They're coming! They're coming!

Ah, spring. When a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love. Love? Bah! That may be fine for the young man, but spring makes this old lady get a little weak in the knees at the thought of ripe, juicy strawberries. And soon they’ll be everywhere.

Strawberry season, which begins in California in March and peaks during May in the south and June in the north, is upon us. Although you can sometimes pick up some fairly decent strawberries all year round, there is nothing quite like the flavor of the in-season strawberry.

Naturally free of fat, cholesterol and sodium, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C (containing even more than an orange!) and remain high on the list of “superfoods” due to their antioxidant properties.

But, wait! There’s more! Strawberries are also a very good source of dietary fiber and iodine as well as potassium, folate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin K, magnesium, and copper.

And anytime you can get all of these health benefits for a mere 40 calories per cup, I call that a nutritional bargain.

So here’s some things to remember about buying and storing strawberries:

Unless you plan on freezing them, don’t buy more than you have an immediate need for as they will mold fairly quickly if left at room temperature, and will only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Don’t wash them until you are ready to eat them. Washing before storage promotes mildew and that’s not really too yummy.

Strawberries do not continue to ripen after they are picked, so avoid yellow or green berries. They’re not going to get any better.

Buy locally whenever possible. Locally grown strawberries will most likely be fresher and more flavorful.

To freeze strawberries, arrange the whole berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and return to the freezer. Frozen strawberries should last for a year. It is recommended that you NOT wash or remove the hull prior to freezing.

Don’t know what to do with all those frozen strawberries? Well, besides the obvious choice of Margaritas and Daquiris? Click here for some ideas from Allrecipes.

I love fresh strawberries by themselves as an afternoon snack, but I also love them in cereal, or topped with yogurt, or in smoothies or paired with a sliced banana and whipped cream.

Good food that’s good FOR you. It’s a beautiful thing.