How to Freeze Fruit & Vegetables and Save Money

Farmers markets aren’t always less expensive than the grocery store, but provide far better and tastier produce. Certain items like berries are generally less expensive from the farmers market during the summer than grocery store berries during the rest of the year. In Seattle last winter, blueberries were up to $8 a pint. And they weren’t very good.

The more you buy locally, the less your carbon footprint. When you buy produce from local farms instead of the grocery store, it comes from within a small radius, not shipped via air and truck. Imported produce is often picked before it is adequately ripened so that it can ripen in transit… on a truck. The flavor is mediocre and these items rot faster. Wasted produce is wasted money.

Thankfully, many of your favorite summer fruit is easy to freeze for consumption later in the year.

Of course, not all produce is available locally. If you don’t live in a semi-/tropical climate, citrus isn’t available locally, so you have to get it from the store. Lemons and limes are expensive, but when you buy them bagged in bulk, they are much less. And super easy to freeze and use as needed!

Freeze your favorite summer fruits and veggies and grocery store produce marked down to save money. It is so easy, saves money, and allows you to keep eating the most delicious produce all year round!

What to Freeze:

• Peaches, plums, apricots, and other stone fruit
• Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and other berries
• Corn
• Green beans
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower and romesco
• Spinach and kale
• Lemons, limes and oranges
• Bananas

How to Freeze:

1. Prepare your produce.
   • If you are freezing corn, cut it off the cob; stone fruit: peel (optional); greens: remove from stem if applicable, and chop; vegetables: cut into small pieces; can be left whole, sliced or cut into wedges; bananas: peeled.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry anything that hasn’t been peeled or shucked, such as berries, broccoli, etc.
   • You can skip washing, but this doesn’t allow you the chance to rinse off loose stems, dirt or tiny insects.
   • Dry produce flat on paper towel or clean dish towels. Blot with more towels and/or allow to air dry on the counter. This step also allows you to pick through and remove any bad or moldy pieces.
3. Once dry, lay your produce flat on a baking sheet. Put in freezer for 1-2 hours.
   • This allows your fruit or vegetables to freeze in individual pieces instead of in big clumps. It’s important to make sure everything is completely dry so that it doesn’t stick to the pan or add extra moisture to the container the produce is stored in.
4. After produce is frozen, remove from tray and add to large freezer bag or container and return to freezer.
5. Enjoy!
   • Much of the fruit can’t be thawed and consumed like you would fresh. Upon thawing, things like berries or peaches get soft and mushy. They are best consumed frozen, baked into muffins, breads or pies, or stirred into oatmeal, and more.
   • Vegetables are best steamed or added to soups, stews and curries.
   • Citrus: freezing citrus is really handy because it is easier to zest when it’s frozen. If you are using the juice, let thaw or microwave for a few seconds until it is soft enough to cut. They will juice much more easily!