Recipes With Strawberries | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

What to do with fresh strawberries before they go bad? ›

Rinse with vinegar solution: Soak strawberries in a vinegar solution (one-part white vinegar and three parts water) for a few minutes. Then drain them, pat them dry, and place them on a clean paper towel in a glass container. Loosely place the lid on and store in the refrigerator.

The sweet fruit shines when chopped up and tossed over a fresh summer salad or as a cake garnish, but it's also delicious when frozen and blended as a refreshing drink or combined with sugar to make syrupy sauce.

Soaking strawberries in salt water will help dislodge any hidden dirt or bugs. (Gross, we know.) That said, it's normal for there to be some earthy residue on the berries, but if you're particularly concerned about bugs, give them a soak in salt water.

Add 1 tsp. of baking soda to 4 cups of water, and soak your strawberries in a large bowl for five minutes. Then, rinse your strawberries with cold running water and pat them dry. Baking soda helps remove dirt, traces of pesticides, and more from fresh fruits and vegetables.

What's more, washed berries stay mold-free for several days longer than their unwashed counterparts.” So go ahead and wash those berries. You'll be doing them (and yourself!) a favor by allowing them to stay fresher for longer.

So be sure to wash the berries before you freeze them, but not too early.

You can technically do either, but it's a good idea to slice or at least halve the strawberries before you freeze them so they are easier to work with when you eventually use them. And no matter what you do, be sure to remove the green stems before freezing.

Methods of Freezing Strawberries

For whole berries: Freeze the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet to keep them from getting stuck together. Once they're solid, transfer the berries to a container, such as FreezerWare™, or a zip freezer bag such as Glad® Freezer Zipper Gallon Bags.

Strawberries frozen without sugar will keep, but may lose some of their flavor, texture, and color. However, unsweetened packs are desirable for sugar-free diets and for making jams later. Here're some suggestions that have worked for us.

Yes, a dog can eat strawberries. If you're looking for a fun and safe treat to help expand your dog's palate, strawberries are an excellent choice. Like many other fruits and berries, strawberries are a healthy snack choice for dogs. Other options include apples, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries and more.

Are the tiny strawberries in my yard edible? ›

There are two types of wild strawberries: True wild strawberries, and Indian Strawberries, also called mock or false strawberries. Mock strawberries are not poisonous, but they don't have any flavor to speak of. Wild strawberries are delicious, and taste just like the strawberries you'd pick in your garden.

Here are some tips for storing strawberries in your refrigerator to keep them fresh throughout the season. When stored properly, strawberries will stay firm and fresh for about a week. It's important to keep strawberries very dry and cold.

There are pros and cons when it comes to growing strawberries in pots or in the ground. Strawberry plants may last longer if planted in the ground. But you can also better control weeds and the quality of soil and drainage when you plant them in pots.

Keep your fresh strawberries in the refrigerator for best results. If you're pressed for time and cannot wash and rinse them right away make sure to place unwashed berries in an airtight container lined with paper towels (this will help absorb any extra moisture) and keep them in the refrigerator for up to five days.

The best method is to keep berries cold and dry so they won't mold. For the short term: Arrange the berries (without washing or removing the stems) on a paper towel-lined tray and cover with plastic wrap; then refrigerate.

Basic method for freezing strawberries

Cut and discard the stems, then freeze whole or cut to desired size. Lay the prepared strawberries on a tray and put in the freezer and until solid. Once frozen, transfer to labelled resealable freezer bag, ensuring you remove any excess air before sealing.

The Bottom Line

To get the most life out of your berries, I suggest you: Keep them whole, keep them dry, keep them spaced out (if possible), keep them in the fridge, and keep them covered/in high humidity. That's the best you can do.