Storage: Strawberries are BEST eaten the day they are picked. If you are planning to eat them the same day they are picked, leave them on the counter at room temperature. If you plan to eat them shortly after purchase, place them whole and unwashed in the crisper in your refrigerator.  If you don’t plan to eat them immediately, remove stems, clean, and flash freeze them for the best preservation.

Buy local.  If berries come from far away, they have to be picked before they’re ripe, which means less flavor.  They are also less likely to have been exposed to pesticides.

Buy in-season.  Berries grown in winter time are either imported or too hardy a variety to taste very good.  Look for bright red fruit.

How to Prepare: Clean well, remove stems.