Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

If you are not into canning, freezing fruits and vegetables is another way to preserve produce for good eating throughout the year.

Freeze produce quickly and when it is freshest. After washing in cold water, blanch vegetables briefly in boiling water. A general rule of thumb is to boil 1 gallon of water for every pound of vegetables. Submerge blanched vegetables in ice water and then lay out on paper towels to dry. Store blanched vegetables in heavyweight freezer bags or airtight plastic containers. Remove as much air as you can from the bags. Fill plastic freezer containers to the top. Wrap sealed freezer bags in heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal with freezer tape to help keep moisture inside. Date the packages or containers.

Freeze food at a temperature of 0 degrees F. Fruit can be stored frozen for about one year. Eat fruit before it has thawed completely for better texture. If you thaw fruit completely, it usually becomes mushy. Vegetables can remain frozen for up to 18 months. However, longer freezing can cause vegetables to lose quality. Thaw frozen foods slowly in the refrigerator never at room temperature to prevent bacteria from growing. Unfortunately, freezing does not kill bacteria; it simply delays the growth of potentially harmful microorganisms.