Bad bad strawberries!
BAD strawberries!
Tears :*(
They aren’t refrigerated at the store, so I assume for the sake of sensitive teeth I could leave them out on my counter at room temp. Guess I was wrong. Rotton wrong.
So instead of a bowl of yogurt + strawberries like I had planned, I settled on banana-mango, which was pretty awesome!
Filled with:
- 1 cup plain organic low-fat yogurt
- 2 tbsp drizzled Banana-Mango drinkable yogurt
- 1/2 banana and only about 2 tbsp of leftover chopped mango
- ~1/3 cup raw oats
- 2 tbsp Lynda’s Granola
- Sprinkle chia seeds
- Drizzle TJs sunflower butter
Minty mint tea. Much bettah.
BAD STRAWBERRIES!
kalli says
i always leave strawberries out too and get the same outcome…….what is the protocol with those berries anyway? anyone know?
RhodeyGirl says
I always put mine in the fruit drawer in the fridge (better temp control) and I never have a problem. They usually last about a week for me.
Jen @ keepitsimplefoods says
It also helps if you don’t wash them until you use them to avoid excess moisture on the fruit. I like to slice mine up with a sprinkle of sugar-they last longer that way and taste great too! 😉
Maggie @ Say Yes to Salad says
Yikes! Banana mango sounds better to me anyway though 😀
If you are looking for more yummy mint teas, I highly recommend Lupicia – the “Mint White Tea” is great. You can probably order it online because I don’t think they have any stores on the east coast! I also had a wonderful mint green tea the other day – it was looseleaf and it was plain peppermint mixed with yerba mate. Yum!
Meg says
Hahaha I’m sorry I just had to giggle at the emphasis on the BAD STRAWBERRIES 🙂
But I totally get angry when my berries go bad after only a day or two – especially because they AREN’T cheap!!!
Hope you enjoyed your morning regardless!
Allison @ Happy Tales says
Ha, i got a kick out of the emphasis on “bad strawberries,” too. And I agree, I always feel down when i notice newly bought produce has already started to turn. Not fair!!!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
Banana mango sounds like a wonderful fruit combo… I think I might have to get some frozen mango now for a smoothie!
Amanda says
i would take them back!! i’m sure the store, probably whole foods, would want you to be satisfied!
KathEats says
I didn’t even think of that! But also, they would have been quite the mess to return..
Kelly says
TJ’s always takes my stuff back…and as much as I love them, there stuff goes bad pretty often. I bet most stores have those kind of policies.
Christina says
I think at Whole Foods if you just tell them they were bad, they’ll still give you your money back.
Errign says
I have gone either way with strawbs in terms of leaving them out/refrigerating because I never know the proper protocol on storing. Some quick googling says that yes, room temp causes quick spoilage. 🙁
Freya (Brit Chick Runs) says
I think you are meant to fridge them – I’ve left berries out and the same thing happens, but in the fridge they’ll keep aaaagges (well, like 2days!).
Banana + mango is SO much cooler anyway :p
Hope says
Oh no! Sorry about the strawberries! I always keep them in the container in my refrigerator and I usally don’t have any problems with mine. Maybe try that?
Lisa Fine says
Oh no, so sad. I find that if I leave strawberries on the counter, they have to be consumed within a day, like the fresh ones I buy at farmers’ markets.
I hate when I have a breakfast planned in my mind and it doesn’t go according to plan.
Ann @ Day by Day says
I put my strawberries in the fridge and I still always get a few bad ones. I guess I don’t eat them fast enough! I love fresh fruit, but sometimes frozen is a better option for me, since I just cook for myself in college.
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin says
Wow good to know!! I had no idea they would do that if left out on the counter. Weird!
Lucy @ The Sweet Touch says
I had the same thing happen the other day – almost lost a 2 pounder! I’m not sure if washing them has anything to do with them going bad faster, since they seem to be fine at the store, but I’ll be refrigerating from now on!
Abby says
I used to do the same thing with my berries, for probably almost a month, until I got smart and realized they needed to be refrigerated! I don’t know how they do it at the store, but it just doesn’t work at home. Organic strawberries are basically like gold, it’s so sad when they go bad 🙁
Ashley (The Vegetable Life) says
Gah I hate when I crave strawberries and open the container to find they have gone bad 🙁 That always seems to happen with that fruit…. bummer!!!
Holly @ The Runny Egg says
I’ve always thought the same thing about strawberries, but I put them in the fridge anyway. That stinks though — I hate throwing out food.
Angie @ Musings of a Violet Monkey says
Oh no! Bad strawberries.
I usually don’t have a problem with keeping my strawberries nice… especially when purchasing local (FRESH) ones. I purchased a half gallon ($8.00!) last Saturday and am still working on the last few. I’ve had them in the fridge, in the basket they came in. Make sure that you don’t wash them until you are going to eat them (i.e. – don’t pre-wash for convenience).
