So I found a use for paper towels

The other week, I mentioned that I use leftover fast food paper napkins to help drain fried foods. Well, the other day, I remembered one other good use (for either paper napkins or towels). To place at the bottom of a grocery store plastic clamshell, full of berries.

If strawberries are left in the plastic clamshell for more than a few days, the moisture from the bottom layer of berries has no place to escape to, and I find I'm inclined to discover moldy berries after just a handful of days.

However, if I place a paper napkin under the berries, inside the clamshell, my berries keep fresh and in good condition for up to a week (if they don't get eaten). And I get a few uses out of these paper napkins. Because they don't become truly soggy with this use, I just fold them loosely and put in the cupboard above the counter. I use them a few times over the course of the season, and they end their useful life, either to drain fried foods, or to wipe out a greasy pan.


The trick is to get the paper towel/napkin under the berries, without unloading the entire clamshell. Here's how I do it.

right-side up

After I pull out a few berries for that first meal or snack, I reseal the clamshell shut.

upside down

I carefully turn the clamshell over and rest on the counter.

Then I carefully open the upturned container and lay a couple of unfolded paper napkins over the berries, inside.

I reseal the container, and once again turn the clamshell over, very carefully. That's it. The paper napkins are now on the bottom of the container, under the berries.

For other fresh produce, I prefer to use my salad spinner for storage, or wrap items in a non-linty tea towel. I'm reluctant to use a tea towel for storing berries, due to potential staining. But I've been thinking to try some unbleached muslin fabric squares at the bottom of berry containers. I'll let you know how that works when I try it.

In my mind, using paper towels/napkins isn't an all or nothing proposition. I am satisfied to use them very, very sparingly, while still finding alternatives wherever I can. I just think that's a sensible approach.