Berries are a summertime staple, perfect for fruit salads, breakfast dishes and nutritious snacking. Unfortunately, they can spoil remarkably quickly. This means you often need to eat a punnet of strawberries, blueberries or raspberries rapidly before they turn. Otherwise, it results in food waste and wasted money.
Fortunately, there is a straightforward method to prolong the lifespan of your berries, giving you more than enough time to enjoy them. The easy answer is using distilled vinegar, which costs just 35p at Tesco. Vinegar helps eliminate any mould on the berries that can lead to spoilage.
How the vinegar trick works
Blogger Danielle Walker says the straightforward trick has enabled her berries to last 10 days. She explained: "I have been using this tip for years in order to buy in bulk and save money, and have berries on hand for my boys to snack on at all times since they are their favourite."
British glassware and kitchen equipment brand Kilner has also recommended using vinegar to help berries remain fresh considerably longer. It stated: "We've found the best way to keep your berries from being thrown in the bin is to give them a vinegar bath. The diluted vinegar will eliminate any bacteria on your berries."
The vinegar solution should be a 1:3 ratio of vinegar to water in either a bowl or your clean sink. Empty your berries out of their packaging into the solution and let them sit for 15 minutes. "Take them out, give them a rinse with water and dry them as much as possible. A salad spinner lined with paper towels is a great method for drying berries," Kilner added.
How to store berries so they last longer
Fill a large bowl with 700ml of water and add two tbsp of distilled vinegar. Place the berries into the solution and let them soak for up to 15 minutes. Stir the berries around every few minutes. Once done, drain the berries in a colander and rinse well.
Place the berries in a salad spinner lined with paper towels and spin until dry. If you do not have one, place a clean dish towel on the counter, add the berries on top, and blot them gently. Take a sealable container and line it with a paper towel. Add the berries so they form a layer. If you have more berries, place another paper towel down before adding the berries in a layer. Keep the lid slightly open to let excess moisture out, then place it in the fridge.
