Strawberries

General Information

Strawberries, the sweet red berries often used for jam, are high in vitamin C and fiber. Eat them raw, with yogurt, sliced on cereal, in smoothies, as an ice cream topping, or on strawberry shortcake.  Strawberries are native to North America, and Native Americans used them in many dishes. The first colonists in America shipped the native larger strawberry plants back to Europe as early as 1600.

 

Storing & Cooking Information

HANDLING:
Wash strawberries and cut off their green leaves and stems.

STORING:
Great tasting strawberries were bred for taste, not for storage. While eating all your strawberries within two hours of picking them up is always an option, there are a few more ways to maximize their storage capacity.  Store them in the coldest part of the refrigerator (32-36°F), in a single layer, loosely covered with plastic wrap. Do not wash until ready to use.  Depending on how ripe they are, the berries should last anywhere from two days to a week.

FREEZING:
Wash the berries and place on top of a cookie sheet covered with a dishtowel in a single layer. Place in the freezer. 12 hours later, transfer the berries to freezer bags.