Store berries for much longer by making one easy swap.
We could all do with getting more fruit and veg in our diets, and one great way to do that is by swapping out your unhealthy snacks during the day for a couple of pieces of fruit. Berries are an excellent alternative for this – they taste great and don’t need any peeling or chopping before you tuck in.
But there’s one problem with the likes of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Anyone whose tried keeping them in the fridge for more than a couple of days knows the pain of opening the packet to find half of them have gone mouldy already.
They don’t tend to last very long, and this is partly because they are porous, water-rich, and have delicate skin, all of which makes them susceptible to trapped moisture – a well-known breeding ground for mould. But there’s another reason your berries go mouldy so quickly: you’re not storing them properly.
According to a food fan on TikTok, making just one simple swap when you bring your berries home from the supermarket could help them last for much longer than normal.
Katya Mackle shared a video on TikTok in which she explained that you should never store your berries in the plastic punnet you buy them in. Instead, you should always transfer them to a glass dish to help keep them fresh.
She said: “Berries are probably the most delicate product, since if not stored properly, they can deteriorate in a day. Over the past six months, I’ve tried all the storage methods, and here’s what works best.
“First I wash the berries and then I dry them. They can be dried on a regular paper towel, but I love this [salad spinner] device. It saves my towels and the berries do not deform.”
Before putting the berries in a glass container, Katya places a small plastic tray with holes in it in the bottom. The holes allow for any moisture that the berries release to be collected at the base of the container, without the berries sitting in it.
However, if you don’t have access to a similar tray, the woman explained you can line your container with a paper towel to absorb the moisture instead for the same end result.
Kitchen towel is super versatile and can be snapped up for as little as £1 – and the vast majority of us will have sheets in our store cupboards at home already.
Katya added: “I used to use a paper towel but now I use a special tray. Excess moisture goes down, and again the berries do not deform. I do not close the container, and I store it on the top shelf of the fridge.”
Commenters on the post were blown away by the hack, as many had no idea that glass containers are better for storing berries than the plastic packaging they come in.
The glass is non-porous and isn’t as susceptible to moisture and temperature changes as plastic is, so it can help to stop the moisture build-up that causes berries to go mouldy so quickly.
One person said: “This trick is a must.” While another added: “Thank you! Finally, someone using a glass container instead of a plastic one.”
How to keep berries fresher for longer
Keeping berries fresher for longer can be a bit tricky because they are delicate and tend to spoil quickly. However, with proper handling and storage, you can extend their freshness. Here are some tips to help you keep your berries fresh for as long as possible:
- Remove Bad Berries: Go through your berries and remove any that are moldy, crushed, or spoiled. One bad berry can spoil the rest of the batch faster.
- Use Containers with Vents: Store your berries in a container that allows for air circulation. Many berries are sold in ventilated plastic containers, which are designed to keep them fresh.
- Line with Paper Towels: Place a paper towel at the bottom of your storage container to absorb excess moisture. You can place a second paper towel on top of the berries as well.
- Cool Storage: Store your berries in the refrigerator. Keep them in the main compartment, not in the crisper drawer, as the high humidity in the crisper can speed up spoilage.
- Mild Vinegar Bath: A gentle rinse in a vinegar solution can kill mould spores and bacteria. Mix one part white vinegar to three parts water, gently immerse the berries, swish them around, and then rinse thoroughly with plain water. Allow the berries to air dry completely before storing them in the fridge.
- Portion Correction: Store berries in small batches to minimise the handling and exposure to air, which can cause them to spoil faster.
