The strawberries I recently planted haven’t fruited yet, but that hasn’t stopped me from eating a whole lot of local strawberries this season already. Lately I am buying them from a few different farm stands in my town and they are fabulous.
I love eating them “as is,” but use them in all different recipes, too.
Strawberries are pretty fragile: in the past, I’ve sent far too many to the compost because I didn’t store them properly. But that was before I was really tuned into the food waste issue…things are different now! Since I’ve been writing posts to help promote Glad’s #SAVEITSUNDAY program, I’ve really learned a ton about food protection, including how best to store strawberries.
How to Prep and Protect Strawberries:
When you get your berries home from the grocery store/market, or even if you pick your own, you want to avoid washing them before you store them (wash them right before eating/using in a recipe instead). This helps stave off the molding that can happen due to the moisture the strawberries soak up when you wash them. Place the unwashed berries in a single layer in a bowl, on a plate, or in a glass or plastic food protection container, like GladWare, that you’ve lined with a tea towel (or paper towel).
Seal the container and keep on the countertop if it’s not too hot in your kitchen and/or it’s just for a few hours. Otherwise, store them in the refrigerator. (Source: Glad)
Before you even head out to purchase your strawberries though, it’s a good idea to have a plan for how to use them. This will allow you to buy the proper amount! (But if you end up with too many, never fear…just trim them and freeze for adding to smoothies and such).
What To Do with Strawberries:
Here are some of my recipes that use strawberries along with recipes from blogging buddies. And scroll down for a simple strawberry jam recipe that you’re going to love.
Roasted Strawberry Agua Fresca (Healthy Green Kitchen)
Strawberry Black Pepper Soda (Healthy Green Kitchen)
Strawberry Honey Lime Spritzer (So, Let’s Hang Out)
Strawberry Avocado Jalapeno Salsa (Tasty Yummies)
Strawberry Almond Goat Cheese Salad (Healthy Green Kitchen)
Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Basil Sauce (Running to the Kitchen)
Strawberry Rose Wine Granita (Gourmande in the Kitchen)
Strawberry Sangria (Gimme Some Oven)
Grain Free Strawberry Cupcakes (Texanerin)
Grain-Free Strawberry Sour Cream Crumb Bars (The Clean Dish)
Strawberry Basil Creamsicles (With Food and Love)
Strawberry Creme Fraiche Soft Serve (My recipe over on Food52)
Creamiest Strawberry Flan (Nourished Kitchen)
This is an easy refrigerator jam with vibrant strawberry flavor. If your strawberries are very sweet, you may want to reduce the sugar to 1 cup (I plan to do this next time). For a canned strawberry jam with a slightly larger yield, check out my friend Cathy(aka Mrs. Wheelbarrow)’s recipe.
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Be sure to check out what my fellow #SAVEITSUNDAY bloggers are up to:
Visit Kristin/The Frugal Girl
Visit Mavis/100 Dollars a Month
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Glad in conjunction with its #SAVEITSUNDAY program. With #SAVEITSUNDAY, Glad hopes to educate the public about the consequences of food waste, and I am proud to be a part of the program. I am being compensated to share my #SAVEITSUNDAY experiences; all opinions are 100% my own.
Recipe for Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- *1 pound/455 g ripe strawberries hulled and quarted (about 2 2/3 cup quartered)
- *1 1/3 cups/270 g granulated sugar I used organic sugar
- *2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- 1. Combine the quartered strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir to combine, then cover and refrigerate overnight. (Macerating the fruit was not part of the original recipe but I do this sometimes when I make jam. If you prefer to skip refrigerating the mixture overnight, go right to step 2).
- 2. Transfer strawberry mixture to a small saucepan and set heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries darken and the juices thicken (15-25 minutes).
- 3. Remove from heat and ladle into a clean glass jar. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. This jam with keep for at least 3 weeks, and maybe a bit longer, in the refrigerator.
