After washing and drying your blueberries, store them in a breathable container in the very coldest part of your fridge (usually the very top or very bottom).
Storing Fresh Blueberries in the Refrigerator
Transfer the dry berries to an airtight container lined with a layer of paper towels. Make sure to put them in a shallow layer so that the weight of the berries doesn't crush the ones on the bottom. A layer no deeper than an inch and a half or so is fine.
Just remember – always rinse immediately before eating fresh blueberries, but not before you put them in the refrigerator. It's the only prep work you need to do to grab a boost of blue!
2. Don't rinse unless you have to! The absolute best way to keep berries fresh is to avoid rinsing them until you're ready to eat them.
And lastly, you can use your own storage container or the plastic clamshell they are sold in, but you'll want to place a paper towel underneath the fruit to capture excess moisture. Avoid placing your blueberries in a crisper drawer — they'll need to rest on a shelf that has better air circulation.
As mentioned above, glass jars keep out air, which lengthens the life of the produce. Glass jars are a safer, healthier alternative to plastic.
It is best to store your blueberries in the fridge and wash just prior to eating. Berries are delicate and very perishable. If you wash them first and plan to store them for a long period of time in the refrigerator they can start to break down faster. Blueberries should last a week and a half or more!
Wash berries when you're ready to eat them.
Berries readily absorb excess water. If you wash them and then stick them in the refrigerator, they could get moldy or mushy. Keep berries fresh and avoid mold spores by keeping them dry until you're ready to use them.
Place blueberries in kitchen colander. Run cool water over the blueberries to get them wet. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda over the wet blueberries. Use your hands to gently distribute the baking soda throughout the blueberries, and continue to agitate for 30-45 seconds.
You can store them in the plastic clamshell they come in, or in a large, un-covered bowl or container. Don't store fresh blueberries in an airtight container as this can trap moisture and speed up mold and rot.
Blueberry Storage Tips: Fruits do better in refrigerator crisper drawers that are adjusted for lower humidity. Also, don't pack crisper drawers to tight because that reduces airflow. Blueberries like to breathe!
Yes! Blueberries (as well as other types of fruits and berries) need to be washed to rid them of bacteria, dirt, small bugs and pesticides. Normally, we would advise not to wash berries until you're ready to eat them, to avoid the extra moisture that causes spoilage.
You can scoop them into the bag by hand or simply tip the tray over the opening of the bag. Close the Ziploc bag and place it into the freezer. The berries will be good for up to one year.
Sometimes, raw fruits and vegetables contain harmful germs that can make you and your family sick, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. The safest produce to eat is cooked; the next safest is washed. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water—even if you do not plan to eat the peel.
As a rule of thumb, washing with water reduces dirt, germs, and pesticide residues remaining on fresh fruit and vegetable surfaces. Washing and rubbing produce under running water is better than dunking it. Wash fruits and vegetables from the farmers' market, your home garden, and the grocery store.
If you leave ripe blueberries on the kitchen counter at room temperature, they will only last for a day or two before spoiling. It is best to keep them refrigerated. The best place to store blueberries is in the fridge where the shelf life of blueberries is about 2 weeks if properly stored.
How to store fresh berries. Once they're washed and dried, fresh berries should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature between 34℉ and 38℉. Pick out and discard any that are already squished or have moldy spots.
One of the cardinal rules of keeping berries mold-free is to leave them unwashed until the moment before consumption. But, by washing your berries in a solution of vinegar and water, you can extend their shelf-life by days (sometimes even weeks!).
Berries have thin skins and are full of moisture, making them very susceptible to mold. Fortunately, common household vinegar is quite effective at killing the mold spores and bacteria that spoil fruit. 1 By washing berries in a mixture of white vinegar and water, you can make your berries last longer in the fridge.
It's so simple to make your berries last longer! How? Basically, you wash your berries (and veggies) really well, then let them DRY entirely, then store them in glass jars in the fridge, versus keeping them in the plastic and prepping them whenever you're ready to eat them.
After washing, instead of returning your berries to their original packaging, let them breathe by storing fresh strawberries in a wide, flat container lined with paper towels. Then cover the container with a loose-fitting lid to let excess moisture (a breeding ground for bacteria) escape.