I can keep strawberries fresh for 10 days. A fantastic trick of my grandmother’s that I’m going to tell you about

Don’t wash berries when storing them

If you want to eat the strawberries right away or use them the same day, it’s best to wash them thoroughly to get rid of any dirt and other debris and to make sure you eat clean berries.

But if you want to store the strawberries to use later, it’s best not to wash them. Unnecessary moisture would accelerate their rotting or cause rotten spots to appear sooner.

Transfer them to a paper bag

If you plan to use the strawberries in two or three days, take them out of the container or bag you brought them in. Definitely don’t leave them in plastic or plastic. Sort them thoroughly – there should be no mould anywhere, and any brownish strawberries should be removed immediately. If you leave the defective bits in, the others could soon catch mould from them.

Then stack the healthy pieces in a paper bag. This will absorb excess moisture and keep the strawberries fresh longer.

A freezer? Why not?

If you’re going to use the strawberries after a really long time, you can also freeze them. Clean them, remove the stems and let them dry thoroughly. You shouldn’t freeze strawberries wet, so that an icy surface doesn’t form. Again, make sure there are no rotten or mouldy bits in between.

Then, one at a time, spread them out on a baking sheet lined with cling film and cover with foil and place in the freezer. When they start to freeze, take them out and then transfer them to the container or bag where you want to store them. The first step will stop the strawberries sticking together.

How about jam?

Another way to preserve strawberries for a rainy day is to process them as marmalade. You can also mix strawberries with other fruits or experiment with the flavour of the marmalade – how about adding mint or champagne?