Everything you need to know about… Strawberries

The Fruit & Root Crew are on a mission to uncover some of the stories behind the hero seasonal food we eat – from juicy fruits to veggies with va va voom!

It’s May – the sun is shining, well… sometimes, our gardens are blooming, and one of our favourites is finally here!

They’re small but mighty… any guesses? Fruit or Veg? Only one way to find out!

“GET READY… TO SPIN THE PEEL OF FORTUNE!”

And our Hero Fruit of the Month is the… Strawberry!

Juicy, sweet, and heart-shaped – strawberries are basically nature’s sweets. And in May, British strawberries are finally hitting the shelves! Time for some strawberry smarts…

“FRUITY FACTS”

Strawberries aren’t technically a true berry. Bananas are berries. Avocados are berries. Strawberries? Total imposters.

They’re actually part of the rose family – romantic, right? Each strawberry has around 200 tiny seeds on the outside. It’s the only fruit that wears its seeds like sprinkles!

Strawberries grow in every county of Britain – but the biggest production areas are Kent, Herefordshire and Scotland.

Did you know… we’ve enjoyed strawberries for centuries, although the original European varieties were originally much smaller. Henry VIII was said to be a big fan… and they were used to be used to treat sunburn, dirty teeth and even smelly feet?

Everything got much tastier around the 17^th century when our little strawberries were mixed with fatter juicier varieties from the Americas giving us the fab fruits we enjoy today.

And here’s a fab fact… did you know that there’s a record for eating the most strawberries in one minute? It currently stands at 313 grams – which is pretty much a whole punnet. I wouldn’t try that at home!

Here in the UK, we eat over 150,000 tonnes of strawberries every year. And 1.2 million of them are chomped at Wimbledon tennis championship alone, where they’re kind of a tradition…

Let’s find out more about our tasty champion, down on the farm!

“OVER TO OUR GURU GROWERS… MEET THE FARMER!”

May is a big month for farmers – it’s when the first British strawberries of the season are ripe and ready!

We grow strawberries in polytunnels, which are long greenhouse-style covers. These help protect the plants from the weather, extend the growing season, and mean we can start harvesting earlier in the year.

Strawberries can be grown on the ground or off the ground on table-top systems or even in stacks. That makes picking easier and cleaner – and it means less bending over. Trust me, your back will thank you.

On our farm, we pick strawberries by hand, carefully checking for ripeness. If it’s deep red all over, it’s good to go. Then it’s straight into the chillers to stay fresh before heading to supermarkets. And we care about the planet too! Lots of farms use Biodegradable mats instead of plastic, rainwater harvesting systems to water crops, Integrated pest management, which means using natural predators like ladybirds to deal with bugs and even solar panels to power cold storage.

So growing strawberries takes love, patience – and a lot of sunshine. But when you bite into a fresh, juicy British berry? Totally worth it.

“GET IN MA BELLY!”

Let’s talk strawberry treats with some berry tasty ideas to try at home.

A really easy and delicious pudding is Strawberry Eton Mess. That’s crushed meringue, whipped cream and juicy strawberries.

Another classic is a strawberry & banana smoothies – blend it all up for a summer snack.

Don’t forget good old jam! Perfect for toast, scones and your nan’s approval.

Or for something a bit spesh – dip them in melted chocolate. Classic. Epic. Amazing.

And for those who love both cheesecake and nachos… Strawberry Cheesecake Nachos

It’s not all sweets with the strawberry – you can slice them over porridge, cereal or pancakes for a fruity breakfast boost! However you snack, smash, slurp or spoon them – strawberries are a May time must-have.