How to Store Berries

Last Updated: February 11, 2023 References

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oh my! The tiny juicy fruits are perfect for everything from snacking to smoothie-making. Keep them fresh for a few days in the refrigerator if you plan on eating them soon. Otherwise, put them in the freezer where they’ll last for up to 1 year.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Keeping Berries in the Refrigerator

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Sort through the berries and pull out any that are moldy or overripe. Eat the berries that are super ripe since they won’t last in the refrigerator. Throw away or compost the ones that have mold spots or are bruised.^{[1]
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- Don’t wash the berries until you’re ready to eat them. Otherwise the moisture from rinsing will cause them to rot.^{[2]
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2
Put the berries in a plastic container lined with paper towels. Choose a container that’s big enough that all of the berries can fit without being smashed. Use as many paper towels as necessary to cover the entire inside of the container. Then carefully pour the berries on top of the paper towel lining.^{[3]
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- The paper towels will soak up any extra moisture that’s lingering on the berries so they don’t mold.
- Use the original container if you want. Rinse it out and line it with paper towels before dumping the berries back into it.^{[4]
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Lay the lid on top of the container so that it's slightly ajar. Do not seal the container completely. Leave the lid open enough so that any remaining moisture or condensation can evaporate instead of rotting the berries.^{[5]
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- If the berries came in a clamshell container with holes for ventilation, leave the holes at the top of the container unblocked so air can pass through.
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Keep the berries in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The optimal refrigerator temperature for berries is between 36 and 40 °F (2 and 4 °C). If you don’t eat them within 5 days or if you notice mold, throw them away.^{[6]
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- Don’t keep the berries in the crisper drawer. The humidity is too high and the air doesn’t circulate as well. Put them on a shelf instead.^{[7]
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- When you’re ready to eat the berries, rinse them with cool water first to remove bacteria and dirt.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Freezing Berries

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Rinse the berries in a colander in the sink. Dump the berries into a colander and run them under cool water to get rid of any dirt and grime. Don't soak the berries or they'll absorb too much moisture.^{[8]
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- To help prevent molding and remove bacteria, dunk your berries in a vinegar bath of 1 1 cup (240 ml) of water and 3 cups (710 ml) of water. Then rinse them with water and dry them.^{[9]
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- Remove any berries that are moldy.
- Freeze berries that are very ripe to avoid letting them go bad and having to throw them away.
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Dry the berries thoroughly with 2 paper towels. Place the rinsed berries on a paper towel and use another paper towel to gently pat them dry. Soak up all the excess water on the berries with the paper towels.^{[10]
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- If you don’t dry the berries completely, they’ll grow ice crystals in the freezer which affects the flavor.
- Another drying option is to place the berries in a salad spinner. Spin them until they're completely dry.
3
Spread the berries in a single layer on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Lay a sheet of wax paper over a baking sheet. Then arrange the berries on the wax paper so that none of the berries are piled on top of each other. Try to separate the berries so that they aren’t touching each other in the flat layer, too.^{[11]
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- If you don’t have wax paper, aluminum foil will work.
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Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. This is a process known as flash freezing. You’re simply freezing the berries enough so that they won’t stick together when you dump them into a container later on.^{[12]
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- Clear out a spot on a freezer shelf so the baking sheet sits completely flat. If it’s tilted, the berries will shift and freeze together.
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Remove the sheet from the freezer and pour the berries into a container. It doesn’t matter if you use a glass or plastic container, as long as it’s completely airtight and freezer-safe. If air can get into the container, your berries will get freezer burnt faster and dry up.^{[13]
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- Using a freezer bag is another option. Press all extra air out of the bag before you seal it tightly.
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Label the container with a permanent marker or sticker label. Write down the date you put the berries in the freezer if you want to remember when to eat them by. Or add 1 year to the date and write "Best by" with the future date.
- For example, if you packaged the berries on January 1, 2018, write "Best by January 1, 2019" on the container.
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Place the container in the freezer for up to 1 year. After 1 year, the berries may still be safe to eat but they’ll begin losing flavor. Avoid storing the container in the door of the freezer. This is the warmest spot and may cause them to thaw and refreeze if you open the door a lot.^{[14]
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- Frozen berries are great for smoothies. Simply remove them from the freezer when you want to make your smoothie and pop them in the blender.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I thaw frozen berries?

Jennifer Levasseur
Personal Chef
Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College.

Jennifer Levasseur

Personal Chef

Expert Answer

Put the berries in your fridge and let them thaw slowly. If you need your berries sooner, run them underneath cold water.
Question

Do I need to refrigerate mulberries?

Community Answer

We always refrigerate our mulberries just to keep them fresh a little longer.
Question

What about storing cherries?

Community Answer

Storing cherries is hard because they don't stay good for long if you don't store them properly. Make sure no air can circulate in and out of the bag or container you store them in and make sure they are kept cool but not frozen.