Strawberries: these crimson-colored wonders are one of our very favorite summertime fruits. Besides being mouthwateringly delicious, these versatile treats are chock-full of healthy nutrients, something we can all use. But while we could sing the praises of these red berries all day long, there is one thing about them we certainly don’t love—they “go bad” fast!
Unless you grow your own, you are likely paying upwards of $4.99/carton, which means you want them to last more than 24 hours. Fortunately, we have a tip for you today via YouTuber Vita Lives Free that will help you keep your beloved strawberries fresh for longer.
Why your strawberries don’t keep
Vita kicks off her video by explaining that she, like so many berry-lovers out there, consistently found herself disappointed when she’d buy a carton of strawberries one day, only to open her fridge the next to see that they had turned to moldy mush. We feel you, girl!
Jo Naylor via Flickr
While the fruit conundrum sure was annoying for her, she did manage to find a way to extend the life of her berries, so much so that now she claims to actually buy fresh strawberries in BULK, something that we have never dared to do.
As it turns out, moisture, something that is very hard to avoid – especially in the hot, muggy summertime! – is the ultimate nemesis of the strawberry. So, unless you have one of those new-fangled fridges with air-tight anti-humidity drawers, you must focus on repelling the moisture as best you can.
Make those strawberries last and last and last!
Since moisture-banishing is the goal, Vita explains that good storage practices are key.
The first thing you must do is check each and every strawberry for signs of that dreaded “fuzz”. It may take you a couple of minutes, but it’s time well-spent, considering one bad strawberry can spoil the whole batch.
Once you’ve done your best to ensure that no mold spreads, take each strawberry, one by one, and gingerly dry them with a clean paper towel. Now, during this step, you can either pre-wash your strawberries, or you can wash them when you are ready to eat—it’s completely up to you!
As you can see, wiping a dry paper towel along the surface of the strawberry wicks away excess moisture that may have built up on the fruit. It’s a simple solution that really works wonders.
If you are not particularly picky when it comes to eating fresh strawberries, you can also GREATLY extend the life of the berries by either dehydrating them or freezing them. And, as always, never throw away those leaves!
Who knew that strawberries could last THAT long?! Now that you know the basics, it’s time to learn all about how you can best store these sweet treats. Just click on the video below to get the full tutorial from the lovely Vita herself. We can’t wait to try this at home!
What do you think of this strawberry preservation hack? Have you tried this out for yourself before? Do you have an alternate technique for keeping your berries fresh?
