STEPHENTOWN, N.Y. — Fresh, juicy berries are summer’s tastiest pleasure. But when you stock up, the fruits sometimes go soft before you’ve had a chance to consume them all. Luckily, there are many ways to use up soft or past-their-prime strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries.
First, check the berries to ensure none of them have developed mold or off smells. Assuming they pass this first test, you have several options:
Smoothies. Use the sweetness of older berries to your advantage, and skip the sugar-laden juices. Blend berries with bananas, tropical fruit, and even leafy greens like spinach and kale. A little yogurt or plant-based milk will thin the mixture and add protein.
Drinking shrubs. Berries are a natural in traditional shrubs—infusions of vinegar and sugar with add-ins like fruit and spices. Mix with club soda for a zesty mocktail, or combine with spirits.
Jam and preserves. Soft berries have a naturally jammy texture, and are easy to cook down into preserves. Heat them on the stovetop with sugar and lemon juice, cool, and seal tightly in a glass jar.
Dressings. Add soft fruits to olive oil and red wine or apple cider vinegar, plus salt and pepper to taste, and blend. Fruit-based dressings are the perfect complement to most salads, and also work well drizzled over grilled meat and fish.
Tarts and pies. Baking fresh berries breaks down their structure, so pies and tarts are a good way to camouflage older fruits. These berries also tend to be sweeter, so you might be able to cut back on the amount of sugar called for in the recipe.
Crumbles. A classic berry crumble or cobbler, baked with sugar, lemon juice, and spices like cinnamon or cardamom, is a great way to use up soft berries. Top it with a combination of rolled oats, brown sugar, coconut flakes, and butter.
Ice cream and sorbet. Blend the berries with sugar and milk, cream, or water, and freeze for a refreshing treat.
Flavored ice cubes and popsicles. While fresh, whole berries might look prettier preserved in ice, you can pulse soft berries in a food processor and freeze them in ice cube trays. Add to cocktails and ice tea.
Need berry recipe ideas? Visit the New York State Berry Growers Association’s Berry Lovers blog.
Founded in 1988, the New York State Berry Growers Association (NYSBGA) is a nonprofit educational association for berry growers, from large wholesale family farms to independent farm stands and small pick-your-own operations, across New York State. The NYSBGA promotes the growing and marketing of berries through the exchange of valuable information, including scientific research and farming techniques. We also represent growers in issues of labor, research, and technology, both academically and legislatively, and award research grants to study and address issues important to New York State berry growers.
To locate a farm in your area of New York that sells fresh, locally grown berries, visit our Find a Farm directory. Or bookmark our blog for nutritional information, recipes, and original serving ideas.
–Robin Catalano
New York State Berry Growers Association
