{"id":52467,"date":"2024-08-16T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-16T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=52467"},"modified":"2026-09-14T06:27:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T13:27:31","slug":"blueberry-recipes-storage-and-cleaning-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/blueberry-recipes-storage-and-cleaning-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Store, Clean, and Use Blueberries + 7 Delicious Recipes to Try"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n Jump to Recipes<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\nFats Domino<\/a> found his thrill on Blueberry Hill, according to the song he recorded in 1959. But the song ends on a bittersweet note: he laments, \u201cThough we’re apart, you’re part of me still, for you were my thrill, on Blueberry Hill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Actual blueberries can indeed be thrilling. Their vibrant color (not really blue, as George Carlin reminds us<\/a>), their intense sweet-tart taste, and their rocking antioxidant content are all worth celebrating.<\/p>\n

But, unlike Fats Domino\u2019s former sweetheart, blueberries are here to stay and serve as a staple in healthy diets worldwide. They originated as food and plant medicine<\/a> for Native Americans in North America for thousands of years.<\/strong> And they\u2019ve been cultivated and can now be grown in many other regions of the world.<\/p>\n

In the early years of the 20th century, USDA botanist Frederick Colville began experimenting with blueberries to try to figure out how to grow them. By 1910, he\u2019d made a key discovery: blueberry bushes need acidic soil to thrive.<\/p>\n

After reading his 1910 USDA Bulletin No. 193: Experiments in Blueberry Culture<\/i>, Elizabeth Coleman White, the daughter of a New Jersey cranberry farmer, reached out to Colville to collaborate on applying his discovery to her farm.<\/p>\n

Together, they created cultivated blueberry strains from wild varieties. And in 1916, Colville published his much-awaited sequel, the riveting Directions for Blueberry Cultivation<\/i>. This publication created the blueprint<\/a> for wide-scale blueberry farming, turning the small Pine Barren town of Hammonton, New Jersey, into the blueberry capital of the world<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both cultivated blueberries and wild blueberries can still be found today, although each kind offers different qualities, contributing to their popularity in dishes across the world.<\/p>\n

But in this article, we’ll explore the best practices for growing, storing, and cleaning blueberries to ensure they remain at their best. You\u2019ll also get seven delicious cultivated and wild blueberry recipes to put those berries to good use.<\/p>\n

When Are Blueberries in Season?<\/h2>\n
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iStock.com\/Eike Leppert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Blueberries are in season from April through September, with peak availability<\/a> during June, July, and August.<\/strong> (Although some varieties can thrive in the southern hemisphere, blueberries are most commonly grown in North America and Europe.)<\/p>\n

The most common types of cultivated blueberries include Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush, and Rabbiteye blueberries. (The latter are called \u201crabbiteye<\/a>\u201d because the unripe berries have a pink hue reminiscent of a rabbit\u2019s eye.)<\/p>\n

Cultivated blueberries typically prefer warm and humid climates. Most varieties can be grown in USDA zones 3\u20138<\/a>, with some varieties surviving in zones 9 and 10.<\/p>\n

Wild blueberries are native to most of the northern US and are often found in Maine and parts of Canada.<\/strong> Typically referred to as Lowbush blueberries, these varieties have a shorter growing season \u2014 from late July to early September \u2014 and thrive in USDA zones 3\u20137.<\/p>\n

How to Grow Blueberries<\/h2>\n

If you want to try your hand at growing your own blueberries, there are a few things to keep in mind.<\/p>\n

Even if you plant just a few bushes to start, many varieties are so prolific that you might be able to harvest several pounds a day for several weeks. Fortunately, they\u2019re delicious and freeze well.<\/p>\n

Both cultivated and wild blueberries thrive in well-drained, sandy, acidic soil<\/a>.<\/strong> The best time to plant them is in fall or spring to give the plants time to put down strong roots before the growing season. You\u2019ll also need patience. It may take two to three years<\/a> before you can pick a lot of berries from the first planting.<\/p>\n

