With blueberries now in season, it’s crucial to become clever about maintaining those succulent and delectable fruits fresh and can be added to scones and muffins. There’s nothing more deflating than buying plump blueberries only to discover they’ve spoiled within a day.
Blueberries are infamous for rapidly falling victim to mould, becoming mushy quickly if not stored correctly. A lesser-known fact is that they shouldn’t be kept in plastic and must be taken out of their original supermarket packaging immediately. This is because blueberries contain abundant water and plastic containers contribute to heightened moisture – an ideal breeding environment for bacteria that transform them into a disappointing, mouldy disaster.
Food lovers have taken to the Cheap Meal Ideas Facebook page to reveal their top methods of keeping blueberries fresh after one user requested guidance.
Charlotte Bray asked: “Any suggestions on how to keep blueberries and strawberries from going bad in just a couple of days?”
The bulk of replies insisted that vinegar was the secret to extending the shelf life of blueberries.
Andy Clark said: “I always wash with water/vinegar and store in plastic containers with paper towels in the fridge. I’ve found my blueberries can last close to four weeks like this.”
Tonya Price said: “Soak for five to 10 minutes in cool water with white vinegar in it. Rinse. Dry on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet [baking tray]. Seal in air air-tight bowl.”
Linda Paxton said: “Wash and rinse them in vinegar water before putting in the refrigerator. They’ll last longer.”
Sky Hohner said: “Vinegar bath works amazing. Works especially well with taking that funny feeling on grapes too.
“I made a fruit salad last time and it lasted nearly two weeks. I couldn’t believe it.”
Kathy White added: “I soak mine in vinegar water for a few seconds, rinse, then clean. They stayed fresh for five weeks. No mould.”
Group members were intrigued as to whether washing blueberries in vinegar leaves a residual taste of the acidic liquid.
Stefanie Benson said: “No. I do this weekly, and no one has ever complained of a vinegar taste. It just cleans the fruits and vegetables and lessens your chances of getting sick.
“Three cups of water to one cup of vinegar. Or you can do eight cups of water to two tablespoons of vinegar.”
Kathy Burke added: “I just used distilled white vinegar. No, you don’t taste the vinegar. It kills mould spores, that’s why the berries last longer.”