It’s finally here again: strawberry season! Fresh, aromatic, and bright red, they invite you to take a bite. But what if you don’t want to enjoy the delicate fruit right away? How should you store strawberries so that they are still delicious days later?
Strawberries should be stored properly, otherwise the sweet temptation will quickly spoil. Here you can find out which mistakes to avoid and the best tips.
What can you do wrong when storing strawberries?
Strawberries must not be crushed, so you have to be careful when transporting them. It is best to eat them straight away and fresh. However, if they are only to be enjoyed later, care should be taken when storing them: strawberries are very sensitive and spoil quickly. Nevertheless, you can store fresh strawberries – if you pay attention to various points.
Storing strawberries: the best tips
To keep strawberries fresh longer, you should heed these tips:
1. Sort out fruits with bruises
Specimens with dark, soft spots must be discarded immediately – they rot or mold quickly and could infect the other fruit.
2. Do not wash strawberries before storage
When you get home, the red berries should not be washed yet, because they absorb the water, lose their aroma and can quickly become moldy. It is best to wash them just before eating.
3. Store strawberries in the refrigerator
The sensitive little ones must be protected from the sun and heat, since sunlight and warm temperatures are not good for them. Therefore, keep the strawberries in the refrigerator – they will last for one to two days. Incidentally, a cool pantry or cellar is not enough.
4. Properly store strawberries in a colander
Any kind of moisture causes mold, so the fruit should be stored in an airy place – not in plastic packaging or a closed sleeve. A sieve provides air, kitchen paper absorbs excess moisture. Here, too, attention should be paid to as little pressure as possible and a wide distribution of the fruit. If the sieve is too small, it is better to use a flat plate.
4. Freeze and preserve strawberries
Frozen strawberries can be kept for up to a year longer. The fruits should be washed and dried, placed individually on a plate, and first frozen. Only then transfer them to a freezer bag – so they lie on top of each other undamaged.
It’s actually quite easy to store strawberries in such a way that they keep their juicy, aromatic taste even after a few days!