Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Strawberries can be refrigerated for up to a week if stored correctly, but it's difficult to see when store strawberries have been on sale since. The advice in this article can help you keep your strawberries fresh longer than you normally would. If you still have excess strawberries, follow the instructions provided for storing strawberries in the freezer.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Extend the freshness of the strawberries

1. 

   Realize that strawberries are no longer fresh before you buy them. Streaks of color or stamped fruit on the can may indicate that the fruit is no longer fresh, or that the fruit is wet and spoiled easily. Strawberries that are dark or limp may go bad, and moldy strawberries cannot be eaten.
   • If using homegrown strawberries, choose ones that are ripe and bright red, but still have firmness.

     

     
     

2. 

   Immediately discard moldy strawberries. Mold can spread to another fruit and damage an entire can quickly. While you can easily find a hard, bright red, non-moldy box of strawberries at the store, there will still be one or two damaged fruit mixed in the box. Check the strawberries after you buy and discard those that are about to be moldy, or that are dark and flaky that may be moldy for a short time.
   • This applies to other moldy fruits placed near strawberries.

3. 

   
   
   Only wash strawberries before eating. Strawberries absorb water and become soft if wet for a long time, resulting in faster spoilage. You can slow down this process by washing the strawberries before eating them or adding them to another dish.
   • If you've washed the whole box of strawberries, pat dry with a paper towel.
   • Washing strawberries before eating is a good way to get rid of harmful chemicals or pests in the soil.

4. 

   
   
   Find out how effective it is to wash strawberries with vinegar. A mixture of white vinegar and water can remove harmful bacteria and latent viruses in the fruit more effectively than water, but that doesn't mean the strawberries will last longer. Fruit can still spoil even when there are no microorganisms left, and a lot of water also causes the fruit to spoil more quickly. If you have to throw away a lot of strawberries in the box because of mold, using a spray bottle to spray a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water will be very effective. Another way is to use vinegar to wash the fruit directly before eating.
   • Using your fingers to gently scrub the strawberries while washing them will remove dirt and microorganisms and is more effective than just placing the strawberries under the tap.

     

5. 

   Store strawberries in a refrigerator or low temperature. The strawberries will always stay fresh in a cold environment, ideally between 0–2ºC. To prevent wilting, place the strawberries in a vegetable drawer or clear plastic container with an instant lid or an open plastic bag.
   • If the surface of the strawberries is still wet, pat the strawberry dry with a paper towel or line the paper towel between the strawberries to absorb the moisture.

     

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Method 2 of 2: Freeze strawberries

1. 

   Freeze ripe, but still hard, strawberries. Once the strawberries start to spoil or become soft, freezing is ineffective. Ripe strawberries with a bright red color will work best. Throw out moldy or limp strawberries in a compost bin, trash can, or in the garden.

2. 

   Cut off the stem. Most of the strawberries sold for sale have either stalk or a small stem left on it. You need to cut this off before freezing.

3. 

   Prepare the strawberries before freezing. Whole strawberries can be frozen, but if you want to add them to a recipe or to decorate it, you can slice, slice, mash or pre-grind them. Once frozen and thawed, strawberries are often difficult to cut, but you can still puree them. Larger strawberries will be more frozen and thawed if you cut them into small pieces first.
   • If you are not sure how you want to prepare strawberries, you can preview a few recipes. The mashed strawberries are great for smoothies or ice blends, while the sliced ​​strawberries are used to decorate a cream cake or honeycomb. Whole strawberries can be dipped in chocolate.

     

4. 

   Add sugar or sugar juice (optional). Mixing strawberries with sugar or sugar juice will keep the flavor and texture better, but not everyone likes the rich sweetness after it's done. If you choose this option, use 3/4 cup of sugar for 1 kg of strawberries, no matter how prepared they are made. Or, you mix thick sugar water with equal amounts of sugar and warm water, then refrigerate and cover the strawberries.
   • While it may sound reasonable to add sugar or sugary drinks after placing the strawberries in the box / bag, you should consider whether to use sugar or not to allow space in the box / bag.

5. 

   Try pectin sugar water (optional). This is great for when you want strawberries to stay unsweetened, but still want to keep the taste and texture better than not using any extra ingredients. For this method, you need to buy pectin powder and boil it in water. Each pectic powder manufacturer will require a different amount of water to use. Wait for the pectin sugar juice to cool down before you pour it on the strawberries.
   • Note that this will not preserve the strawberries as well as using sugar or sugar.

     

6. 

   Place the strawberries in a usable freezer box. Thick, hard plastic and glass containers are usually fine for use, but you need to make sure these products work in the freezer. A zippered plastic bag that can be used in the freezer is also a good option. Place the strawberries apart to avoid creating a large ice cube. Usually it is best to leave about 1.25-2cm away from the bag / box as expansion occurs during freezing.
   • If the strawberries are frozen in a box / bag without any sugar or any sugar juice, you can stack them apart on the tray and freeze the entire tray for a few hours. Next, you put the strawberries in the box / bag as directed. This makes it easier to get individual strawberries instead of a large block of ice.
7. Thaw strawberries partially before using them. Take the strawberries and thaw them in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. If you want to shorten the time, put the strawberries under cold, running water. Microwave heating or other method can cause strawberries to soften. You can eat strawberries with some ice crystals on the surface, as the strawberries will soften after fully thawing.
   • The time it takes for this process will depend on the temperature and size of the strawberry. Large amounts of strawberries frozen together will need an entire night or longer to thaw.
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Advice

• Strawberries that are soft, but not moldy, can still be used as a cake or pureed and used as a salad dressing.

Warning

• Overexposure to zinc or other metals can cause fruit to spoil more quickly. However, this is only common in storing large quantities of fruit on the farm, not at home.