Strawberry

Enjoy more fruits and vegetables

Grow

Strawberries are fruits that grow on small plants.1 They

have been found growing in the woods, by the seaside,

and on mountaintops. Strawberries are naƟve to the

northern and southern hemispheres.2 Wild strawberries

date back to the Ɵmes of the Greeks and Romans.3

  

Strawberries are grown from young plants, or plugs, that

can be purchased at a garden center. Strawberries are

grown as annuals commercially. In North Carolina, they

can be planted 12 inches apart in fall and harvested in

spring. Make sure to mulch them with straw or plasƟc

covering. Water sufficiently unƟl established.  Strawberry

plants may bear fruit for more than one season if they

have been maintained for adequate spacing.1

Choose

Be Picky!  

Did you know that there are more than 70 varieƟes of

strawberries?3 The most popular commercial varieƟes are

Camarosa, Chandler, Sweet Charlie, Camino Real, Bish and

Galleta.1

  

Strawberries can be available year round. Peak season in

the United States is May to July and in North Carolina is

mid‐April to mid‐June.2,5 Some growers can produce ripe

strawberries in the fall, winter or very early spring using

high tunnels or greenhouses. Some growers are planƟng

“day neutrals” which produce strawberries all summer.2

  

Strawberries must be picked by hand because they are

very delicate and bruise easily.6 North Carolina has many

“pick your own” farms.4 Strawberries will not ripen aŌer

picking. Choose strawberries with a solid red color, and

very liƩle green or white. Strawberries should not have

any mold or be leaky or damaged. The green caps should

look fresh.5,7

Store

Fresh, raw strawberries can be purchased in large flats or

half trays or in a smaller plasƟc container, called a

“clamshell.” Keep strawberries in the container and place

in the coldest part of the refrigerator—32‐36o

F. Typical

shelf life is 5‐7 days.Do not wash or remove caps from

strawberries unƟl you are ready to serve.5

Fun Fact: May is NaƟonal Strawberry Month!8

Fun Fact: Strawberries change colors as they ripen. They

start as green and go from white to pink and finally to red

when they are ripe and ready to be harvested.7

Fun Fact: North Carolina is the 4th largest strawberry  

producer in the naƟon!4

Use

Strawberries are usually eaten raw. They are sold fresh as

whole strawberries. In frozen form, they can be whole,

sliced or pureed. Strawberries can also be dried or made

into jams, preserves or syrup. Strawberries are fun to eat

fresh, whole or sliced, as a snack. You can also add them

to salads. Mix with lowfat yogurt. Use as a topping for

waffles, pancakes or cereal.  Or blend into smoothies.3

  

It is important to wash strawberries well just before

eaƟng them. To keep your strawberries fresh, wait to

wash them unƟl you are ready to eat them. Rinse your

strawberries thoroughly under clean, running water.

Drain them with a strainer. Then, pat them dry with a

clean, single use paper towel or drain in a colander.7

  

Fruit

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 08/14 

http://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA 

State Board of Education 

Department of Public Instruction 
Strawberry

Eat

Strawberries are super!

Strawberries are a superfood—packed with nutrients. Not

only are strawberries deliciously sweet but they also help

keep you healthy. Strawberries are an excellent source of

vitamin C and a good source of fiber. A cup of whole

strawberries has around 50 calories and 140 percent of

the vitamin C Daily Value. Strawberries are cholesterol

free and low in fat and sodium. Vitamin C helps form   

collagen to hold muscles, bones and Ɵssues together,  

protects us from infecƟons and bruising, aids in healing,

keeps our gums healthy, helps our body absorb iron and

folate from plants, and acts as an anƟoxidant to prevent

cell damage. Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol.  

Insoluble fiber aids digesƟon. Strawberries have a variety

of phytochemicals—flavonoids, ellagitannins, and ellagic

acid. Anthocyanidins, a flavonoid sub‐group, contribute to

the blue, red and purple pigments of berries and other

fruits. Phytochemicals act as anƟoxidants prevenƟng or

repairing cell damage. Anthocyanidins may help with

maintaining brain and healthy immune funcƟon.3,6,7,12  

Teach

To be or not to be...Is a strawberry really a berry? A

strawberry is not considered a true berry (like blueberries

and cranberries) because its seeds are on the outside of

the fruit. Did you know that an average strawberry has

around 200 seeds? Each “seed” on the outside of a   

strawberry is considered an individual fruit.1,3,6,7

Enjoy more fruits and vegetables

Fun Fact: Strawberries are the official state Red Berry for

North Carolina.10

Find

For more strawberry info and resources, visit:

1. www.ces.ncsu.edu

2. www.ncstrawberry.com

3. hƩp://lancaster.unl.edu/nep/fruitveggie.shtml

4. www.goƩobenc.com

5. www.fns.usda.gov/tn/fruits‐vegetables‐galore‐

helping‐kids‐eat‐more

6. www.californiastrawberries.com/

health_and_nutriƟon

7. hƩp://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8256.pdf

8. hƩp://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov

9. www.britannica.com

10. www.secretary.state.nc.us/kidspg/symbols.htm

11. www.agmrc.org  

12. www.eatright.org

Fun Fact: Eight strawberries contain more vitamin C than

one orange.6

Class AcƟvity:

Steps:

1. As a class, brainstorm all of the ways that students like

to eat strawberries.  

2. Ask students to share their favorite strawberry recipes.

3. Have students vote for their favorite ways to eat

strawberries.  

4. Graph the results.

5. As a class, brainstorm a list of red fruits.

6. Have students vote for their favorite red fruits.

7. Graph the results.

8. Create a display of the project results to share with the

school.

Fun Fact: Strawberry is the 5th most popular fruit in the

U.S. behind bananas, apples, oranges, and grapes.11

Fun Fact: The name strawberry comes from the fact that

strawberry plants are frequently mulched with straw to

protect their delicate roots.2

It’s Always Sunny

In order for strawberries to grow to their full potenƟal,

they need about 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.7

Globe TroƩers

Strawberries are grown throughout the United States and

Canada, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria,  

Poland, southern and eastern Africa, New Zealand,  

Australia and Japan. The U.S. is the leading producer of

strawberries in the world.9

Fruit

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 08/14 

http://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA 

State Board of Education 

Department of Public Instruction