I’m trying this new series of articles on Fridays called “Favorite Things Friday” where I will be sharing some of my favorite things, products, life tips, in hopes that you might find it useful in some way for your family. Please let me know in the comments if you would like to see more articles like this. I’m experimenting with this for the next few weeks. If you would like to see more articles like this, I can keep this series going. To go along with these Friday articles, I’ll also include a Giveaway!
My kids love strawberries and blueberries. One of the biggest frustrations I have with strawberries is that they rot so quickly in the fridge. So much so that I started avoiding buying Organic Strawberries, since they tend to go bad even faster. Often, I’ll check back after 2-3 days of buying them, and the entire pack is moldy and needs to be thrown away. I hate wasting food! (Really, I hate wasting anything that I paid for with hard earned money.)
Let me document some tips and products I found helpful in helping to keep strawberries fresh for longer (and other produce too).
How to Keep Strawberries Fresh for Longer
Here are some tips that I’ve learned on how to keep strawberries last longer than the usual 2-3 days. The key to keeping strawberries fresh is to keep them stored clean and dry.
1. Wash Right Away with Vinegar
Once I get home from the grocery store, I wash the Strawberries before they go in the fridge. Mold spores on the fruits are what makes them go bad quickly.
I wash my strawberries with Apple Cider Vinegar and water mix. You can do this in a big bowl or a salad spinner. Leave it soaking for a few minutes. The vinegar solution helps to remove spores and bacteria on the fruit, thus extending their life.
I typically add about 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to a bowl of water. But you can use regular Vinegar as well. Some people add more vinegar for their wash solution (ie. 1 cup vinegar for 3 cups of water), in which case you’ll have to rinse extra well.
2. Dry Your Strawberries
Drying your berries is the next important step. You can get rid of excess water by spinning it a few times in a salad spinner. AND/OR drying it with a soft cloth or paper towel.
You can also air dry them in a colander, but with so many things going on, I’m afraid I’ll forget about the drying berries on the counter overnight (lol), so I don’t do this.
3. Storing Your Strawberries for Freshness
The quick and cheapest solution (what I used to use) for storage is to line the plastic containers (they came in) with paper towels and put the berries back in the containers.
And then a few months ago, there was a deal we posted on these Rubbermaid FreshWorks containers. I got a set to try and have been hooked ever since!
There’s a little perforated tray in the bottom of the container to keep produce from soaking in any condensation and moisture. And the lid has little “holes” in it to allow air flow in and out of the container.
I’ve since purchased a few more of these from Target (with the food storage category coupon), and I use it with all my fruit that needs washing.
One tip I found to be helpful is to wash all your fruits and veggies in one sitting. Then dry and store. It’ll save you time in the long run instead of washing one item as you need it. Plus, it’s so much more convenient to use, without the additional friction of needing to wash fruits. In the mornings, I love pulling out my green and white containers of already washed fruits and packing my kid’s lunches. SO Nice!
Giveaway Time! Win a Set of FreshWorks for FREE
To make it fun, I’m gonna include a Giveaway to go with these Favorite Things Friday articles every Friday. Check back every Friday for more of my Favorite Things.
For today’s giveaway, I’m giving away the 3-Piece set of FreshWorks Produce Saver Food Storage Containers to 4 Readers. This giveaway starts on Friday 8/24 and will end on Monday 8/27. Winners will be announced on this blog only on Tuesday 8/28 before 12pm PST. You’ll have 48 hours to claim your prize.
To enter in this giveaway: leave a comment below with a useful tip you use at home or something you recently learned or tell me about one of your favorite products. And tell me where you’re reading from (city and state). Let me know by leaving a comment on this post.
This post is NOT sponsored by anyone. I just really love this product and wanted to share my experience. All prizes are paid for by myself.
Do You Have a Favorite Product or Life Tip? Want to be published in a future “Favorite Things Friday”? Shoot me an email with your write up and pictures. If I accept your submission and publish your tip, I’ll also send you a $50 Gift Card to the store of your choice. Send email to tina@FreeStuffFinder.com with subject “Favorite Things Friday Tip”.
One of my favorite tips using a small portion of Tide Simply Clean and putting it on the necks of my husband’s dress shirts this helps them from not getting dark fast due to sweating. Saves a lot of money, no need to keep buying new dress shirts. (Newport News, VA)
Someone recently showed me how to remove gum from carpet. You put a damp washcloth over the gum and then press a warm iron onto the washcloth. After some time the gum will warm up and you can peel/pick off the carpet. I also learned a trick to remove marks off a wall – toothpaste! I’m from Biddeford, ME!
This is something I need to try because I have completely avoided buying strawberries for the same reason. One product I recently learned about and I don’t know where it has been my whole life is the Mrs Meyer’s Clean Day Cream Cleaner in the scent lemon verbena! (Love the smell, makes me want to clean instead of having to) I clean my sink, stove, oven, bathroom tub and sink, and so many more appliances. It is amazing! It doesn’t require hours of scrubbing to leave it spotless and shining.
N Providence, RI
I’ve recently found (in my case at least) that if I don’t prepare fruit like grapes and strawberries for easy access in the fridge, it tends to go bad before anyone even touches it! I’m defiantly trying this tip in the future ~ Sacramento, CA
ive always been curious about these containers! I started a meal plan that includes a lot of fruits and veggies so I want to find ways to keep them fresh longer! I’ve used the technique of washing them and patting them dry, then in whatever container or ziplock bag u use, u put a paper towel to soak up excess moisture. or if it needs moisture, a damp paper towel. but just putting them into a container after washing seems easier for sure!!
american canyon, California
I use vinegar to clean everythinggggg!!!! Baking soda is a close second. I would love to see more of these posts.
Madison, WI
I don’t have those storage containers yet I’m still waiting to be able to do the deals you’ve put up on them ther never seem run that or even a similar deal out here where I live. But I love the tips on how to keep them fresher using the containers they come in and how to properly wash them. Bayshore NY
I rinse my cilantro and parsley then dry them and wrap them with paper towels, and put them in ziplocks it last longer and don’t get brown I’m in Los Angeles CA
I replaced my dryer sheets with wool dryer balls! Saves sooo much! I have had them for years now. From Massillon, ohio
vinegar i think is great. i use it a lot to clean with some water i use it to cpean my counters and mirrors. all natural and cheap! reading from St petersburg, Fl!