Reducing Food Waste at Home: Savoring Every Bite of Summer Fruit

With local strawberries, cherries, and peaches in season, we want you to enjoy every juicy bite. Use our simple tips to reduce food waste and keep that fresh, peak-summer flavor going stronger for longer.

At New Seasons Market, we love celebrating the juicy magic of peak-season strawberries, cherries, and peaches—and we’re just as passionate about preventing food waste. When food goes uneaten, it wastes not only money—an average of $1,600 per Oregon household each year—but also the water, energy, and labor it took to grow it.
 
To honor the hard work of our farmers, uphold our commitment to sustainability, and treat your taste buds right, we want you to enjoy every last strawberry, cherry, and melt-in-your-mouth peach. That’s why we’ve gathered our best tips and tricks to keep your summer fruit bursting with flavor—while helping to reduce food waste at home.  

Oregon Strawberries—Preserve the Sweetness

When local strawberry season hits the Pacific Northwest, it's easy to go full berritarian—snacking, feasting, and turning strawberries into their own food group. They're just that sweet, juicy, and irresistible. Here's how to keep them at their best:

• Store them in the fridge, and wait to wash them until you're ready to dig in.
  
• Remove any moldy or mushy ones to keep the others fresh.
  
• Freeze them! Rinse, stem, dry, and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.

Prolong the Local Cherry Magic

As if summer weren't sweet enough, local cherry season comes along and takes things to the next level. Here's how to make the most of every bite so not a single one goes to waste:

• Store them in the fridge, and wait to wash them until you're ready to dig in.
• Keep them front and center in the fridge so they get devoured, not overlooked.
  
• Freeze them! Rinse, remove the pits, dry, and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. 

Leave No Peach Behind

The best peaches are local. You know the kind—so juicy you have to lean in to eat them so you don't lose one drop of sweetness. Here's how to keep yours at the peak of perfection:

• Store at room temp until ripe.
  
• Keep them away from other fruits to prevent them from ripening too fast.
  
• Freeze them! Rinse, slice, and freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.

We hope you enjoy the best of summer’s local bounty—every sweet and delicious bite!