Refrigerate fresh berries and use them within about 3–7 days depending on the type (raspberries go fastest, blueberries last longest). Best freezer quality is about 8–12 months.
These refrigerator figures are quality guidance, not a safety limit — berries fail by mold and mush, which you can see, rather than by hazards you can’t. Discard moldy berries and check their neighbors.
Berries freeze beautifully for smoothies, baking, and sauces. Best quality 8–12 months.
Thawed berries are soft — that’s physics, not spoilage. Use them where texture doesn’t matter or eat them semi-frozen.
Prepare & portion. Wash, dry thoroughly, and freeze in a single layer on a tray before bagging — they stay free-flowing.
Package. Freezer bags with air pressed out after tray-freezing.
Thaw & use. Use from frozen in smoothies and baking, or thaw briefly in the refrigerator.
Use directly from frozen, or thaw in the refrigerator. Expect soft texture and free juice.
Refreezing thawed berries is safe but turns them to mush — refreeze only as purée or sauce. The general rules are in the refreezing guide and the Refreezing Decision tool.