The Best Way to Store Fresh Strawberries for Maximum Sweetness

We are entering one of the juiciest, sweetest times of year: the strawberry season!

Freshly picked organic strawberries are delightful enjoyed straight out of the carton; for something a little fancier, dipping these perfectly bite-sized fruits in melted chocolate is sure to be a winner with any guests!

Strawberries sliced into salads adds a sweet, fruity twist that will certainly have the kids eating their greens, and blending the strawbs with a touch of sugar and citric acid then freezing it is an easy way to make your own sorbet.

If you're dabbling with the homesteading lifestyle, boiling strawberries with sugar and a touch of lemon juice or citric acid until it forms a mouthwatering jam is a great way to enjoy these delicious fruit for months after buying them!

While strawberries in my house don't often make it to the fridge before they're munched or processed into a tasty treat, some of you with the will-power of a higher being may be wondering how to store strawberries to keep them fresher for longer.

While I may not have a whole heap of firsthand experience, I can advise somewhat on the subject:

1 - Store them unwashed in an unsealed container in the fridge: moisture is the biggest enemy to a good strawberry - even them smallest amount of water will have them going bad in the blink of an eye. So, we recommend only washing the strawberries right before eating them.

2 - If you have the time and energy, dunk the berries in a bath made up of 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water, drain and then dry them completely.

Once dried, pop the strawbs into a container lined with paper towels and place in the fridge. This should keep them looking and tasting fresh for up to a week.

3 - When you're ready to enjoy your strawberries, we strongly recommend taking them out of the fridge and leaving them in a warm spot on the bench top to come to room temperature.

The chill of the refrigerator acts to slow the spoilage of the strawberries, but also inhibits the release of the aromatic compounds that give strawberries their classic smell and flavour.

As they warm up, these compounds get released, replacing the tartness of cold strawbs with their desirable juicy sweetness!