Strawberry

Strawberry Basics

Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps our skin, bones, and teeth.

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• Choose berries that are fully red, dry, and firm, with fresh looking green caps. Ripe berries smell pleasant and sweet.
• Strawberries do not ripen after picking, so avoid berries with white tops or tips. Avoid dull, shriveled, mushy or moldy berries.
• The size and shape of a berry doesn’t determine its flavor. Even small berries can be sweet and juicy.
• Choose local berries for peak ripeness and flavor. Find them fresh in Oregon from May to September.
• Frozen strawberries are available year round. Look for those with no sugar added.
• Strawberries are easy to grow in containers or in the ground. You can plant different varieties and harvest sweet, juicy fruit from early summer into the fall. Go to FoodHero.org for growing tips.
• 1 pound fresh strawberries = 3 1/2 cups whole berries = 2 1/2 cups sliced berries = 1 1/2 cups crushed berries

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• For best flavor and texture, plan to use or freeze strawberries within 1 to 3 days.
• Refrigerate strawberries with their caps attached and keep them dry to delay spoilage.
• Rinse strawberries under cool running water just before serving. Drain and pat dry, then remove caps with a twist or the tip of a knife.
• Freeze cleaned strawberries for longer storage. For best quality, use within 12 months.
  • Freeze whole berries on a baking sheet then transfer to labeled freezer containers.
  • Pour crushed or pureed berries into labeled freezer containers. Leave ½ to 1 inch at the top for the berries to expand.

Strawberries are easy to grow in containers or in the ground. You can plant different varieties and harvest sweet, juicy fruit from early summer into the fall. Go to FoodHero.org for growing tips.

1 pound fresh strawberries=3 1/2 cups whole berries=2 1/2 cups sliced berries=1 1/2 cups crushed berries

1 pint fresh strawberries=12 ounces whole berries=1 3/4 cups sliced berries=1 1/8 cups crushed berries

Enjoy Strawberries

Recipes

Frozen Strawberry Yogurt

Strawberry Salsa

Banana Berry Smoothie

Kids Can!

When kids help make healthy food, they are more likely to try it. Show kids how to:

• rinse strawberries under cool running water and twist off the green caps.
• cut strawberries into slices or other fun shapes. Ripe strawberries are easy to cut.
• fill a blender container no more than half full and secure the lid tightly before blending.