Cranberries

Fresh cranberries keep longest in the coldest part of your fridge. Frozen berries work well in most recipes and thaw quickly. Discard any soft or discolored berries before storing.

Fresh cranberries are quite tart—pair with sweeteners like sugar, honey, or orange zest for balance.

Frozen cranberries can be used straight from the freezer in most recipes; no thawing needed.

Dried cranberries are sweeter and chewier than fresh; use them in baking, trail mix, or salads.

For cranberry sauce, simmer fresh berries with sugar and water until they burst and break down (about 15–20 minutes).

Dried cranberries often contain added sugar—check labels if you're watching sugar intake.

Using fresh cranberries raw without sugar—they're intensely tart and usually need sweetening.

Overcooking fresh cranberries until they turn to mush (though this is fine for sauce, less ideal for baking).

Assuming dried cranberries have no added sugar—many brands sweeten them for snacking.