Strawberry Season

While strawberries can be found at our local supermarkets year-round, we are fast approaching this familiar fruit’s natural season, when you can grow them yourself or go to local farms and pick your own.

Strawberries pack a nutritional punch, being rich in vitamin C and manganese, as well as boasting potassium, folate, vitamind B2, B5, B6, and K, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and copper. Available in more than 600 varieties, strawberries can be found in a range of colors, textures and sizes, with the smaller ones, such as the alpine strawberry or fragaria virginiana, usually having the most intense flavor. Experience has probably already told you that strawberries have a very short shelf life, perishing within a few days of purchase. To best store strawberries that are to be eaten within a couple of days, be sure to remove any that have mold or are beginning to turn in order to prevent them from contaminating the other berries. Refrigerate the good berries, well-covered, unwashed and uncut.

Fresh strawberries can also be frozen and stored for up to a year. To freeze them, wash and pat dry the berries gently. Place the berries on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, transfer berries to a heavy, plastic food storage bag, along with a spritz of lemon juice to help them maintain their color.

Of course, naturally sweet, fresh strawberries are beyond yummy, but the culinary possibilities of this fruit are pretty endless, from traditional desserts like shortcake and sorbet to more savory delights, including salads. Whatever your pleasure, when you see these little red wonders at your farmers market, you’ll know that spring has truly come.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

J.L. A.

11:51AM PDT on May 24, 2012

strawberries year round contribute to healthy aging

send a green star

Micheal M.

5:37AM PST on Feb 10, 2012

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates
we must light up the darkness for knowledge is not power its empowering lets all be empowered to change. life has value beyond measure
Peace and Love

KARLOLINA G.

2:14AM PST on Dec 20, 2011

I never buy them in the off-season. I get them locally fresh from the field that I pick. I usually freeze some as well however I ran out of them already. Too many treats being made in my kitchen. LOL Thank you.

Michele W.

6:10AM PDT on Sep 24, 2011

I love strawberries.
Thank you

Robert O.

11:07AM PDT on Aug 20, 2011

Strawberries are great! Thanks.

Ida J.

6:03AM PDT on Aug 18, 2011

love strawberries

Katja S.

1:00PM PDT on Aug 16, 2011

Strawberries are one of my three favourite fruits.