Fresh berries are a grocery list staple in my household. We keep berries of all kinds in our kitchen year-round — they’re great in smoothies and as yogurt toppers. I also regularly toss a handful into salads for a burst of sweetness. I eat a ton of berries, but they can go bad fairly quickly — especially if they’re not stored correctly.
We’ve tested several methods for storing fresh berries in the refrigerator, and discovered that a salad spinner lined with a paper towel was key for vibrantly fresh berries all week long. The combination of moderate airflow and optimal drying opportunity is what makes this the most successful method. But if you don’t have a salad spinner, or want to keep it free for — you know — salads, there’s another solution: berry containers.
How I Tested the Berry Containers
Berry containers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs. Typically, they have one thing in common: a removable aerated insert that allows for optimal airflow. Which berry bins are worth your money? What’s the best one to actually keep berries fresh? These are the questions that keep me up at night, so I bought a bushel’s worth of berry bins (read: a lot!) and tested each for ease of use, design, and performance. I used them to store blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and (notoriously squishable) raspberries.
I checked on things every morning for more than a week. I looked to see how many in each container were getting mushy, turning brown, or starting to spoil. (I made jam with those guys!) The takeaway? Every berry container I tested kept the berries noticeably fresher for longer. But three stood out in terms of design, price, and efficiency, so I’ll only be using all three of these berry containers from now on.
How do you store your berries? Tell us in the comments below.