How to Freeze Fruits for Year-Round Enjoyment

Article published at: Jul 1, 2024 Article author: -MilaDurbl
How to Freeze Fruits for Year-Round Enjoyment
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There's nothing more delightful than strolling through a local farmers market and enjoying the abundance of summer fruits. But how can you extend the shelf life of these natural sweets into the fall and winter while reducing food and plastic waste? By freezing, you can enjoy local, seasonal fruits all year long.

Can You Freeze Fruit?

Whether you love nectarines, peaches, citrus, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries, the good news is that all fruits can be frozen! However, there are best practices for packaging fruit, freezing whole fruit, and using thawed fruit.

How to Freeze Fresh Fruits?

1,First, buy fruits from local markets. Choose "ugly" or very ripe fruits, often cheaper and better suited for freezing.

2,Next, prepare the fruit and store it in freeze-safe containers, like Durbl reusable silicone bags, to prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn occurs when moisture in food evaporates and forms ice crystals, reducing flavor and quality. Remember, freezer-burned food is still safe to eat.

3,Wash, dry, and slice fruits (remove pits, stems, and anything you don't want to eat). Berries don't need chopping. Ensure your fruits cool to room temperature before freezing to avoid freezer burn.

4,Lay the cut fruit in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with compostable parchment paper or a silicone mat. Freeze for about 2-3 hours until fully frozen. Pre-freezing on trays prevents fruits from sticking together.

How Long Can Frozen Fruit Be Stored?

Frozen fruits are safe to eat for a long time, but consume them within six to nine months for the best flavor and nutritional value.

When ready to eat, thaw or use them in recipes for frozen fruit. Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies, adding texture to oatmeal, or enhancing ice cream.

How to Thaw Frozen Fruits?

Place the durbl ziplock bags of frozen fruit in the fridge or a bowl of cold water. Thaw only what you need; avoid refreezing.

Thawed fruit's texture changes, making it best suited for recipes where the fruit becomes more pulpy, such as pies, compotes, baked goods, pancakes, and tarts.

Another time-saving method is to make smoothie packs in the freezer. Follow the pre-freezing steps above, but instead of separating by fruit type, use Durbl sandwich or stand-up gallon bags to create pre-mixed smoothie fruit packs.

When ready to enjoy, dump the whole bag into a blender, add your favorite liquid and protein powder if desired, and blend.

Why Freeze Fruit?

Buying pre-frozen fruit is an option, but purchasing fresh fruit from farmers' markets supports local and optimizes health benefits while reducing environmental impact.

Freezing your fruit helps you avoid the extra plastic packaging of pre-frozen fruits and lets you enjoy the best fruits year-round.

Summary

Learning to freeze fruit is simple, cost-effective, and helps you store delicious and nutritious food year-round. Join durbl to reduce single-use plastics and enjoy a more sustainable lifestyle. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok, and tag @thisisdurbl to show us your progress.

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