Fresh fruit may lose nutrients during transit to your home, but when frozen at its peak of ripeness, most retain their nutritional value. Freezing also saves money, reduces waste, and helps you consume more fruit throughout the year.
Many farmer’s market treats, like citrus fruit, berries, and peaches, can be frozen successfully for optimal results and to avoid freezer burn. Follow these tips for optimal results and to prevent freezer burn.
Preparation
Freezing preserves most of the nutrients found in food, and fruits are no exception. While some nutrients may be lost during transport from farm to store, freezing prevents this loss and keeps food at a consistent quality level. Frozen fruit may also provide an easy and convenient alternative when fresh produce isn’t readily available or in season.
How much nutritional value is retained depends on how food is prepared and frozen. In general, foods that have been washed and cut prior to freezing keep more of their original qualities than whole, unwashed fruit due to freezing forming tiny ice crystals that don’t rupture cell walls and alter texture changes during processing.
Prior to freezing food, all equipment and surfaces should be thoroughly clean. Wash soft fruits in a colander, while firm foods should be gently scrubbed under cold water before placing them into an appropriate sink basin or deep container for soaking and then thoroughly rinsing under running cold water before freezing them. To protect the health and integrity of your product when frozen, you need a proper preparation process in place that prevents contamination by germs.
Fruit can usually be prepared for freezing by cutting and packing it into containers with sugar to prevent the browning of light-colored fruits, while ascorbic acid helps preserve color in berries. Sugar-based products offer additional protection from odor, flavor, and nutritional values during freezing, allowing the food to retain its shape when defrosted.
Other methods for preserving fruit include tray freezing and pureeing. To tray freeze fruit, arrange cut or diced pieces on shallow trays in your freezer until frozen solid before packing into containers or bags for later. Pureed fruits can also be thawed out to be used in toppings or other desserts; remember that their original shape will likely change when thawing takes place.
Most frozen fruits come prewashed and sliced for your convenience, with many even offering recipes or suggestions as to what you should do with them. This saves both time and money when certain fruits are out of season or unavailable; frozen food options can still provide nutritious nutrition while being delicious and enjoyable options; don’t be scared to make the switch!
Storage
Frozen fruit can remain fresh for up to one year in your freezer, providing an economical and convenient way to stock your pantry with healthy food options. However, it is crucial that produce be frozen when at its freshest as extended freezing will degrade both its quality and nutritional value, especially true with leafy vegetables like rhubarb, which may lose much of its vitamin C after being frozen.
Frozen produce preservation can be accomplished using various techniques, depending on its type and purpose. Whole fruits such as berries or cherries may be entirely dried before being placed in the freezer – although this method takes more time. It is advised to pre-treat these types of produce by adding ascorbic acid or blanching first, as this may help avoid the formation of ice crystals while still preserving the flavor and texture of food items in this way.
Trays or cookie sheets can be helpful tools when it comes to freezing larger pieces of produce, such as orange slices or apple slices. When frozen, these items can either be formed into balls or placed in single layers on the tray before being transferred into freezer bags and labeled and dated so as to identify and sort through their content when in storage quickly.
Thawing frozen produce can be a complicated process. Prolonged exposure to room temperature could result in soggy fruits and increased bacteria growth within your home, so using the refrigerator’s slow thaw settings to slowly thaw frozen fruit over several hours and preserve both texture and flavor is highly recommended.
Freezer-safe plastic containers like those by Ziploc are an excellent way to freeze fruit. Their easy opening/closing mechanism and protective shield from freezer burn are two key benefits. Vacuum sealer bags may also work as they remove air from food, which helps decrease freezer burn risk while keeping frozen produce looking its best.
Selection
Frozen fruit is available year-round and makes an excellent addition to smoothies or chilled beverages. Additionally, it can also be used in baked goods like muffins. Frozen berries remain whole when combined into the batter, providing an economical and convenient alternative to seasonal produce that may lose nutrients during shipping or storage; additionally, it gives access to exotic varieties not available fresh and locally grown.
For optimal flavor and quality, select frozen fruit soon after it has been harvested. Choose fruit that is both ripe and evenly colored to avoid pale colors turning pale or overripe fruits darkening when stored in the freezer. Consider selecting blueberries or raspberries for desserts as well as dried fruit for baking; pack small lots at a time while washing thoroughly prior to freezing.
All fruit can be frozen safely and successfully; however, certain watermelons and citrus fruits don’t fare so well when exposed to refrigeration; avoid these as much as possible for best results. Including different kinds of fruits in your diet for maximum antioxidant benefits is ideal for optimal results.
Some fruit darkens during freezing if left without any treatment to counter this effect, however. Ascorbic acid treatment is effective at maintaining color and flavor as well as providing nutrients. You can purchase it either in powder form or crystalline crystal form and add it directly into syrup or fruit-based recipes.
Some fruits can be frozen whole, though quality may suffer as a result. For optimal results, peel, trim, and pit soft and delicate fruits such as peaches and pears before freezing for optimal results. As an alternative approach, canning methods could also be employed, such as boiling with sugar added before packing and sealing.
Recipes
Fresh fruits and vegetables are best when in season, yet many don’t always have time to cook them as soon as they arrive home. Frozen fruit provides an easy solution that meets dietary requirements all year long – there are numerous delicious frozen fruit-based recipes such as smoothies, desserts, and even savory soup dishes!
Frozen fruits may provide you with more significant health benefits than their fresh counterparts due to being frozen at peak ripeness, helping preserve vital nutrients. Furthermore, freezing helps slow the deterioration of specific vitamins that degrade more quickly in fresh produce; vitamin C degradation occurs more rapidly, but frozen strawberries retain more than fresh ones!
However, some fruits can lose their original texture when frozen, so frozen fruits must be defrosted prior to adding them to a recipe. Frozen fruit works particularly well when baking; it typically isn’t recommended as part of salads or smoothies.
Allrecipes provides many delicious frozen fruit-based recipes, from pies and cobblers to tarts and crumbles. Raspberry or peach crumble is an especially delectable summery dessert using both fresh and frozen raspberries or peaches in its ingredients list for maximum satisfaction!
Other delectable frozen fruit treats include the no-bake frozen banana cream pie, with creamy frozen bananas and an irresistibly fruity topping of berries and peaches. A frozen berry and peach cobbler is another delicious summertime dessert made in no time at all.
Trying something more refreshing? Create your own fruit sorbet using frozen fruits of your choosing for an irresistibly delicious icy treat that’s lower in calories and offers something different than traditional ice cream!
Frozen fruit makes for an easy way to create homemade flavored yogurt at home, perfect for sharing with the entire family. All it requires is a bowl, mixer or blender, and some frozen fruit!
