The Key to Preventing Moldy Berries

(From the AMGA Gardener Loop)

Berries are delicious, but they’re also delicate. Raspberries in particular seem like they can mold before you even get them home from the market. There’s nothing more tragic than paying $4 for local raspberries, only to look in the fridge the next day and find fuzzy mold growing on their insides. With fresh berries coming into season, here’s a tip on how to prevent them from getting there in the first place:

Prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider) and ten parts water.

Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can’t taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge.

The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they’ll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them. You’re so berry welcome!