~
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
I hate how berries go bad so quickly!! Looks like you still had a yummy breakfast though 🙂
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
Aw, I hate when that happens! I bought some from Costco last week and half of them were moldy within the day, but the other half were spectacular 🙂
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
I hate when produce goes bad. It’s almost unavoidable though! I always end up with something that has gone bad 🙁 Your placemat is pretty though 🙂
Kaitlyn @ 7 Plates says
My strawberries looked exactly like that yesterday.. scary! But your breakfast looks delish! 🙂
marie says
At the store they might have been refrigerated up until the morning of the day you picked them up. They can obviously stand SOME time at room temp, which is why they don’t put them in fridges when they display them, but you really should put them in the fridge when you get home. They probably do that because they only have limited fridges/coolers in the store, and its expensive to have everything in fridges.
Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life) says
Nothing makes me more sad than delicious produce gone bad 🙁
At least it looks like breakfast held up well on it’s own without the berries!
Erin says
We leave them in the fridge, and just wash what we’ll eat in a day and leave them out on the counter. Solves the sensitive teeth problem, and they don’t go bad!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
That IS sad. 🙁 I had strawberries in my oats this morning – so happy they’re coming back in season.
Kristi @ KristiAteIt says
Aw no! I hate when I have my mind set on something and it doesn’t go as planned. Mangos do sound good though!
Natalia - a side of simple says
Totally random, but your post titles are kind of really making me smile lately 🙂
Sabina says
As soon as I get home from grocery shopping, I remove all berries from their plastic, clam shell packaging, put them in reusable, airtight (as close to airtight) containers and pop them in the fridge. The berries get washed just before serving. Using this method, berries last 7-10 days.
Anastasia says
At least it looks like you got to enjoy some of them before they went bad. I always get so upset having to toss bad fruits and veggies :[ Your breakfast still looks pretty darn amazing!
Dmarie says
gotta hate it when that happens, but my biggest regret is when an avocado goes bad on me! oh, the waste!
jenna says
I’ve had some really nasty store bought strawberries as well!! so annoying when they are still pretty expensive
Amanda- The Nutritionist Reviews says
Aww I hate when strawberries go bad so fast. So far this year, I have only had yucky ones : (
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Oh no!!! I just polished off my container of strawberries this morning for fear they were going to turn out like yours! However, I think you compensated with that lovely looking bowl! 🙂
Khushboo says
Rotten strawberries drive me nuts- they go bad so fast! I guess in a good way, it makes for a legit reason to eat a lot of them in one sitting :)!
Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me says
Oh no! Tear :'(
I love strawberries. Can’t wait till they’re fresh and delicious up here!!!
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday says
I would just cook up the ones that didn’t have any fuzziness on them. Is that bad?
KathEats says
I don’t think any of them were edible..
Amy says
I’ve done that before too because I like strawberries so much more at room temperature (or warmed by the sun – I used to work at a berry patch 🙂 ) – but I’ve always had the same outcome. So sad!!!
Christine @ Merf In Progress says
I lost some avocados to a similar fate. So sad.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Yours aren’t refrigerated at the store…ours are. HMMM. That stinks they rotted on you. Mango sounds like a perfect alternative though. YUM.
Melissa says
Berries are always refrigerated at my grocery store too. Hmm… sometimes if there’s a special they’ll have them up front by the doors unrefrigerated but otherwise they’re cooled.
Candice says
Yes, strawberries need to be refrigerated, especially if they are organic. They do not last long. I HATE them cold, I feel like you don’t get that strawberry burst flavor. So, I usually heat them up a touch, which seems to bring out the flavor. Even in the fridge, they only last a few days before not tasting good. And we even have the freshest kind possible here in CA. Good luck!
Emily @ One Sweet Vegan says
At first, I thought you were talking about the cute little baby strawberry that’s outside. I’m sorry about your strawberries, but it did make me giggle every time you said “bad strawberries!”
faith @ lovelyascharged says
Sad day! I always have a hard time deciding which veggies and fruits to refrigerate. Berries are one though that always go straight into the fridge.
Erin @ The Grass Skirt says
Aw! I am weeping for your lost strawberries! I absolutely hate when that happens. I bought three cartons this morning, and I’m praying they don’t turn bad before I have the chance to eat them all!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
sorry about the berries. that happens to me a lot living in LA where i buy a giant 3-pack of organics every sunday at the farmer’s market for $5.
Jenny (Fit Girl Foodie) says
I’ve never left strawberries out but now I know what’ll happen! My bf actually told me that if you wash them previous to eating instead of right when you get them then they will stay fresher for longer. Loving the mango banana combo though. I’ve never tried sunbutter before, it looks so creamy!
