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Delicious in a fruit salad, the perfect decoration to a decadent dessert, or simply perfect on their own, there’s no shortage of different ways to enjoy strawberries! But before you can enjoy their sweet flavour, you need to prepare them so they are delicious to eat. We explain the best way to wash your strawberries, as well as bust some myths about berry washing.
Although you can eat your strawberries straight out of the packet, giving them a quick wash means they will taste extra fresh and ready to be eaten, cooked or baked. If you aren’t ready to start eating your strawberries, don’t wash them yet! You should only wash your strawberries just before you are ready to eat, to avoid them going mushy or mouldy.
You’ll likely come across many people advocating for washing your berries with vinegar, and other substances like salt or baking soda. However, it’s best not to use these harsher cleaning agents as they can impact the taste of your strawberries as well as damaging their texture. Washing your strawberries with water is enough to ensure they are ready to eat.
You can follow the simple steps below to ensure that your strawberries are ready to enjoy!
Place your strawberries in a colander, or keep them in their packaging, and gently rinse them in the cold water. It’s best to keep the water pressure light so you don’t bruise your strawberries. Give the colander a gentle shake and use clean hands to rotate your berries.
Using a clean cloth, pat your strawberries dry.
After you’ve washed and dried your strawberries, they are now ready to enjoy! Whether you are baking them into a delicious strawberry tart, creating a mango and strawberry salsa to add to your next savoury dish, or serving the perfect summer cocktail, there are so many ways to delight in strawberries.
We recommend keeping your strawberries in their packaging and popping them in the fridge - the crisper is a great place to store them. You can store your strawberries in the fridge for up to five days, but if you’re planning to keep your strawberries for a longer period of time, you’ll want to freeze them instead.
Before you freeze your strawberries, follow the washing instructions listed above. Next, remove the calyx, which is the official name of the leafy top and protects the young blossom as it transforms into a strawberry. You may also want to remove any soft spots before placing your strawberries on a baking tray and freezing for one hour - this prevents them from sticking together. Then, pack your berries into a freezable container. Seal the container and keep your strawberries frozen until you are ready to use them.
Need some more strawberry inspiration? Check out some of our most popular strawberry recipes below!
