How to Keep Fresh Strawberries Lasting Longer

- Amanda

Ever bring home a gorgeous basket of fresh strawberries, pop them in the fridge and then have them go bad before you’ve had a chance to finish them?  It’s definitely something we’ve been guilty of over here.  And not just with strawberries, unfortunately other fruits and vegetables too.

When Spring came in full bloom and deliciously sweet strawberries started showing up at the organic bazaar, I happily brought home two large baskets with each weekly visit.  And since organic fruit here, perhaps everywhere, is quite a bit more expensive than the conventional variety, I try to get the most out of all the produce we buy.  Strawberries are no exception.  So after a bit of research and trial and error, I found the method that really works wonders at keeping them lasting a week, maybe even a few days longer than that and even longer in the freezer.

Usually I’ll prepare one basket to store in the fridge to enjoy daily with some yogurt and granola for breakfast or by the handful as little Miss Sparkle prefers.  And the other basket is frozen for later use in smoothies or other recipes for when strawberry season is long over.  Either way, the key is to start with fresh strawberries that you have just brought home from the store or farmers market.  If they will go to the fridge, do not wash them.  I repeat, DO NOT WASH.  This is important as it will shorten how long they last.  Only wash the berries if they are to be frozen.  Below I’ll share the simple methods for both routes.  Hope you find them helpful!

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Storing Fresh Strawberries

Get the most out of this summer gem with these simple tips to store in the refrigerator of freezer.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 basket fresh strawberries

Instructions

For Storing in the Fridge:

  1. Do Not Wash Strawberries

  2. Prepare a sheet pan by spreading a couple sheets of paper towels across the bottom.

  3. Place each strawberry on the paper towels, sorting through them and setting aside (or eating) any that are mushy or overripe.

  4. Use another paper towel to gently pat the tops to make sure they are completely dry.

  5. Wash and dry a large glass jar or container with a lid that is big enough to hold the amount of strawberries you have without them being too squished.  Place the jar in the refrigerator with the lid off.  

  6. When the jar is cold, add the strawberries inside and place back into the refrigerator.   Do not add the lid.

  7. When the jar and strawberries inside are cold, add the lid. 

For Freezing

  1. Wash the strawberries well.

  2. Place each strawberry on the paper towels, sorting through them and setting aside (or eating) any that are mushy or overripe.

  3. Use another paper towel to gently pat the tops to make sure they are completely dry.

  4. While the strawberries are drying, lay one or two pieces of parchment or foil on a shelf in the freezer depending on how much space you need.

  5. When the strawberries are dry, slice them in half and lay cut side up on the foil.  Freeze until hard.

  6. Once they are frozen, place in freezer ziploc bags which you have labeled and dated. Try not to pack them too tightly and be sure to remove as much air as possible.

  7. The frozen strawberries should keep well and be ready to use for up to a year.

Recipe Notes

I find that by chilling the jar first, then the strawberries in the jar without the lid, this creates the least amount of condensation in the jar and preserves the fruit longer.

I have only tried the fridge method with strawberries, but I imagine it will work well with other berries too.  (I'll update when I experiment in LA)

The freezer method has worked well with many other fruits, especially stickier fruits such as mango or peaches that tend to clump together.