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”.
Lincoln,Ne I love to have fresh fruit for my grand babies every weekend when we have dinner. I could never find these products. Thanks Christine
Thank you so much for sharing. I had NO clue using vinegar or apple cider vinegar helped to keep berries last longer. Definitely an “awe” moment for me. I am always tossing 1/: of my berries since they rot so quickly. I would be glad to win the fresh produce containers 🙂
I have learned the easiest way to remove burned on food from pots, pans, and skillets. Put in Dawn blue into pan with hot water and dryer sheet and let set overnight. Food comes right off.
Hello I really want to be entered in this give away ive never heard of this but me and ny son love fruits and they always spoil so quick if been trying to l3arn new ways to eat healthier and more organic. Ive recently got a air fryer and love it
I love doing the vinegar/water rinse. I also rinse the plastic container the fruit came in with hot water & vinegar (since I don’t have the freshworks containers).
This is a grwat ideas, Tina. I tried itseveral times and worked out perfectly with regular plastic container and paper towel at the bottom. Diana, Sacramento CA
I need those!!!! My kids want strawberries all the time (and all other berries and fruit) but they go bad fast. Love your tip and can’t wait to try it.
Reading from Maui Hawaii during Hurricane Lane
Thank you for sharing how you keep your fruit fresh , I’m always throwing away recently purchased food , and it’s so frustrating. I’m excited to go out and purchase the Rubbermaid freshness containers , and try your apple cider trick , thanks so much for these great helpful tips . I truly appreciate it .
Im not sure if anyone else loves dawn as much as I do, Ive been using couple drops of dawn and warn water with a 2 tablespoons of bleach as my bathroom cleaner , it does the job!! the smell isnt to strong and adds shine on the toilet,bath tub and sink as I have little ones that clings with me while cleaning. Did i mention it gets rid of that unwanted urine smell too!! plus its a money saver!!!
Omgosh! Thank you for the tip! I’m definitely going to start doing this! I buy fruits mostly raspberries for the kids every week and even though most of them get eaten there’s always a couple that end up in the trash and it makes me sad.. A tip I learned a couple months ago with Celery is I wrap it in aluminum foil and it lasts weeks!
Reading from Groveland, FL