Washing Berries with Vinegar
We usually buy organic berries, since strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries are on the Dirty Dozen list in the US. My youngest takes strawberries to school every day and eats them for breakfast. My husband loves blackberries, and I often add blueberries to my oatmeal.
Usually I just rinse the berries as I use them, but when we buy several containers at once, we wash them with vinegar, which reduces mold spores and bacteria. If produce isn’t organic, it can be washed with baking soda, which helps remove pesticide residue from the surface. You can find more tips in my article How Our Family Uses Baking Soda at Home.
We also wash berries so they last longer without molding. We’ve found this works well for blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries. Delicate berries like raspberries don’t tolerate washing as well.
How to Wash Berries with Vinegar
You will need:
distilled white vinegar (5%)
water
a large bowl
a kitchen towel (not too nice)
glass jars with lids
pieces of cotton fabric (about 4 × 4 in / 10 × 10 cm)
Instructions:
Place the berries in a large bowl.
Add 2 tbsp vinegar and 5 cups water (that’s 1 part vinegar to 40 parts water). Adjust the amount to the quantity of berries.
Soak for 2 minutes. Gently push floating berries under with a spoon.
Rinse the berries.
Lay the berries on the towel. Leave some space between them for airflow.
Wait a few hours until they’re bone dry.
Place pieces of fabric in the bottom of the jars and gently transfer the berries into the jars.
Put the jars in the fridge with the lids open until there’s no more condensation on the sides.
Close the lids and eat the berries within a few days.
Washing berries with vinegar takes a little extra time, but it’s worth it when you buy a lot of berries at once. They stay fresh longer, so you don’t have to throw them out as quickly because of mold.
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