Strawberries last 2 weeks longer when one task is completed

Food writer and cooking teacher Sheri Castle, who ‘explores ingredients and their journey from farm to table’, says the secret lies in giving your berries a quick vinegar wash before storing them.

She explains that a simple “vinegar bath” helps remove bacteria and mould spores that cause strawberries to spoil so quickly.

To do it, she recommends mixing one part vinegar with three parts water, using regular kitchen vinegar.

The strawberries should be soaked for around ten minutes with their green tops still attached, before being drained and rinsed thoroughly under cold running water.

The next step is just as important – drying them properly.

Any leftover moisture can speed up spoilage, so the berries need to be dried as much as possible.

Sheri suggests using a salad spinner lined with paper towels to gently remove excess water until they are completely dry.

Once ready, the strawberries should be transferred to a clean, sealable container lined with paper towels.

Instead of sealing it tightly, she advises leaving the lid slightly open to prevent moisture from building up inside.

The container can then be stored in the fridge, helping the fruit stay fresher for much longer than usual.

Food lovers say the method is simple but effective, with many surprised at how such an easy step can dramatically extend the life of a punnet of strawberries.

Sheri adds that while it only takes a few extra minutes, it is “absolutely worth it” to avoid wasting perfectly good fruit.