A conundrum that many of us face after doing the weekly shop is how to keep store-bought berries fresher for longer without them going moldy.
Oftentimes, even with just a punnet of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, you can’t get them to last more than a couple of days while still in the original packaging.
It’s not too bad during peak season, the fruit is plentiful and cheaply priced and there are snap sales from supermarkets to keep stock cycling through.
But when they’re out of season and the children are clamoring for one of the handfuls of fruits they eat, the cost for berries is substantial. I wanted to find out the best, easiest way to keep berries fresh and mold free.
Luckily, the solution is pretty simple.
All you need to do is wash your berries in a vinegar solution when you get them home. Then, store them correctly in the fridge to give you all the time you need to eat the yummy berries.
I’ll take you through the steps below, so you can save money and keep the fruit at its best, generally for 10-12 days (they don’t last that long at my house).
Berry Washing and Storage Steps
1. Empty your berries into a bowl or deep container (I usually buy them all at the same time, however, it’s best to wash each type of berry separately).
2. Go through the bowl’s contents, discarding any berries that are already soft, moldy, or don’t pass the eye test.
3. Place the berries into a large bowl filled with a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. (If you’ve got plenty of produce, it’s best to do it in stages to maximize efficacy.)
4. Soak berries in the mixture for 5 – 10 minutes, making sure to stir them a couple of times during the process.
5. Place the berries into a colander to drain, then rinse well under running water.
6. Gently dry the berries by using a salad spinner lined with absorbent towels, or by blotting the fruit with paper towels. I don’t have a salad spinner, so blotting it is.
7. Line a sealable container lined with dry paper towels, then place the dry berries inside.
8. Store in your fridge’s crisp section, and don’t seal the container completely. You’ll want to make sure that any excess moisture has a chance to escape.
The method above isn’t the only way to keep berries fresher for longer, but I’ve found it to be simple, reliable, and less time-consuming than having to pick through a bunch of tired or moldy fruit.