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!Â
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”.
I recently read somewhere that walnuts are great for filling scratches in wooden floors. I tried it out today and it really works!! Thankfully my scratches werenât really big (fine lines). After rubbing with walnut I canât even tell where the scratch was. Iâm a reader from Oakbrook, IL.
I hope
You continue this Favorite Things Friday routine! Iâm going to try this hack next time I buy berries thanks!
I always hated the smell of bleach, so now we use baking soda, vinegar and dish soap to clean our bathrooms, sinks and it doesn’t smell and leaves it squeaky clean! Thanks for today’s post definitely will be doing this for now on to avoid fruit going bad so quickly.
El Paso, TX
I use vinegar to clean and disinfect the toilet instead of any other chemical. Tampa fl
I usually soak my fruits and veggies in some baking soda. I also will clean everything once I get home, and put them in individual bowls in the fridge, so my kids can just go in there and grab it. If I leave fruits and veggies in the original packaging my family wont ever touch it. I’m from Orlando,FL.
I find that preping fruit in small containers makes grabbing a healthy snack on the go a breeze. It keeps me from eating unhealthier snacks as well. Tina, Los Angeles CA
My favorite product is no longer available but i was the Bounce and Gain dryer bars. I love them because they actually last the number of months i.e. 2,3,4; or longer. I wish they will bring them back I only have one more left!!! Thanks for sharing this product, I have never heard of it.
I always use a mixture of water and vinegar for cleaning our hardwood floors. Also use vinegar, baking soda and dishwashing liquid (dawn) solution to clean the shower glass doors. Itâs so clear and clean afterwards, and less chemicals yoo. From Mount Dora, Fl âşď¸â¤ď¸
I have strawberries in the fridge right now that Iâm going to try this tip on! Thanks!
When I buy precut lettuce in a box I open the top put a dry paper towel on top and store in the fridge upside down. The paper towel absorbs the moisture and the lettuce lasts SOOO much longer (up to two weeks). I also add the paper towel to bag lettuce and in under a fresh head of lettuce and am shocked how long it lasts
One of my fave products is Dawn dish soap (blue one)! It’s the only dish soap I use but I use it for greasy laundry stains & cleaning bathrooms & kitchen (make up a spray bottle with vinegar & Dawn). Los Angeles, CA đ