Nothing says summer like fresh-picked cherries. Ripe cherries are great snacks or can be incorporated in pies and other baked goodies.
Apart from their flavor, cherries are also packed with impressive nutrients that help soothe muscle and joint pains, control cholesterol, prevent colon cancer, improve eyesight, and promote good sleep.
Like most ripe fruits, cherries bruise and rot easily. In fact, it is one of the most perishable of stone fruits and can lose more quality in one hour at room temperature than a day in the refrigerator. Thus, cherries must be kept in the right temperature to keep their freshness especially when shipping. Here are some tips on how to properly pack and ship cherries to ensure that they arrive fresh, succulent, and delicious!
Sort out the cherries and removed blemished or overripe ones. Clean them with dry cloth or paper towel to remove any moisture that can become breeding ground for bacteria or molds. Never wash the cherries!
Carefully place the cherries inside a foam cooler lined with newspaper so they won’t get bruised or squashed. Lay several layers of newspaper on top of the cherries. Place ice packs on top of the newspaper. The cooler should be full so that the fruits don’t move around. In case there are empty spaces, fill them up with crumpled newspaper. Put the lid on the cooler and seal securely with tape.
Insert the cooler inside a cardboard box. The box should snugly contain the cooler. Fill any space between the box and the cooler with bubble wrap, crumpled newspaper or foam peanuts to prevent movement.
Close and seal the box with packaging tape. Address and label the package with “Perishable” or “Handle with Care.”
Take the package to a post office or shipping company and send using the fastest option possible. Avoid shipping near a weekend or holidays to prevent your package from getting stuck in a holding facility.