• In a small round or square container: If you do want to separate the strawberries, do so in a flat, shallow container and place one hand towel at the bottom. When placing the strawberries in, avoid stacking them over each other to handle bruising as much as possible. However, the paper towels will also soak any extra water.
• In a container for storing produce: Such shippers are intended to prolong the period of storage of fruits and vegetables. This kind of container is an excellent choice for strawberry storage as it can be equipped with controlled gas and moisture within.

4.    Cut the Stems Off

Last Ones To maximize the storage duration of strawberries, it is advised that the stems be left when the berries are put into storage. Cutting the stems necessitates exposing the stem cavity of the strawberry to air and moisture which hastens rot.

5.    Ethylene-Formed Foods

In the case of bananas and apples, for example, these fruits emit a gas known as ethylene, which makes them ripe fast. Therefore, do not keep strawberries near such fruits.

Freezing Strawberries for Long-term

Emphasis For those who have a strawberry more than what can be consumed within 2-3 days, freezing them is a long-lasting solution. Frozen berries are great for milkshakes, baking, and as toppings on yogurt and cereals. Below is the procedure to freeze strawberries effectively:

1.    Wash and Dry Well

Before using strawberries should be frozen, they have to be washed out of all soil and weeds as well as pesticides. Once they are washed, they have to be patted warm and dry with stout paper towels to avoid surface wetness.

2.    Cut the Stems Off

When the strawberries have been dried, take the stems off using a paring knife or a huller. Depending on how you plan to use them after, you can keep them whole or you can cut them into portions.

3. Flash freeze

Employing the flash-freezing process can stop strawberries from sticking to each other inside the freezer. Keep all the strawberries with parchment paper in a single layer on a baking tray lined. Ensure that the berries are not in contact with one another. Retrieve the tray and place it in the freezer covering the strawberries for 2 – 4 hours or until they are frozen solid.

4. Relocate to a Freezer Safe Bag

After the strawberries have been frozen, the next process is to take the strawberries and place them in any freezer bag that has a zip lock or any other gel pack. Squeeze out as much air from the bag as you can since this will help to prevent air fractures. Write the date on the bag so that you know for a long period of freezing the berries were put.

Frozen strawberries can be kept in the freezer for as long as 6-12 months, whereas it is mutually exclusive to the best to eat within six months for the best taste and texture.

Using Vinegar to Increase Lifespan

If you want to get a little more creative with the freshness of your strawberries, you can consider giving them a vinegar rinse before putting them in the refrigerator. The vinegar helps to kill mold spores and bacteria that can induce quick spoilage of the berries. Here’s how to do it:

1. In a large bowl, combine one part of white vinegar with three parts of water.
2. Soak the strawberries in the mixture for about 5 minutes and them into the mixture.
3. Dispose of the vinegar mixture, and rinse the strawberries with cold water.
4. Use a paper towel to completely clean the strawberries and keep them in the refrigerator.

This method can come in handy to make the strawberries fresh for even up to 1 week or more.

How Long Do Strawberries Last?

The life of strawberries completely depends on their storage method.:

• Room temperature strawberries: Strawberries can last for 1-2 days when kept at room temperature. However, one should refrigerate them if they are not intended for immediate consumption.
• In the refrigerator: Under ideal storage conditions, a container of strawberries can last for 5-7 days when kept in a functional fridge.
• In the freezer: Strawberries that are put in the freezer will last well for 6-12 months.

Conclusion

Strawberries are types of fruits that are highly perishable or quickly spoil if not stored for a long period. You may not be eating your strawberries within three days but still, you should preserve them; otherwise, the quality becomes a compromise factor.