This Is the Best Way to Tell If a Strawberry Is Ripe, According to a Scientist

Strawberries’ arrival not only marks the beginning of berry season, but the first of the summer fruits. That wafting floral scent at the farmers market or grocery store heralds the abundance to come.

But there’s a catch. Because these fruits don’t ripen once picked and can be easily damaged, most strawberries sold in grocery stores are either underripe or beginning to decay. How to find the best ones? Whether shopping in supermarkets or farmers markets, lead with your nose.

“The most important qualities to determine if a strawberry is ripe are color, firmness, and aroma,” says agroecologist Cecilia Armijo, who oversees the culinary gardens for La Carrodilla winery and Lunario restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California. “Good strawberries are bright and uniform red, firm to the touch — neither too soft nor too hard — and should smell like a strawberry: sweet, floral, and intense.”

Why you should smell strawberries

An intense floral aroma is the most important indicator that strawberries will be perfectly ripe and sweet, says Armijo. No aroma means no flavor, and overripe strawberries (or ones that are starting to go bad in the fridge) develop a fermented smell. While a bright red color is also important for most strawberries, some varieties are ripe when entirely or partly white, pink, or golden. And firmness is hard to gauge in a market, since pressing the berry damages it. 

How to tell if strawberries are bad

“A strawberry that is past its prime has a dull red color moving toward a brownish-red like burgundy, and may have dark spots and wrinkled skin,” says Armijo. “They are soft and watery to the touch, with an unpleasant aroma, and can easily develop visible fuzzy mold.”

How to buy and store strawberries

If shopping in farmers markets and not planning to eat them right away, look for strawberries harvested with the petiole, the small stem that connects the fruit to the plant. This ensures a longer shelf life. 

Moisture is the enemy when you’re storing strawberries (or any berries); rinse them only before eating. Pick out any that are starting to go bad, and store the rest on a paper towel in a container with a loosely fitted lid to allow some air circulation. Or, if they came in a cardboard berry basket, just pick out the bad ones and gently return them to the basket, storing uncovered in the fridge. Stored this way, strawberries can last for up to a week.