Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Making the Ripe Choice: How to Pick the Best Berries and Make Them Last at Home

Strawberries have always been a go-to summertime snack but quality, ripe berries have a reputation of being hard to come by. Choosing unripe berries or improperly storing them at home not only sacrifices flavor but also depleats strawberries and other produce of the vitamins and nutrients they contain at their peak.

Questions to ask yourself when shopping for berries:
What do I look for to ensure the berries are at their prime?
How can I make my berries last given their notroriously short shelf life, once I bring them home?

When choosing, be sure they are evenly red throughout like with no white tops or tips. Since strawberries do not ripen after they’ve been harvested, what you see in the store is what you get [Note - if strawberries turn a deeper color while at home, it doesn’t mean they’re ripening further, it means they’re starting to decompose!]

Once you’ve brought your best picks home, be sure to only handle what you’re prepared to eat. Cutting, capping and juicing strawberries reduces their vitamin content so to ensure maximum berry time, keep them in their original state until you’re ready to munch!

For more strawberry tips and produce tricks please visit www.colorfulharvest.com.

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