Why strawberries in June taste completely different from January
We compare the nutritional content, flavour and cost of in-season versus imported strawberries.
Pick up a strawberry in June from a British pick-your-own farm and it will be sweet, fragrant and deeply red. Pick up a strawberry in January from a supermarket and it will be pale, watery and slightly sour.
Why they taste different
British strawberries are picked at full ripeness within 24 hours of reaching you. Imported winter strawberries are picked underripe so they survive a multi-day journey. The sugars and flavour compounds that develop during vine-ripening cannot be replicated artificially.
The nutritional difference is real
In-season British strawberries contain significantly more vitamin C than out-of-season imports. A single handful in June gives you more than your full recommended daily intake. The same quantity of January imports may give you half that.
The cost difference
In-season British strawberries at a pick-your-own farm cost around £3-4 per kg. The same weight imported in January costs £8-10 per kg. You are paying more than twice the price for an inferior product with fewer nutrients.
What to do
Only buy British strawberries in season (May through August). Buy extra and freeze on a tray. Frozen strawberries retain almost all their nutritional value and are perfect for smoothies all year round.