When you’re craving a sweet yet healthy snack, you really can’t go wrong with a delicious portion of ripe strawberries.
But it’s common knowledge that these popular berries unfortunately never stay ripe for very long.
Often, there’s only a matter of days between buying the fruit and opening up your fridge to find they’ve gone slimy or mouldy.
However, experts say there’s a little-known trick that’ll make them last ‘for weeks’, giving you more time to enjoy them on your porridge, in smoothies or any other way that you like.
Experts at Wheeldon Brothers have higlighted that because strawberries have such a high moisture content, they need to be stored in a certain way so that they don’t go mouldy.
But by absorbing this excess moisture, you can prevent the fruit from going bad – and it couldn’t be easier to do.
One practical method is to place unwashed strawberries in a glass jar lined with quality kitchen roll.
This soaks up the moisture, which is a primary cause of mould and spoilage.
By checking and replacing the kitchen roll as needed, strawberries can stay fresh and mould-free for up to two weeks, much longer than their usual fridge life of a few days.
The experts added: “If you plan on eating your berries soon after buying them, it’s important to rinse off any dirt.
“However, before doing so, make sure to go through and pull out any mouldy ones because moisture is the enemy. If a mouldy berry touches others, the rest will get mouldy too.
“Once you’ve picked out the bad ones, you can either pop a paper towel into the original container or a glass container and put it in the fridge.
“When it’s time to eat them, add the berries to a bowl with a teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Let it sit for five minutes, then rinse and pat them dry. This process won’t affect the taste of the berries.”
If you have a batch of berries you’d like to save for a special occasion or simply have too many, there’s a method to keep them fresher for longer.
Place your berries in a bowl, then add one cup of vinegar to three cups of water. Let the mixture soak for about 10 minutes; the vinegar gets rid of all the bacteria.
After soaking, rinse the berries and place them on a towel to dry. Pat them down well, as drying is crucial because moisture is the enemy.
Once dried, place a paper towel at the bottom of your container, lay the berries on top, and add another paper towel on top. Store them in the fridge, and this method will keep your berries fresh for up to two weeks.
These tips work for any type of berries, but they won’t be effective if the berries are already ripe or mushy when you buy them.
Properly following these steps can be a game changer for berry storage, ensuring they stay fresh and tasty for longer.
