Some vanilla ice with strawberries, but you’ve bought too many of them at the beginning of the week. Could you still consume them? How long do strawberries last before they go bad?
Strawberries are also great for a quick bite, but they won’t last for a very long time, even in the fridge.
In today’s article, we will cover all you need to know about strawberries, their shelf life, how to store them, and about their spoilage signs.
We will also give you tips on where to look when buying the right strawberries for a long shelf life.
Enjoy the read!
How Long Can Strawberries Last
We will start with a quick table, just for your convenience:
Strawberries | Counter | Refrigerator |
---|---|---|
Unrefrigerated and Uncut (Whole) | Up to 2 days | / |
Unrefrigerated and Cut | 1 day | / |
Refrigerated and Uncut (Whole) | / | Up to 1 week (7 days) |
Refrigerated and Cut | / | Up to 3 days |
You see that we keep things very simple when it comes to strawberries. Strawberries belong to the fruit family and fruit doesn’t last well for a very long time on its own.
We will talk about whether they’re refrigerated or unrefrigerated and cut or uncut (and thus whole).
How Long Do Uncut Strawberries Last Unrefrigerated
They will last for up to 2 days when stored at room temperature. Luckily, you can do a lot of things with it so buy them with a plan.
For the strawberries that you won’t use or don’t have a plan for, you should store them in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, plastic bag or glass jar, or anything that can be sealed tight.
How Long Do Cut Strawberries Last Unrefrigerated
Once you cut your fruits, you’ll know that they’re more vulnerable or perishable from the classic external threats like heat, air, bacteria, direct sunlight, and so on…
Cut strawberries will last up to 1-day max when stored at room temperature.
How Long Do Uncut Strawberries Last Refrigerated
When they’re refrigerated, they will last for up to 1 week (7 days) when stored correctly. Shield them as well as you can from the classic external threats.
How Long Do Cut Strawberries Last Refrigerated
From the moment you cut them, they will last up to 3 days in the fridge, when stored correctly.
Always try to consume or use your strawberries within the first 2 days. You can always store them longer and use them in other dishes but don’t consume them directly when they’re over this period.
Another great option is to freeze your strawberries and use them later in a smoothie or make some strawberry syrup for your vanilla ice cream.
How To Store Strawberries
We will follow the same structure as above and the table.
As we’ve said before, fruits are very perishable from heat sources, air, bacteria, other odors, and direct sunlight. Try to shield them away from these external threats or consume them within the first 2 days.
Also, realize that when you don’t do an effort to store your strawberries in a good way, the periods we described above won’t even be just.
How To Store Uncut Strawberries Unrefrigerated
Mostly, your strawberries will come into a container that isn’t sealed and thus you should transfer them into an airtight container that can be easily resealed tight. So do the effort and transfer them into another container.
Don’t leave them in your fruit basket as they won’t last very long. Try to finish them within the day if possible, 2 days can be too far.
The best course of action is always to store your fruit, and thus strawberries, in the fridge.
Another possibility is to freeze them or blend them into strawberry juice or strawberry syrup.
How To Store Cut Strawberries Unrefrigerated
The idea is not to store them but to eat them within the day. Whole strawberries last for up to 2 days and we know that when you cut them, they will last up to 1 day, so if you don’t know what to do, just freeze them.
Always think about it before you buy them. Some slices of strawberries are really good with some vanilla ice, good things are really simple right ;)!
How To Store Uncut Strawberries Refrigerated
This one is easy. In the refrigerator! Of course, you need to transfer everything to a resealable airtight container, to keep the external threats away.
Take some out of the container if you need some and reseal it quickly.
How To Store Cut Strawberries Refrigerated
It’s perfectly possible that you’ll have some cut slices left because everyone had enough for dessert last night. Try to eat them the day after, even when stored in a resealable container. The closer it will get to the 3 days, the less likely it will have great taste and quality.
Strawberries can be a great dessert with simple icing sugar.
There’s always another alternative when you simply have bought too many strawberries: freezing them.
Can You Freeze Strawberries
Yes, you can always opt for freezing your strawberries. But as always, we say: should you?
We on GoodOrGoneBad say that the freezing capacity isn’t endless and you need to think about what you can freeze and for how long. We advise not to freeze them longer than 6 months.
Freezing strawberries will extend their shelf life, but also reduce the possibilities of what you can do with them.
Try to do the following when you’re about to freeze your strawberries:
- Divide them into single-serve portions
- Pack them in 1 or 2 plastic freezer bags (double-bagging them)
- Label the bags or containers with the correct date and time of freezing.
- Place the pieces into the freezer
- When you’re about to use your frozen strawberries, let them thaw and rest in the refrigerator.
You can always squeeze your strawberries for fresh strawberry juice or strawberry syrup and freeze them in simple ice cubes. When you’re out of strawberries, you can simply use these for your smoothie, recovery drink, syrup on your vanilla ice, and so on.
A great tip: use almond milk with frozen strawberries and blend them together. This will result in a great smoothie. I like to drink this after a good workout on the bicycle.
How Can You Tell If Your Strawberries Have Gone Bad
As we’ve said before in this article, we will talk first about how you can buy the best strawberries at the market or store, so you can get the most out of them. It’s always to be equipped with the right knowledge from the start right?
What Strawberries Should I Buy At The Store
When buying strawberries, you can make it yourself easier and enjoy this great fruit, full a bit longer by using the following tips:
- Look at the color: do you see some other colors?
- No softer spots, your strawberries should feel strong.
- No bruises or cuts or anything like this. Of course, the bruise could be from falling down.
That sums it up. Try to get strawberries that look the same all over, so if you have a pack with other colors, place it back and take another.
Of course, you could try to negotiate and aim for a lower price, but that’s not something we will discuss here.
How To Tell If Your Strawberries Have Gone Bad
Detecting spoilage signs of your strawberries starts by trusting your senses and developing your senses and intuition. As with most foods and fruits, it isn’t that hard to tell.
Use the following guidelines when it comes to strawberries and spoilage:
- Do the strawberries have colored spots? This is a sign it has suffered some things and could already be bad. However small colored spots can also be caused by falling down. Are there a lot of them? Simply discard them. Be aware of mold!
- Look and touch the strawberry. Does it feel soft? Is it dried out? Then the best is gone and the rest should be discarded.
- Do the strawberries have a weird smell? If you smell something funny or unpleasant, discard it. A nice smell is an indication of freshness and quality, as it should be.
- How is the taste? The last step is the taste. Go and apply the previous steps. Just be honest with yourself, when the strawberry doesn’t taste as it should, I’d discard it.
Looking for spoilage signs or buying the right strawberries for a longer shelf life is all about trusting your senses. We on GoodOrGoneBad always that if there’s any doubt involved, don’t use or consume them. You can easily buy a new pack of strawberries and you don’t need to take unnecessary risks when it comes to your health and well-being.
Enjoy your strawberries!