How To Tell If Your Strawberries Have Gone Bad, Even If There's No Mold

Even if you've assembled all the ways to use up your fresh strawberries, you might not make it in time. These fickle little fruits have an earlier expiration date than many of us would like, but the worst part is, they don't even always go moldy when they're beyond the point of being fine to eat. Fortunately, there are still a few other tried and true ways to tell if you should add that strawberry to the compost bin or use it in one of the many strawberry dessert recipes. For this, you'll want to focus on the taste, smell, and texture.

Whole strawberries should have a firm texture throughout. If yours are mushy in spots, it's only a matter of time before mold starts growing. In fact — exemplifying one of several food safety myths you should stop believing — mold can exist inside the fruit before its bloom ever shows up on the surface. Likewise, if your strawberries don't have that signature light and floral scent, or if the berry tastes off when you take a bite, it's best to eliminate the risk and toss it.

As with any fresh fruit, the shelf life of a strawberry actually isn't that long. Unless you keep your strawberries fresh by freezing, you can only keep them in the fridge for about a week. Place them in an airtight container with a paper towel to wick up any extra moisture. If you want to extend the shelf life to two weeks, you'll have to give them a vinegar bath, soaking the strawberries in a mixture of one and a half cups of water to a quarter cup of vinegar for five minutes. Put them on a paper towel in a container that gets a little air. A cold, dry atmosphere will keep your strawberries free from spoilage the longest, so whatever you do, don't leave them on the counter unless you plan on using them the same day.

If you aren't looking to store your strawberries whole, there are other ways you can extend their shelf life, too. I like pureeing my strawberries and then freezing the mixture in an airtight, freezer-safe container. This makes for an easy topping on pancakes or waffles, a great addition to smoothies, and a simple ingredient for desserts. It will also save you some time if you do a lot of cooking with strawberries. Ultimately, as long as you chuck any stinky, mushy strawberries that taste off, you can easily enjoy the spoils of your strawberry haul without worrying about making yourself sick.