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”.
Hello from novinger missouri!! It was a lifesaver when i learned to freeze my chopped green onions and replant the stems. I end up with no waste and double the product!!
One of my favorite products us Dawn dishwashing soap. One way I use is is to mix 1 cup vinegar with one cup dawn and a few drops of lemon essential oil. Microwave it for one minute and spray around bathtubs and shower doors. Leave for 30 minutes and wipe clean and rinse with warm water. Leaves everything shiny and clean.
Hello from Longview ,TX , I love Norwex cleaning products makes my clean so fast and eliminating chemicals from my house .
cleaning windows with newspapers and with vinegar !!!
Hello from Florida. I am so excited about this giveaway. I’ve been trying to find ways to keep my fruits fresher for a longer period of time and have yet to find one. My fingers are crossed so tightly. Lol. A hack of mine that I’d like to share is a diy natural car freshener. You’ll need a few Pom Pom puffs, a couple clothes pins, a hot glue gun and essential oil of your choice. Glue the Pom Pom puffs onto the clothes pins and add a few drops of essential oil onto the puffs and it’s ready to be used. I love this hack. We recently bought a used car with a bad odor and I could get the smell out so I tried this and it worked like a dream.
Trying to start a healtjy life styl ans this would help with keepijg my fuit and salads fresher! Gboro NC
Hi Tina!
Thanks for the fruit tips! It’s maddening to have to toss out yummy fruit! My tip is when boiling eggs, add a pinch of baking soda to the water. It helps the peels cone off a bit easier. Also immediate immerse in cold water after the boiling process! Thanks again from Albany, NY!
Lori
Plant lemon seeds in a small planter and we the seeds bloom the plant will smell like lemons free air freshener ideas leave in kitchen bathroom any where with well lighting.
Las Vegas, Nv. Organizing clothes in my boys closet with different color hangers. It’s easier than putting them in separate parts of the closet because I can say honget a shirt off the (insert color here) hanger and they can start making their own choice in what they wear.
These containers look so cool, especially for those that are starting to get into the whole meal prep thing (like me, lol).
*go get ♀️
Hello I’m reading this from Santa Clarita ca. One thing I do when doing laundry is have 3 piles of clothes. Whites darks and colors. Then I can make smaller piles if needed. Sometimes this doesn’t work when my husband or daughter are in a hurry they just throw things anywhere.