Handling fresh strawberries has a few pitfalls. Successful cultivation in your own garden is not enough. Proper storage ensures refreshing enjoyment over a longer period of time. We show the best methods.

Treat properly after harvest

How you handle freshly harvested strawberries determines the further course of fault-free storage. Regardless of the preferred type of storage, the following premises apply to adequate preparation:

  • Wash strawberries preferably in standing water in a bowl and drain in a colander
  • Pat the fruit dry with a kitchen towel
  • then cut off the green sepals
  • Sort out rotten or moldy specimens immediately

As little pressure as possible should be applied to strawberries during cleaning and trimming. Ideally, place each fruit cut side down on a tray individually, rather than stacking them in the bowl.

Store strawberries correctly in the refrigerator

The refrigerator is primarily considered for storage if the consumption of the strawberries is planned for the next 1 to 2 days. Avoid using an airtight plastic container as the fruit will mold more quickly. These alternatives have a positive effect on durability:

  • Line a large Tupperware with paper towels
  • Fill in the prepared strawberries as loosely as possible
  • Put in the fridge without a lid at 2-6 degrees Celsius
  • alternatively, place cut-side down on a baking sheet

A lack of space in the refrigerator often requires stacking of fresh food boxes. Spread the strawberries out in the Tupperware so that they are not touching and then close the lid. If the rest of the fridge can handle it, lower the temperature to 0-2 degrees Celsius. In this case, the retention period is extended to at least 5 days.

Fresh from the bed into the freezer - that's how it works

After harvest time, keep the strawberry delight for up to 10 months with the freezer. Thanks to the deep sub-zero temperatures, the fruits are properly preserved here, since microbes don't stand a chance. These approaches have proven effective:

  • Put cleaned fruit in a freezer bag, vacuum seal and freeze
  • Pre-freeze strawberries on the baking sheet, pack in bags and place in a storage compartment of the freezer
  • Sugar the prepared fruit, puree and pour into ice cube trays
  • to be removed individually after freezing for consumption

You can prevent the shortcoming of the mushy consistency after thawing by using dry ice to pre-freeze strawberries.

tips and tricks

Would you like to eat the strawberries picked early in the morning on the same day? Then keep the fruit spread out on a tray at room temperature. Wash, clean and sweeten the delicious vitamin bombs just before eating. In this way you ensure yourself the ultimate strawberry treat.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden