The Strawberry Myth Grocery Shoppers Keep Believing

It's not always easy to assess the quality or ripeness of grocery store strawberries. The fruit is often packaged in a plastic clamshell, which limits the ability to get up close and touch or smell the fruit. Instead, many customers rely on their eyes to pick out the best package of strawberries. But what happens time and time again is that buyers fall for the myth that strawberries are optimally delicious and ripe just because they are bright red and plump.

However, at the grocery store, you can't always rely on tried-and-true appearance factors to indicate how fresh and juicy a strawberry will taste. These days, grocery stores often receive shipments of fresh strawberries all throughout the year, regardless of seasonality — making the fruit available to customers year-round. While that poses a convenient opportunity for cooking treats like homemade strawberry jam in the depths of winter, it also means that these strawberries (especially when out of season or sourced from larger companies) must travel long distances in refrigerated trucks. 

As a result, fruit is picked early so it will make it to and beyond the shelf and refrigeration depletes some of the strawberries' natural sweetness and flavor. Larger berries are often selected and can carry more water on average. In turn, the fruit is often bland and flat to the bite — regardless if it still has its bright red hue and shine. 

Grocery store strawberries can be fine in a pinch, but the lack of sweetness that comes from long-term refrigeration is not ideal for eating them fresh. Some people banish strawberries to the list of fruits and vegetables you should never buy out of season. But if you're a strawberry lover, where do you go from here? While grocery store strawberries' taste can fall flat even if they look enticing, there are still a few ways you can store better-tasting produce — in store and out. 

First, get familiar with local produce seasonality in your area. Strawberry season occurs in the warmer months, typically later in May, June, and throughout the summer (though it can depend on regionality). So visit the farmers market, sign up for a CSA, or even visit a farm to pick your own strawberries fresh. 

Seeking out fresh produce doesn't necessarily mean you need to forgo the grocery store. Many retailers, large and small, carry locally sourced fruit in summer months. Keep an eye out for bright red, juicy, and ripe strawberries free from bruises from local farms during the summer. It's likely they'll look good and taste good, too. Eat or cook with them quickly, in the next day or two, since fresh strawberries are prone to spoilage. It can be more effort, but it's well worth the taste. Just try using fresh, peak season strawberries to make the sweetest strawberry shortcake, and it's likely you won't look back.