Strawberries: Tips and Tricks

Nearly every year for as long as I can remember, I have picked strawberries.  Growing up, I remember going with my mom (and sometimes my grandparents) and spending a couple hours in the blazing sun and heat picking berries.  I have to admit, I probably did my fair share of complaining!  However, being able to enjoy strawberries for the rest of the year made the heat and sweat worth-while.


Since we've been married, I have been able to convince Mike to go strawberry picking with me.  Usually it comes with some stipulations, like that we only go for an hour and that he gets to play video games later in the day.  I can deal with that, and we both enjoy having strawberries in the freezer for year round strawberry smoothies!  This year was the first year in a long time that I haven't picked my own strawberries.  Something about squatting and picking berries in the heat while 8 months pregnant just doesn't sound so great to me.  I ended up buying a bunch of strawberries instead, but didn't buy enough to freeze this year, because they haven't been cheap enough!  What can I say?  I'm Dutch!

Here's the process I use to wash and store (and freeze) my strawberries:

Wash strawberries in a mix of water and vinegar.  I usually fill my sink about 1/3 of the way full and pour in approximately 1 cup of vinegar.  Allow the berries to soak for 5 minutes. 

Remove the berries from the vinegar water and rinse them with fresh water.  Remove the greens from the strawberries.  I find it easiest to just pull them off using my thumbnail, but you can also use a knife or a grapefruit spoon.

Place washed strawberries in an airtight container.  If you ever have a chance to purchase these green containers (for produce), I would recommend it as I really think they help extend the life of my fruits and vegetables!

If you would like to freeze your berries, after removing the greens, place them on a towel to air dry.  If you want to speed up the process, you can use a fan to dry the strawberries.  (I took these pictures last year after Mike and I picked strawberries.)

When the strawberries have completely dried, place them in a single layer in a freezer bag.  Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag.

Keeping the bags flat, place them in the freezer to store. 

Enjoy "fresh" strawberries year round!

Other Fruit Tips and Tricks:
Watermelon
Blueberries
Mangoes
Pineapple
Avocados