Strawberries

Strawberries are so sweet, and we all want to make the most of local berry season! However, naturally grown low-spray strawberries can be oh so delicate! Sometimes even in the refrigerator they get mold on them quite easily. We have a few tips on how to extend the shelf life of your berries. The secret: make sure to wash them the right way! All you need for this is water and white vinegar -- yes, white vinegar. It will help keep your berries fresher for longer by killing any spores on them. You can't see the spores, but they're there, even if mold hasn't grown yet.

prepare a bath of 1 cup white vinegar to 3 cups of water in a large bowl. Gently swish them around to kill any dirt, spores, and bacteria on them. Follow this by rinsing the berries with fresh water in a colander to get rid of the slight vinegar taste. To store them, moisten a paper towel with the water/vinegar mixture, and line the container you plan to store them in. Vinegar washed strawberries will last in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.