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Want to keep your berries fresh all summer long? Here are the BEST ways how to keep berries fresh – no special tools needed!
How to Keep Berries Fresh
I'm sure we've all been there – you buy berries at the store with every intent to get them eaten and help your family make healthy choices, only to have to throw them away because they went bad. There are few things more frustrating – and it's a hard hit on your budget! So, here's our tried-and-true method for how to keep berries fresh.
Looking for more ways to keep fruit fresh? Here's our trick for keeping apple slices from browning!
How to keep berries fresh longer
There are a few key tips for how to keep berries fresh and it starts with the wash. Arguable the most important aspect is how you treat your berries before storing them.
First, add your berries to a large bowl to soak. You don't need any fancy fruit-washing mixes sold at the grocery store – just plain old distilled white vinegar. This soak helps to kill bacteria and mold spores that might compromise your fruit, as well as clean off any unwanted material from growing and grocery stores.
Soak your berries in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts cool water. It is very important to not soak your berries for too long! All they need is about 3 minutes. If you soak too long, your berries will be doomed from the start.
After the soak, rinse your berries thoroughly and dry. I like to use my salad spinner for this to get off the initial water.
Then, spread your berries out on a towel to dry completely. This is another key part of helping your berries last longer – you want no moisture hanging out when you transfer to the fridge.
Once the fruit is dry, transfer to your chosen container and store in the fridge.
How to keep berries fresh in mason jars
A great way to store berries in the fridge (and something you may have on hand already!) is in mason jars. Since they are glass and airtight, mason jars can keep berries nice and fresh.
I like to put a folded up paper towel at the bottom of any container I'm using for berries to soak up any moisture. Then, add your berries! I love the convenience of jars for being able to grab and sprinkle out.
While you typically want to avoid cutting fruit before the fridge, I do like to slice a handful of strawberries that I know we'll use in the next day or so. This makes it super easy to give my kids as part of snacks and meals since I don't have to do any work in the moment!
The BEST Berry Keeper
There are truly so many berry containers on the market and really you don't need a special container! So, don't run out and buy the next big thing online just to keep your berries when the food storage you already have will work just fine.
But, if you're in the middle of overhauling your storage and want some ideas, here's, what some of our team members have and have been happy with for fruit storage.
Laura likes these glass containers from Rubbermaid. You push the lid down a little bit before securing the latches and something about that sound makes me sure they're actually airtight! 😉
Laurie likes these old favorites Pyrex bowls with lids.
Want to use your berries in a dish while they're nice and fresh? Here are some of our favorite berry-centric recipes!
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