Jeff finds that the strawberry post retail care is not up to par and consumers should be aware that if they take care of their berries, they will be sweeter and last longer. “Most people are not aware that what they do to the berries before eating them, can be detrimental to their taste and shelf life,” says Jeff.

What Jeff suggests:
- When washing strawberries, just place them on a sieve and let cold water quickly run through the berries
- Only cut the strawberries’ stems right before eating

Avoid:
- Soaking strawberries in the sink. By soaking strawberries in water, you are allowing the sugar to leave the fruit making the strawberries less tasty.
- Don't remove the stem before storing strawberries. When the stem is removed, it’s like having an open wound and the strawberries’ shelf life is dramatically decreased.
- Don’t leave strawberries in the fridge for more than 2 or 3 days. Local strawberries are very delicate and will not last long.

Jeff always stresses to the buyers “order what you need for the day because it really does not have a long shelf life. And the fact that local strawberries are only here for a month, get what you can now!”