Angel7 says
I am sure that you are not the only one who has done something like that 🙂 But I am sure that the banana-mango alternative made up for the oops 🙂
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Summer @ Well-rounded Hippie says
I have sensitive teeth too but feel like fruit warms up fairly quickly at room temperature. Also, I know they get mixed reviews but we LOVE our Debbie Meyer green bags for keeping produce fresher longer. We just rinse and reuse them.
Karen says
I keep my berries in the original carton, and place that in the fruit bin in the fridge so they are protected from the cold, fully expecting them to only last 3 or 4 days. I remove them an hour or so prior to use to take the chill out, or might even stick them in the micro for a few seconds in the winter. (Warm melty berries = unexpectedly comforting.) I usually have a bag of frozen berries on hand to tide me for the rest of the week or until I can pick up a fresh carton. Unlike most berries, I find frozen strawberries retain their original texture and taste very well; I like WF 365 brand.
Hysterical: “Bad Strawberries.”
Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen says
Agreed – love berries…hate how quickly they go bad.
juli says
I just ordered the table in a bag for my niece’s wedding present! Thank you, I’ve been watching for this to be in your store. Also, your breakfast looks wonderful! Have a great Thursday.
KathEats says
Awesome!!
chloe@ 321delish says
oh that is the worst! If i notice that strawberries are perfectly ripe and I know I wont eat them before they go bad, I freeze them. Perfect for smoothies or in yogurt, oatmeal etc. When they defrost the fruit juice adds extra sweetness!
Jean says
They last a bit longer if you spread them out and leave them uncovered…either in or out of fridge.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says
Booooo…I LOVE berries, but I HATE how quickly they can go bad– especially when they’re $$$!
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says
Having worked for a supermarket, I can tell you under those big display cases are usually refrigeration units… so they ARE a little chilled at the store.
Sorry for your loss =(
KathEats says
Haha
Emily says
I used to do all my shopping at Wal-Mart until recently (Don’t hate – college budget!!). Everytime I’ve tried to buy strawberries there, they already have fuzz growing on them. I’ve always heard that if there is some nearby, it’s all contaminated (ex: bread). This past Sunday I needed some grape tomatoes and picked up the container and there were flies all in it. It was so disgusting! I buy frozen or canned now. I’m tempted to bring my camera in and take pictures and send it to management!!
I cannot wait for our Farmer’s Markey to open!
kaila @ healthy helper! says
I can’t believe they don’t refrigerate strawberries at your store! That’s nuts! I’m sorry that went bad…I’d be upset if that happened to me because they are so darn expensive here! Banana Mango sounds like a good substitute though!
greenbean says
rinse/clean the berries under warm water to take the chill off
Stacey (The Home-Cooked Vegan) says
That sucks! Sorry about your strawburries <–said in the voice of your MIL 😉
Cute placemat though!!
SillySavage says
Sorry about you bad strawberries, but had to comment about the sensitive teeth. I have sensitive teeth and I have been using Sensodyne for years. It is like a mini miracle.
Chelsea says
I always leave strawberries in the fridge but to eat them I cut them in to small bite sizes because I have sensitive teeth too!
Tessa @ Amazing Asset says
Gahh rotten fruit is one of those things that truly grosses me out! When it’s mushy, moldy, oozing, blahhh yuck, *shudder*
I’m glad you were able to have a tasty looking breakfast anyway 😀
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
I hate when strawberries go bad so quickly! 🙁
kristina@beancakes says
haha! you need to punish those bad boys for what they did! bad strawberries are the worst 😉
kate@ahealthypassion says
ahhh my strawberries did the exact same thing in like 2 days boooo!
Laughter-Loving Stacy says
haha, what a bummer! damn those deceiving supermarkets! lol
Jess (Sweet Potato) says
Bad strawberries= 🙁 Banana mango= 🙂 Looks like you were able to figure out a quite tasty alternative!
Kristen, Sweetly says
Yuck! That’s so sad. I’ve had a few batches of strawberries this year that have gone bad in the fridge in just a day or two.
At least it resulted in an unexpected delicious bowl. 🙂
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
I always put the strabs in the fridge–thanks for the reminder of why 🙁
Katherine: Unemployed says
that did not happen overnight- what is growing on those!?
did they make that juice on the counter?
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
I hate it when my berries go bad after only a few days! It’s so painful to throw them out… it’s like putting a $5 bill in the garbage! 😛
Paige(Running Around Normal) says
Oh yuck – yeah I’d say you made a good call not to use those bad boys, lol
Melissa @ Journey to Marvelous says
I can’t tell you how many baskets of rotten berries I’ve thrown out over the years! They’re one of those things that look so yummy in the store but only lasts a day or two at home. 🙁
Kim says
I am terrible with strawberries. I just chop them up and freeze them now since I am so forgetful
Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) says
Did it get pretty warm where you were storring them ? I know that I like to keep mine out of the fridge bc of my teeth also… When it’s cool, I don’t seem to have a problem, but one warm day and they mold :l
Angela (Oh She Glows) says
bad, bad strawberries! I hate when that happens, esp. because they are such a TREAT!
