Nothing is more refreshing than eating juicy strawberries and blueberries in the hot weather, but it can be tricky to keep them fresh. Berries tend to rot in just a few days as they have a high water content, which makes them more susceptible to mould and bacteria if they are stored wrong.
However Danielle Walker, a cook and founder of Against All Grain, has shared a easy way to keep berries fresh for 10 days longer if to take minutes to wash them properly. She said: “It’s simple really: just give them a quick bath in a vinegar and water solution the moment you get them home.”
It may sound bizarre, but white vinegar is naturally antifungal and can kill mould spores so will remove any bacteria left on the berries.
Cleaning berries will remove any dirt that causes them spoil and decay at a faster rate so they more than a week rather than just a day or two.
All you need to do is fill a large bowl with cold water and add two tablespoons of distilled white vinegar.
Place the berries in the water, and then let them soak between five and 10 minutes. Set a timer beforehand so you do not accidentally leave them too long.
Soaking the berries for a few minutes is fine but if left for longer than 10 minutes then you can risk the berries having a horrible vinegary taste.
Once the time is up, place the berries in a salad spinner to dry or leave them on a clean dish towel and genly blot them dry with a another dish towel
Make sure the berries are completely dry before trying to store them as any excess moisture could encourage mould or bacteria.
Then, store the berries in a container with a lid lined with paper towels. The paper towels will soak up any water the berries naturally release, which helps stop them rotting.
If you can, store the berries in a glass container which are made of non-porous material, meaning it will not absorb moisture like plastic would which also causes them to spoil.
When stored correctly both strawberries and blueberries will stay plump and juicy for almost two weeks, so you can enjoy fresh berries without worrying about them going mouldy.
Danielle said: “The vinegar helps to kill any mold that could cause them to spoil, and this method can make them last as long as 10 days in our house! Voilà, that is how you keep berries fresh longer.”