You can protect your harvest from birds by using netting and keeping an eye on the plants to monitor for common pests like aphids and blueberry maggots. Organic fungicides<\/a> can help prevent diseases like powdery mildew.<\/p>\n

Care for your berry bushes with regular watering, especially during dry periods, and give them lots of mulch to keep the moisture in the soil from evaporating. (They can be so demanding of water and mulch. One farmer I know calls them \u201cbluebabies.\u201d) Many experts recommend mulch from pine trees (in the form of bark, sawdust, or needles), as it does double duty, acidifying the soil as it breaks down.<\/p>\n

Prune dead or weak branches to keep your plants healthy and encourage more growth, flowering, and, therefore, berries.<\/p>\n

How to Pick Blueberries<\/h2>\n
\"Woman
iStock.com\/Liudmila Chernetska<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can pick berries<\/a> you\u2019ve grown in your garden, on a U-pick farm, or even through wild foraging (but only if you know what you\u2019re doing). Some bluish berries like pokeberries, nightshade berries, and Virginia Creeper berries are poisonous<\/a> and can lead to nausea, dizziness, and even death. Never eat a berry you’re not sure of!<\/p>\n

Look for blueberries with a solid, deep blue-purple or blue-grey-ish hue. Don\u2019t be put off if they have a whitish coating; this is called \u201cbloom<\/a>\u201d and is a natural form of protection that keeps moisture in and insects out.<\/p>\n

Unripe blueberries may be white, green, or red, or have a purple color around the stem. Don\u2019t pick them for later; blueberries don\u2019t continue to ripen after picking.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pro tip: Berries picked in the cool of the early morning will have a longer storage life than those holding the heat of the day.<\/p>\n

How to Keep Blueberries Fresh and Store Them<\/h2>\n

Fresh blueberries can last for about one to two weeks in the refrigerator when stored properly.<\/strong> For optimal freshness, store them in a breathable container or produce drawer.\u00a0Both wild and cultivated blueberries have similar storage requirements, though wild blueberries may have a slightly shorter shelf life.<\/p>\n

To freeze blueberries, first rinse and dry them thoroughly. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, at which point you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. (That extra step is so they don\u2019t freeze as one giant clump.)<\/p>\n

Frozen blueberries can last up to a year<\/strong>, which is good news if you planted a lot of bushes one year and now get 10 pounds a day in the summer. (Which happened to a friend of mine.)<\/p>\n

How to Clean Blueberries<\/h2>\n
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iStock.com\/dlerick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One reason to grow your own blueberries is that cultivated blueberries are on the Environmental Working Group\u2019s \u201cDirty Dozen\u201d list<\/a> \u2014 that is, one of the crops with the highest concentrations of pesticides. Non-organic blueberries were found in 2024 to contain as many as 17 different pesticide residues<\/a>, four more than 10 years earlier.<\/p>\n

The safest approach is to choose organic varieties when possible to keep pesticides out of your body. If organic blueberries aren\u2019t available or accessible within your budget, you can wash blueberries and still reduce your pesticide exposure. Soak them in a solution of baking soda and water for 12\u201315 minutes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The formula is one ounce of baking soda in 100 ounces of water. Here\u2019s a comprehensive article<\/a> on the most effective ways to clean fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n

Since berries are highly susceptible to mold growth when exposed to high moisture levels, it is best to clean blueberries right before you\u2019re ready to consume them. Once they\u2019re clean, drain and dry the berries well before enjoying them as a snack or adding them to a dish.<\/p>\n

How to Use Blueberries<\/h2>\n

You can eat blueberries raw or cooked. Cooked blueberries often have a more intense flavor, while raw berries retain<\/a> more antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Wild blueberries also have higher concentrations of antioxidants and minerals than cultivated varieties. <\/strong><\/p>\n

For more on the health benefits of blueberries, read our in-depth article, Are Blueberries Really As Healthy As They\u2019re Claimed to Be?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Ways to use raw blueberries:<\/p>\n