Organic fresh picked strawberries either by you or us, gives you the sweetest taste, highest nutritional, and safest strawberries to eat and store. But you can only eat so many fresh organic strawberries at one time.
Plus, the strawberries are only fresh each year for a short period of time.
At Abers Acres we have two strawberry seasons. Spring strawberries are available between mid June to mid July. Fall strawberries are usually available in September. Exact time frame depends on the weather.
The most common questions we get about strawberries are about storage. You want to know how long your freshly picked organic strawberries will last. Plus, you want to know how to store your strawberries for long-term storage.
How to keep your fresh organic strawberries fresh for the longest period of time?
Strawberries are a delicate fruit and like it dry and cool. Moisture and heat promotes mold and spoiling more quickly.
Do not rinse strawberries until you’re ready to use them. Rinsing or washing strawberries will make them go bad faster.
If you cannot sort and prepare your strawberries when you get home, put them in the refrigerator immediately. And DO NOT forget about them.
Sometimes strawberries from the u-pick field will feel warmer because you just picked them and they haven’t been refrigerated yet.
Once you get your strawberries home from the farm stand, farmers’ market, or u-pick strawberry field, do the following.
- Sort through your strawberries, checking and removing bruised, smashed, or moldy berries. From the markets and farm stand, you shouldn’t find any mold. But the weight of the berries, heat in your car and length of time in your car can make them softer.
- Place strawberries in a container, or on a towel in single layers.
By placing the strawberries in single layers, your strawberries will last longer in the refrigerator. - Cover loosely with a light towel or paper towel.
- Store in a cool area of your refrigerator. Crisper drawers work really well.
The optimal temperature for refrigerated strawberries is between 32 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. - Do not use plastic wrap, plastic bags or an air-tight container. Strawberries need air in the refrigerator.
- Avoid areas of the refrigerator with powerful smells such as onions, garlic, and strong cheeses.
Strawberries absorb smells, making them taste off. - When you’re ready-to-use, rinse them and eat.
- Fresh organic strawberries are best eaten within a few days of picking.
Storing Fresh Organic Strawberries for extended periods of time.
Maybe you won’t be able to finish the quart of strawberries you bought or picked within a few days. Or maybe you want to have extra organic strawberries for the off season. Either way, freezing your organic strawberries gives you fresh strawberries year round and makes you have no waste.
Freezing strawberries helps maintain the fruit’s nutritional value compared to dehydrating and canning.
By doing the following, you’ll have fresh frozen strawberries all year round.
- Choose the highest quality of berries. They should be ripe, yet firm, without mold or soft spots for the best long-term storage.
- Gently rinse and dry each berry to remove any dirt.
- Do not submerge strawberries in water. Rinse and set on a towel to air dry or pat dry.
You don’t want your strawberries wet when freezing. - Remove stems and any green caps from each strawberry.
- Preparing: Depending on the size and use of your strawberries will determine if you cut, slice, chop, or leave the strawberries whole.
- Place the prepared organic strawberries in a single layer, not touching, onto a lined baking sheet.
The lining keeps the strawberries from sticking to the baking sheet.
You can use parchment paper, silicon lining or wax paper.
Do not use aluminum foil or plastic.
- Stick trays of strawberries into the freezer until frozen.
- Depending on the size of your strawberries will determine freezing time.
This process prevents strawberries from sticking together during freezing and creates less freezer burn. - Once completely frozen, transfer the strawberries to a freezer safe airtight or vacuum seal container. Freezer burn occurs more often from the air in a container.
- Label each container with Organic Strawberries and the date, so you can eat the older ones first.
- Place your containers of strawberries into your freezer. Ideally, you want them inside the freezer where it is colder and not in the door.
What to do with your frozen strawberries?
Anything you desire.
Throw frozen strawberries into smoothies, on top of ice cream or in your cereal. And of course you can just pop them into your mouth for a frozen strawberry treat.
You can make them into jam, sauces, or bake with them.
Frozen organic strawberries are the next best thing to freshly picked strawberries.
While you still have time, get more freshly picked organic strawberries from one of our farmers’ markets, farm stand, or pick your own strawberry field.
Enjoy!