When you get home, try to spread the berries on a tray in the refrigerator. Rinse berries briefly under cold water when you are ready to use them. Do not soak. Remove stem and leaves after rinsing, not before. Drain in a colander and, if possible, spread them on a paper towel to air dry.
Berries taste best at room temperature. Always taste one berry before you start to cook because sweetness varies. If they seem especially tart to you, you may want to add the maximum amount of sugar that your recipe calls for. As a general rule, add 4 to 6 tablespoons of sugar for each quart of berries, depending on tartness.
For long term storage, freezing is recommended. Fruits retain more nutritional value and flavor by freezing than by any other method of preservation. Strawberries can be frozen and safely kept for up to one year. Use quart or pint freezer containers or heavy plastic freezer bags.
Strawberries can be frozen several different ways: dry-pack, sweetened, unsweetened, floated in a sweet syrup, or tray frozen whole. The initial preparation of the berries is the same for all methods. Choose firm, ripe berries. Rinse in ice water before hulling. (Fruits washed without the stem lose more vitamins than those destemmed after washing.) Drain well on several layers of paper towels, being careful not to crush or bruise the berries.