You have planted your summer garden and now the bounty is starting to come in. What to do with all the wonderful fruits and veggies that you cannot possibly eat? Preserve them by freezing them safely!
Simple Steps to Safe Freezing:
- Prepare your space: Clean and sanitize the counter and all kitchen equipment needed such as pots, bowls and utensils.
- Pick your produce: Start with one food type at a time (e.g., all strawberries). Pick and freeze your harvest within 24 hours for the best flavor and nutritional quality.
- Sort produce by size, ripeness and color.
- Rinse and clean produce under running water to remove dirt and drain it before freezing. Use a product to scrub away any soil. Do not soak produce in water as soaking can actually spread the germs.
- Prepare your foods for freezing: Some vegetables such as tomatoes, squash and green beans will need special treatment like blanching and some fruits may need to be dry packed. You can find a guide here: Blanching Vegetables - National Center for Home Food Preservation
- Store your foods in containers designed for freezing like freezer bags, plastic and glass containers. Small batches work best and pack foods tightly to remove all air.
- Freezer temperature: Set your freezer between 0 to -20 degrees F. Label your foods with “packed on” and “use by” dates. Store for no more than 8-12 months for best taste and quality.
Some veggies that do not freeze well: Cabbage, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes and potatoes
Some additional resources for freezing produce at home:
- Freezing - National Center for Home Food Preservation - for specific information for many fruits and vegetables.
- How to safely freeze fruit for the best quality - UMN Extension - for freezing techniques and specific ways to freeze unsweetened fruit.
- Video: 10 freezing tips you want to know (about 1 hour long) - University of Maryland Extension - for science of freezing and freezing techniques
- Video: Blanching for Freezing - SDSU Extension - for a visual demonstration of blanching