Lisa @ Fit in the Midwest says
I agree with what someone said above–take them back! I had to do that with raspberries and strawberries last summer because they turned bad on my counter less than 24 hours later and they shouldn’t have!
Not sure if someone else asked this, but I love that placemat design. Where is it from?
KathEats says
They’re already in the compost 🙁
Placemat is scrapbook paper from Michael’s!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Awww.. I get pretty upset when the produce goes bad on me as well.
Stacy says
I purchased the same brand of berries at Whole Foods this week and they were NOT sweet at all. I thought you post was going to be about how they didn’t taste good! So, if it is any consolation, you didn’t miss much!
KathEats says
Actually these were REALLY good! When they were still good!
MonsteRawr says
Sad day! I hate it when produce goes bad. Partly because it’s a waste of money, but also because I think to myself, “Damn, I would have enjoyed that!”
Not a total loss, though, because I love mangoes. A lot.
Flourchild says
That stinks, especially when you had your heart set on eating them!
Your mom Barbara is to cute, she left me a comment on my blog about the Great Harvest Bread Sugar cookies. It sounds like you may be offering them in your store someday!! I know you eat healthy and proubably woundn’t eat one..but I have to tell you they are GOOD!! I ate a 1/3 of my sons and yum!! I can’t wait to try the Bread Bunny!
KathEats says
Aw cute!! And I would totally eat one!! Or maybe half of one 😉
Janelle says
They aren’t minty, but these are my favorite teas EVER:
http://shop.goodearth.com/Original-Teas/c/GoodEarth@OriginalTeas?gclid=CPvykcGXrqgCFcq8KgodfjAEIQ
Janelle says
But wait! They do have a mint option: 🙂
http://shop.goodearth.com/Good-Earth-Organic-Cool-Mint-Herbal-Tea/p/GET-099406&c=GoodEarth@OrganicTeas
KathEats says
I didn’t like the original but the minty one might work!!
Janelle says
Seems like mint tea is the right fit for you. Perhaps you could design and market your own KERF Mint Tea! … In all that spare time you have! 😉
Ashley @ Feeding Ashley says
I’ve never left strawberries out. I didn’t know people did that!
Brittany says
Hi Kath and readers of Kerf!
I used to work for a large natural foods store and I’m going to let you in on a secret! Every morning we would bring out the berries from the large coolers and display them without refridgeration, and at closing we would pack those berries back up and tuck them into the cooler for a night of refreshing dreams in berry land. So yes berries need to be refrigerated, they are sensitive and porus thus the mold factor!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
Awww 🙁 I usually end up freezing my strawberries almost right away because they’ll go bad so quickly! You never know with those guys.
Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out says
Evil strawberries. Oh wait, that’s a different bad.
I hate when that happens!
Dalai Lina says
Oh no, did your counter top survive without staining???
KathEats says
Yes, thankfully!
Jodi Reinman says
Hi Kath, I’m a food blogger at garlicgirl.com, but I also work for the California Strawberry Commission! I just wanted to share that strawberries are best when kept refrigerated until ready to eat. As soon as you get them home, place berries (still in the clamshell) in the refrigerator and remove about an hour before serving since they taste best at room temperature. Rinse and pat dry before eating (and before removing the stem). For more information, you and your readers can visit www.californiastrawberries.com. We also feature blogger recipes there, so feel free to let me know if you have strawberry recipes you’d like to share! I hope this information helps.
Jodi
KathEats says
Thanks for the tips!!
Christie says
What a shame about the strawberries! You’re breakfast still looks delicious as usual, though!
Its Autumn (Fall) here in New Zealand now, which is beautiful but I know there won’t be berries available for a long time. I’ve been pining for them lately whenever I see them on blogs!
Cait @ Beyond Bananas says
HATE when I buy a fruit.. and I feel like it somehow molded before I even got home. What gives with the short shelf life. No fun! I try and check the fruits as best as possible!
Starla Garcia says
banana-mango!? yum! now there’s a combo i havent thought of!
im excited for bfast now! 😀
& please do put that pesto on opensky! it would be yumazing to try it 🙂
Cindy says
That’s so sad about your strawberries 🙁
Angela says
I put mine all the way back in the fridge.. they seem to keep a little bit longer. That is the hard part about fruit (and being the only one home to eat them. 😉
http://fryxthree.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/happy-earth-day/
Claire says
Harold McGee, The Curious Cook wrote in the New York Times recently about his success with “suppressing mold growth” by immersing strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries in 140 degree water for 30 seconds, then drying them off and refrigerating them.