How to store berries without plastic and keep them fresh longer

Berries don't go mouldy because they're fragile. They go mouldy because they're wet. Keep them dry, give them a bit of space and you'll get noticeably more days out of a punnet. Here's how, and how to freeze the rest.

The five-minute routine

Do this when you get home from the shops.

1. Tip them out. Empty the punnet onto a clean tea towel and check the ones at the bottom too.
2. Pull out the bad ones. Anything soft, split, leaking or fuzzy goes in the compost now. One mouldy berry spreads to its neighbours fast.
3. Don't wash them yet. Wash just before eating. Damp berries in the fridge go mouldy fastest.
4. Line a container. Put a dry paper towel or clean cotton cloth in the bottom of a wide, shallow container you already have.
5. Single layer, loose lid. Spread the berries out rather than piling them up. Rest the lid on top, or drape a sheet of cling wrap loosely over the top, rather than sealing it tight, so condensation doesn't build up.

Why the punnet makes things worse

Berries have thin skins and lose moisture constantly. In a closed punnet that moisture condenses and sits against the fruit, which is exactly what mould spores need. A dry liner soaks it up, and a loose cover lets it escape.

Where to put them in the fridge

• A main shelf, not the crisper. The crisper drawer is designed to hold humidity in for leafy greens. Berries want cold and fairly dry.
• Keep the fridge cold. 5°C or below is the standard food-safety advice. A fridge thermometer is worth it.
• Give them space. Don't wedge the container between other food.
• Check every day or two. Pull out any berry that's turning before it takes the rest with it.

Different berries, slightly different care

• Strawberries: leave the green tops on until you eat them.
• Blueberries: the toughest of the lot. They last longest, especially kept dry.
• Raspberries and blackberries: the most delicate. Single layer only, and eat them first.

Store different types in separate containers if you can, so one fast-spoiling punnet doesn't affect the others.

Should you wash berries in vinegar?

Some people give berries a quick dip in a weak vinegar solution (about 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water), rinse them, then dry them thoroughly before storing. If you try it, the drying is the important bit. Berries put away damp will spoil faster, whatever you washed them in. For berries you'll eat in a day or two, just wash them as you go.

Freezing berries

Fresh storage gets you days. Freezing gets you months.

1. Sort and dry. Only freeze good fruit. Hull strawberries first.
2. Flash-freeze. Spread berries on a tray lined with baking paper, not touching, and freeze for 2 to 3 hours until solid.
3. Bag them. Tip the frozen berries into a ZERO resealable food storage bag, press out the air and seal. The bags are made from PBAT, corn starch and calcium carbonate, certified home compostable (TÜV Austria OK compost HOME), tested for food contact and freezer-friendly.
4. Label and date. Frozen berries keep their best quality for many months, but flavour slowly fades.
5. Use them cooked or blended. Thawed berries go soft, which makes them perfect for smoothies, sauces, muffins and porridge.

Flash-freezing first is what stops them clumping, so you can grab a handful without thawing the whole bag.

Covering a bowl of prepped berries

Got a bowl of hulled strawberries or a fruit salad for later? Cover it with ZERO cling wrap to keep fridge smells out. For whole berries, drape it loosely rather than stretching it tight, so condensation can escape. ZERO cling wrap is made from bioplastic, mainly PLA made from sugarcane (bagasse) with about 20% PBAT for stretch, and it's certified home compostable (DIN CERTCO; TÜV Austria OK compost HOME). The box has a detachable cutter blade. Take it off before composting the box.

Common mistakes

• Washing as soon as you get home. Wash just before eating.
• Overcrowding. Use a wider container or split the punnet in two.
• Sealing them airtight. Rest the lid or cover loosely.
• Leaving a bad berry in. Pull it out straight away.

FAQ

How long will berries last this way?

It depends on the berry and how fresh it was when you bought it. Raspberries go fastest, blueberries last longest. Check them daily and eat the delicate ones first.

Can I freeze berries in ZERO resealable bags?

Yes. Flash-freeze them on a tray first, then bag them.

What do I do with the bags afterwards?

ZERO resealable bags are certified home compostable. Rinse them and pop them in your home compost.

More: storing vegetables without plastic, storing leafy greens and freezer storage without plastic.