Buying & Handling Blueberries

Fresh Blues

When you go to buy fresh blueberries, look for ones that are firm, dry, plump and smooth-skinned, with a silvery surface bloom and no leaves or stems. Size isn’t an indicator of maturity but color is-berries should be deep purple-blue to blue-black. Reddish berries aren’t ripe, but you can use them in cooking. Avoid blueberries that look soft or shriveled or have any signs of mold. If you see juice stains in a container of blueberries, it means the fruit might be bruised.

Refrigerate fresh blueberries as soon as you get them home, either in their original plastic pack or in a covered bowl or container. Be sure to wash your berries before you start snacking, and eat them within 10 days of purchase (that’s the easy part!).

Frozen Blues

You can find frozen, unsweetened blueberries packed in poly bags or boxes in the frozen food section of your supermarket. When you grab a bag of frozen berries, they should feel loose and not clumped together. They’ve been individually quick frozen so you can remove a few at a time or use them in larger portions.

Store your frozen blueberries in the freezer. If you don’t use the whole bag, return the unused portion to the freezer promptly. Some people like to pop frozen blueberries right into their mouths or onto ice cream and yogurt, but if you choose to thaw your berries, cover and refrigerate them and use them within three days.

Freezing Your Own Blues

Have you ever thought about freezing blueberries at home? Anyone can do it! The key is to use fresh blueberries that are completely dry when you pop them in the freezer. Don’t worry about rinsing the berries before you freeze them; simply place them, still in their original containers, in resealable plastic bags and store them on your freezer shelf. If you prefer to rinse the berries first, dry them well with paper towels, transfer to freezer containers or resealable plastic bags and freeze. The berries will freeze individually and you can remove just the portion you need. If you didn’t wash your blueberries before freezing them, you should rinse them just before use. For best results, use your home-frozen blueberries within six months.

To learn more about freezing, canning and drying blueberries, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.