How to Clean and Store Strawberries to Keep them Fresh

Want to know how to make those fresh berries from the farmer’s market or grocery last as long as possible? By the end of this post, you’ll learn everything from how to clean and store strawberries so they stay ripe and ready to eat.

Summer is berry season, and these bright, red gems we know as strawberries are useful for many delicious reasons like Homemade Fruit Leather or to whip up an easy summer dessert. The simple tips below will ensure that your berries last as long as possible.

How to Keep Strawberries Fresh

Keeping berries fresh is as easy as following the steps below:

1. Toss the bad ones
2. Wash the berries in vinegar water
3. Remove all moisture
4. Leave the stems on
5. Keep them dry and cold

It’s often stated to NOT wash berries immediately after purchasing them from the grocery store, but this simply means rinsing them off with water and storing them half wet in the fridge. With the excess moisture, the berries will indeed spoil quickly. 

However, if you follow the method above and further discussed below, your strawberries shelf will stay good longer and be safer to eat. 

How to Wash Strawberries

Don’t worry, we aren’t washing berries with soap but a simple homemade solution of vinegar and water. This is effective in extending the fridge life of strawberries and a simple process. Here’s how to do it: 

One of the most frequent questions is- “what’s better? Vinegar water or an organic produce wash?”. A valid question, and this depends on what you have available. Over the years, I’ve found that using a vinegar-water mixture is more effective and appealing than most produce washes. 

However, if you have a produce wash on hand, put it to use. Keep in mind that while this helps clean the strawberries, they won’t last as long as those rinsed in the homemade solution.

If you’re a visual learner, watch along as I wash a huge batch of strawberries and blueberries below!

Cleaning Strawberries with Vinegar 

The acidity of vinegar helps gently kill spores and bacteria on the fruit, speeding up the decaying process. Don’t worry, this won’t give the berries a weird, vinegary flavor since you’ll rinse the berries off with additional cold water before drying and packing.

How to Store Fresh Strawberries

As previously mentioned, strawberries or any fresh berry is best kept in dry, cool places. Here’s how to store your berries in the fridge: 

Remove moisture
Once the strawberries have been washed, dry them in between 2 clean kitchen towels, gently patting them to remove excess moisture, or place them in a salad spinner to ring off the water droplets. 

Tuck them away
Line the plastic strawberry container or an airtight container with paper towels and add the berries. If using an airtight container, leave the lid slightly opened to prevent any moisture from forming in the container. 

Storing Strawberries in the Fridge

The fridge is the best spot in the house for storing strawberries that you want to keep fresh for a while. They will keep for up to 2 weeks in these conditions, and if you notice one of the berries starting to spoil, throw it out. One bad berry will ruin the entire bunch.

Can You Freeze Strawberries

Having frozen strawberries on hand can be useful for smoothies and baked goods. Since they will be frozen, you don’t have to worry about drying them off, but I recommend you still rinse them with vinegar water or a fruit wash to remove any dirt and bacteria. Learn how to prep and freeze strawberries here.

Now that you know how to wash and store your strawberries, the only thing left is to make some delicious recipes like strawberry muffins or my famous strawberry syrup recipe.