Who buys winter strawberries?

[ChickensMightFly]

I love strawberries, as soon as the UK ones are in the shops, somewhere around wimbledon time, I indulge as often as I can until around late September when they go tasteless... I pull down the shutters, sweep up and declare the strawberry party over until next year.

On the odd occasion in between I have been tempted by some beautiful red examples and have cursed my gullible self for spending hard earned cash on hard tasteless strawbs.

Bu they are always on the shelf so someone must be buying them, but who!? and why!?

Weirdly, this is not true of raspberries which stay tasty all year round - I would like a berry farmer to explain how this can be.

People with kids. Kids are less picky.

People who really want strawberries.

Not me. At £4.50 a small punnet I don't think so!

I was blinded by my hatred of winter strawberries into thinking there was no other way! But served heavily doctored, autism obsessions, undiscerning toddlers, forgetful kind wives, the list goes on. All these things make perfect sense even though totally alien to me. 😂
The asparagus thing is also true... So how can we explain delicious raspberries in January, which have also traveled international miles but seem none the worse for it? 😳

You could same the same of many imported fruit and vegetables- you buy tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and bananas in January I am guessing?
If we stuck to local food only things would be a bit dire. Turnips, leeks and stored apples.

@EBearhug

Didn't Queen Victoria insist they were grown in her glasshouses, so she could have them all year round, and especially at Christmas?

I like the idea of Queen Victoria eating tasteless strawberries so she can enjoy the regal pleasure of knowing she is the only person in Britain eating a strawberry at Xmas. 😂

@speakout

You could same the same of many imported fruit and vegetables- you buy tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and bananas in January I am guessing? If we stuck to local food only things would be a bit dire. Turnips, leeks and stored apples.

Completely true, but for those things the difference in taste between local + seasonal and unseasonal shipped round the world is tiny compared to the turnip-esque winter strawberry versus the sumptuous red sunshine pillow in the summer.

Nigella has a recipe for Strawberry Crumble, the out of season bland strawberries taste amazing in this! Taste just like they do in summer 😋

If its in the shops I buy it. Seasonal fruit means nothing to me. Savage I know

I live for jersey royals and IoW tomatoes in the summer. Occasionally excited by charlottes but a few disappointing batches is denting my confidence.

DC eats horrid strawberries all year round. We grin and bear.

I buy them for my toddler - I hadn’t really thought about seasons but I noticed the other week that the strawberries were left until last whereas some months ago they’d be eaten first, I bet it’s because they don’t taste as nice! Clearly my toddler thinks along the same lines as you

No. Dreadful food miles on the things out of season. I have frozen berries in the freezer.

But I buy bananas. I should probably get my act together and cut back on them all year round.

Just eating a punnet of Marks and Spencer Strawberries which are quite tasty and juicy. Says the type is Sensation and they come from Egypt.

I am always surprised that spanish strawberries are beautiful in Spain but tasteless watery monstrosities when Imported to UK supermarkets

megletthesecond

What are we left with if we only eat produce grown locally?
In winter that means no melon, no citrus fruit, no lemons, no courgettes, no peppers, no lettuce, no tomatoes, no cucumber,no grapes, no berries, no mango, no kiwi or bananas, in fact no fruit apart from stored apples and pears.

There is a reason life expectancy has increased hugely in the past 70 years- diet being a major reason.

I buy them too. Ds likes them, he prefers the summer ones, but will eat them. So its a win as getting fruit in him is not easy.

I buy them for the baby to eat quartered as I am too lazy to steam apples.

I am the opposite of the OP and am fussy about raspberries (I don't like the Scottish ones, they all seem go off straight away)

Me. I buy them. They are about the only fruit my DD will eat. She seems happy enough with the taste. I've never tried them because I can't stand strawberries whatever the season.

Also they stop the 4 year old asking for fancy things for pudding

@Ifailed

I can understand buying them as a way to get kids to eat fruit, otherwise they are up there with buying asparagus in winter.

I know buying asparagus in winter is wrong but they are in my favourite meal!

I've tried freezing them myself, buying frozen and swapping them for other veg.

Have tried green beans, baby corn etc. tenderstem and purple sprouting broccoli are already part of the dish.

Apologies for taking this off topic but what can I replace my lovely asparagus with?!

Also you are completely right strawberries (and asparagus) have clearly defined times for loveliness, sadly.

I do... toddler loves them . He's not at all discerning, especially with some skooshy cream on top. Easy win on the fruit and veg front.

Me I buy them to put on my cereal and DS also eats them. Can’t say I have any thoughts on buying them at any time of the year.

No, I shop locally at a farm shop and buy what is in season.

My DD 9 loves them!

You have reminded me I have asparagus in the freezer.

I chop them to put in yoghurt with honey and nuts. Taste fine to me.