Jerry James Stone has been doing food storage videos for over a decade, with berries a popular topic. Sharing strawberry tips on his blog, the food expert tested five hacks to see which one worked the best.
However, to begin with, the expert said it’s super important to buy fresh berries. He wrote: “No storage method can help you if you bring home bad berries. Choose strawberries that are shiny with a bright red colour and free from bruises, blemishes and of course, mould.” Take a look at the bottom of the pack and choose one which looks the best.
Next, it’s time to wash them, and this is where Jerry tested out a variety of different rinses, including just water, hot water, vinegar, baking soda and vinegar and baking soda together.
The expert said: “After the berries were washed, they were fully dried. This is extremely important.
“You don’t want to introduce any moisture when storing the berries. You can easily dry them in a few different ways.”
This includes letting them air dry, patting them dry with a towel, using a salad spinner or gently drying them with a blow dryer.
The winner was the vinegar bath, according to Jerry, which kept them looking fresh for a month.
Jerry said: “This method is about killing bacteria and mould. Soak berries in a vinegar solution that is three parts water and one part white vinegar. Let them soak for 15 minutes.
“The 3:1 with water and vinegar was the clear winner at day 25. I think these berries could have lasted at least another week or longer.
“They were plump, showed very little decay in any meaningful way. Perfect for smoothies or shortcake.”
In order to keep the strawberries fresh, the food expert also tested the best container to store strawberries.
According to Jerry, the berries stayed fresher when stored in a sealed container without kitchen roll.
He noted: “Over the years, I have done it with and without a towel and with and without the lid ajar.
“But a sealed container with no towel seems to be the winner. I think these berries could have lasted up to two weeks.”