How To Clean And Store Fresh Picked Strawberries

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Wondering how to make the most of strawberry season? Load up when you get a chance to go berry picking or find a great sale price on fresh strawberries.

Then, when you get home, use these simple strategies to wash, store, and freeze strawberries so that you can enjoy them for days and weeks to come.

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Why Do This
How to Choose the Best Strawberries
Step-by-step Instructions
FAQs
Great Strawberry Recipes
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How to Wash, Store, and Freeze Strawberries

When strawberries go on sale, it's great to stock up and eat to your heart's content. But strawberries can go bad pretty quickly, leaving you disappointed by moldy and mushy berries.

Learning how to store strawberries can help you extend their life. Washing strawberries just before serving helps maintain their texture. Freezing strawberries for a later date is a great way to enjoy them for longer.

Why Do This

To avoid waste. It's no fun to have strawberries go bad. It's wasting money as well as food.

To enjoy your strawberries for longer. Learn how to extend the life of the berries so that you can truly enjoy them.

How to Choose the Best Strawberries

strawberries on black table top next to white bucket of berries.

Choose strawberries that are shiny, bright red colored, and free of blemishes or bruises. Be sure to look at the bottom of the carton to make sure there aren't any moldy or smashed strawberries.

Step-by-step Instructions

To truly enjoy your strawberry purchase, you're going to want to store them properly, wash them just before eating them, and freeze extras so that they don't have a chance to decay. Here's how to do all three steps.

Storage

As soon as you bring your strawberries home, remove them from the original packaging. Set aside any that are bruised or crushed. Place the remaining strawberries in an airtight container lined with paper towels, spreading them out so that there's a bit of space between them.

strawberries in paper towel lined plastic container.

If you need to, cover the first layer with paper toweling and place a second layer of strawberries. Top with paper toweling and seal the container.

Store the strawberries in the fridge until ready to use.

Washing

You don't want to wash your strawberries until you're ready to use them. The added moisture from washing them will hasten their decay.

strawberries floating in large bowl of water next to bottle of vinegar.

washed strawberries drying on teal kitchen towel.

When you're ready to use them, place the berries in a large bowl. Spray them generously with white vinegar and fill the bowl with cool water.

The vinegar helps to kill surface bacteria while the water will remove dirt and debris clinging to the berries and their leaves.

Drain the strawberries well on a cloth towel or paper toweling and pat them dry.

Freezer Storage

Freezing the strawberries can extend their use for months on end. Be sure to freeze extra strawberries or those that are starting to fade.

To freeze them, wash them as directed above and core them.

How to core a strawberry:

inserting knife into strawberry to core it.

woman's hand holding strawberry in one hand and core and knife in other hand.

Insert a small knife into the top of the berry and cut around the leafy core. Remove the core and discard.

Once you've cored the strawberries, you can slice, halve, quarter, or leave them whole, depending on how you want to use them after freezing.

strawberry cores and knife on cutting board next to tray of strawberries prepped for freezing.

cut and whole strawberries on lined sheet pan.

Place the prepared berries on a lined sheet pan and place it in the freezer until the strawberries are frozen solid. This is called "flash" or open freezing and allows you to package them so that you can use just a few at a time instead of having to thaw the whole package.

Once the strawberries are frozen solid, place them in an airtight container or ziptop freezer bag, labeled with the date.

Store in the freezer until ready to use, up to one year in a deep freeze, not as long in a fridge-freezer that is opened frequently. Check out this handy chart for timelines of frozen food storage.

To use frozen strawberries, just add them to your smoothie or slushie. Or thaw to use them in jello salads like Pretzel Berry Dessert or in sauces or jams, like this Raspberry Sauce Recipe that you can sub in strawberries for the raspberries.

Watch the video:

In this video, I demonstrate the best ways to store strawberries as well as the method I use to wash and freeze them.

FAQs

When is strawberry season?

Fresh strawberries are available all year long in some areas of the US, but the peak season goes from April to September.

Should strawberries be washed?

Do not wash strawberries until you're ready to use them. The extra moisture will encourage decay. Washing in a vinegar and water solution can help kill bacteria and remove surface debris and pesticides.

Should strawberries be washed before freezing them?

Freezing strawberries is a great way to extend your purchase. Wash them, pat them dry, core, and cut them before freezing them. Then they will be ready-to-use.

Can you freeze strawberries and then thaw them?

What can you do with limp or mushy strawberries?

As long as the strawberry hasn't started to mold, they are good to eat. However, their firm texture will lessen and they'll become soft and mushy. Once their shininess fades, it's a good time to bake with them or freeze for future smoothies. You can also make a strawberry puree to use in Strawberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Pink Lemonade.

sliced strawberries on strawberry cream cheese bagel.

Great Strawberry Recipes

Berry Salad with Nuts & Coconut ($1.06/serving)
Oatmeal Strawberry Cookies Recipe ($2.66/batch)
Fresh Strawberry Scones with Chocolate (28 cents each)
Pink Lemonade Recipe with Strawberries ($1.92/batch)

How to Wash, Store, and Freeze Strawberries

use these simple strategies to wash, store, and freeze strawberries so that you can enjoy them for days and weeks to come.

Prep Time 10 mins

Freezing Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 4

Calories: 36 kcal

Cost: $2

▢ 1 lb strawberries
▢ 1/4 cup white vinegar

To store strawberries

As soon as you bring your strawberries home, remove them from the original packaging. Set aside any that are bruised or crushed. These are best eaten right away or frozen.
Place the remaining strawberries in an airtight container lined with paper towels, spreading them out so that there's a bit of space between them.
If you need to, cover the first layer with paper toweling and place a second layer of strawberries. Top with paper toweling and seal the container.
Store the strawberries in the fridge until ready to use.

To wash strawberries

You don't want to wash your strawberries until you're ready to use them. The added moisture from washing them will hasten their decay.
When you're ready to use them, place the berries in a large bowl. Spray them generously with white vinegar and fill the bowl with cool water.
When you're ready to use them, place the berries in a large bowl. Spray them generously with white vinegar and fill the bowl with cool water.
Drain the strawberries well on a cloth towel or paper toweling and pat them dry. Serve them immediately or use them in your recipes.

To freeze strawberries

Core the washed strawberries by inserting a small knife into the top of the berry and cut around the leafy core. Remove the core and discard.
Depending on how you want to use the strawberries after freezing, slice, halve, quarter, or leave them whole.
Place the prepared berries on a lined sheet pan and place it in the freezer until the strawberries are frozen solid.
Once the strawberries are frozen solid, place them in an airtight container or ziptop freezer bag, labeled with the date. Store them in the deep freezer for up to 1 year.

Nutritional values are approximate and based on 4 ounces of strawberries.

This post was originally published on June 5, 2016. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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