How to wash strawberries and keep them fresh for 2 to 3 days
Quick answer
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Fridge
Keeps for 2-3 days
Keep fresh strawberries in a clean refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below, covered with plastic wrap, and wash them right before you eat them.
Watch out Don't leave them out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
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Freezer
Keeps for 8-12 months
Freeze fresh strawberries at a constant 0°F (-18°C), where they keep 8 to 12 months for best quality.
Watch out Freezer burn leaves dry, grayish-brown spots, and you can cut those parts away.
Fresh strawberries keep 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below and 8 to 12 months in the freezer. Wash them right before you prepare or eat them, gently rubbing them under plain running water and drying them with a clean cloth or paper towel. Skip soap and produce wash. Throw out strawberries that are moldy or look rotten.
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Fresh strawberries keep 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and 8 to 12 months in the freezer, according to the USDA FoodKeeper data. They’re perishable fruit, so the fridge is where they belong.
Below you’ll find how to keep strawberries fresh, how to clean them the way the FDA recommends, and when to throw them out.
How to keep strawberries fresh
The best way to store strawberries is in a clean refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below, covered, and unwashed until you’re ready to eat them. Fresh strawberries last 2 to 3 days there.
Do strawberries need to be refrigerated?
Yes. The FDA says to store perishable fresh fruit such as strawberries in a clean refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. If you bought them packaged or pre-cut, refrigerate them too, because the FDA says to refrigerate all produce bought that way.
Don’t leave strawberries out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Bacteria grow fastest between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. The USDA calls that range the Danger Zone.
How to make strawberries last longer
Start with berries that aren’t bruised or damaged, then keep them cold, covered, and unwashed until you eat them.
- Choose strawberries that aren’t bruised or damaged, as the FDA advises.
- Keep them in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below.
- Cover them with plastic wrap, which keeps fresh fruit moist and away from mold spores in the air.
- Wash them under running water right before you prepare or eat them.
- Cut away bruised or damaged spots, and throw away any berries that look rotten.
- Freeze the berries you won’t get to within 2 to 3 days. They keep 8 to 12 months in the freezer.
How to clean strawberries
The best way to clean strawberries is to gently rub them under plain running water, then dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel. That’s the method in the FDA’s tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables.
Washing reduces bacteria but doesn’t eliminate them. Drying the berries afterward reduces bacteria further.
How to wash strawberries
Wash strawberries under plain running water right before you prepare or eat them, using these steps.
- Wait until you’re ready to prepare or eat them.
- Hold them under plain running water and gently rub them.
- Dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Cut away any bruised or damaged areas, and throw away any berries that look rotten.
Do you need soap or a produce wash?
No. The FDA says there’s no need for soap or a produce wash. It doesn’t recommend soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash, because produce is porous and can absorb them.
Do you need baking soda to clean strawberries?
No, the FDA’s method for cleaning strawberries uses only plain running water, with nothing added. It also says there’s no need for soap or a produce wash.
This guide’s sources give no baking soda step, so follow the wash steps above. Washing reduces bacteria but doesn’t eliminate them, and drying the berries with a clean cloth or paper towel reduces them further.
How long do strawberries last in the fridge?
Fresh strawberries last 2 to 3 days in the fridge, according to the USDA FoodKeeper. In the freezer they keep much longer.
| Where | Type | How long it keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Fresh strawberries | 2 to 3 days |
| Freezer | Fresh strawberries | 8 to 12 months |
| Freezer | Strawberries bought frozen | 10 to 18 months |
When to throw strawberries out
Throw out strawberries that are moldy or look rotten. Strawberries are soft, high-moisture fruit, and the USDA’s guidance on molds on food says such fruit can be contaminated below the surface when it’s moldy.
Bruised or damaged spots are different. The FDA says to cut those areas away before you prepare or eat the fruit, and to throw away anything that looks rotten.
Can you freeze strawberries?
Yes, you can freeze strawberries. To freeze them, put them in a freezer that holds a constant 0°F (-18°C), where food stays safe.
Freezing is how you keep strawberries past the 2 to 3 days they last in the fridge.
How long do frozen strawberries last?
Fresh strawberries keep 8 to 12 months in the freezer, and frozen fruit bought frozen, such as berries, keeps 10 to 18 months. Those times are about quality, not safety. Only quality suffers with long freezer storage.
What is freezer burn?
Freezer burn is grayish-brown, leathery spots where air reached the surface of frozen food. It doesn’t make strawberries unsafe, only dry in spots, and you can cut those parts away.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cut the mold off strawberries?
No, throw them out. The USDA says soft fruit with high moisture content should be thrown out when moldy, because it can be contaminated below the surface.
Should you wash strawberries before putting them in the fridge?
No. The FDA says to wash produce under running water right before you prepare or eat it.
Should you cover strawberries in the fridge?
The USDA recommends covering fresh or cut fruit with plastic wrap. It keeps the fruit moist and away from mold spores in the air.
What should you look for when buying strawberries?
Choose strawberries that aren't bruised or damaged. That's the FDA's advice for all produce.
How long do store-bought frozen strawberries last?
Frozen fruit bought frozen, such as berries, keeps 10 to 18 months in the freezer. Fresh strawberries you freeze yourself keep 8 to 12 months.
