Supermarket Strawberries

were they grown in the uk?

I'm so lucky as we have a local supplier and they don't refrigerate them

M and S diamond are foolproof

I had some cracking strawberries from Tesco this week. Not their “finest” range but a big punnet full of fat large juicy strawberries, I ate most of the punnet on my own haha. No sugar no cream no ice cream, just rinsed them and ate them!

Sainsbury's strawberries are always juicy and tasty. Grown in the UK.

I grow my own. Alpine strawberries that taste just like strawberries should, a good intense flavour. The berries are small but really pack a taste punch. If I buy from the shops I usually get M&S as being the most reliable, and only ever British grown.

Strawberries do not ripen after picking so the timing is imperative.
Also most of our UK strawberries are indoor, nothing beats the flavour of outdoor grown strawberries in June.

Hampshire historically had the Strawberry Coast, particularly Hamble Valley, not so extensive now, but plenty of local growers.
Supermarkets often store fruit in a chilled environment before displaying, this can affect the taste.

This week we have been given several big bowls of strawberries straight off my friend’s allotment. They were delicious.

Tesco usually do a large tray with a single layer of beautiful strawberries which are perfect as they don’t get bruised or dented. I think they’re about £4 a tray.

If the strawberries have a white bit below the leaves, they were picked too early and are therefore hard and tasteless. So avoid those!

If you refrigerate them, take them out to 'acclimatise' before serving.

These are the strawberries I mentioned above.
1kg but all perfect. £5 this year

share.google/saGLoQOfkyMkozvTe

Just picked 6 lb off my allotment if anyone wants any I ve got them coming out my ears

Oops missed a picture

BlueBelle

Oops missed a picture

Well done and look absolutely delicious

Gingster

M and S diamond are foolproof

M&S are IMO always best for fruit, though Waitrose is pretty good, too.

Cheddar grown strawberries from my local farm shop are my go to but they do seem a little sharp and not so sweet this year.

Re supermarket strawberries- as well as provenance check the variety and sniff the holes in the packet for ripeness.. (obviously don't put your nose on the packet!).

I like Royal Sovereign, Malling Centenary, Cambridge Favourite and Driscoll's Jubilee of those I've seen in supermarkets.

"Supermarket" brands are firmer and less aromatic on the whole.
The dull Elsanta, Murano and Sonata for example.

Witzend

Gingster

M and S diamond are foolproof

M&S are IMO always best for fruit, though Waitrose is pretty good, too.

Yes, M&S and Waitrose straws came top in a Guardian comparison today.

In all fairness to Aldi I bought British strawberries from Aldi to make jam and the flavour was good

Since we moved in ten years ago and cleared the land the wild strawberries have multiplied. I met someone a while ago and she told me that as a child her and friends used to climb over the wall to scrump the wild strawberries

We grow strawberries on our allotment and they are far superior to any supermarket ones we have ever bought. Sadly they are not in season for very long.

We where spoilt having a pick your own strawberry farm on our doorstep. Our children looked forward to going every year making several trips
Then suddenly it was closed and the farmland was sold. It was then built on for a Premier football teams training ground.
Since then I have tried all strawberries from farm shops to supermarkets.
There are few and far between tiny wild strawberries near by and I have grown some myself but not in great quantities not enough to satisfy my grandchildrens appetite for them. I end up buying better quality English strawberries from a few supermarkets but they are costly. They are flavourwise nothing like the ones we picked from the local farm.

We where spoilt having a pick your own strawberry farm on our doorstep.

Reminds me of when an especially tightfisted member of the extended family took children to our local 'pick your own' They were instructed to remove the 'green leaves' from the strawberries as they weren't paying for the bit you throw away. When they finally got home many hours later after an excessively hot day, all the strawberries were much the worse for wear and rot was already setting in 😂 Served them right 🤣

I’ve had some very nice strawberries recently from Aldi’s Specially Selected range. They used to stock Scottish Strawberries which were delicious but seem to have stopped doing that now.

I have alpine strawberries growing in my garden. They are rampant this year. I leave them for the blackbirds!

Thank you to all for responding to my strawberry comment. Probably the best action is to grow my own or buy from Waitrose or M&S. I used to do alot of 'pick your own' but am not fit enough these days. Will avoid Tesco's finest from now on!!