Freezing Produce and It's Ripe NOW!

I was reading my friend's blog the other day and she had written a brief blog regarding freezing some blueberries she had purchased at the store to use later in the year.  Plus another FB friend had questioned how to freeze strawberries after taking her children berry picking earlier this summer.

Of course, I had to comment, as I too often freeze a variety of produce.  Mostly due to seasonal availability coupled with economics.

As long as you have the space in freezer it is relatively simple process.  I have a deep freezer, so I use a cookie sheet.  But, you could use any other freezer safe container that will allow air to flow around the produce without it freezing together.

To ensure that softer items like bananas don't stick to the pan, first line with waxed paper.

Clean or pick your produce and chop if desired.  Spread on pan and freeze for several hours or a day before removing.  Then label and place in freezer safe containers or freezer safe zipper lock storage bags.  Place back into freezer until needed for recipes and consumption.

This is a super way to not waste excess produce you have purchased or have in ripe abundance in your garden, i.e. I just froze a 1/2 dozen peeled bananas and what should be my last crop of figs (figs are extremely fragil and usually mold and rot within a couple of days in the open air).

Items such as sliced peaches and bananas are terrific straight from the freezer into the blender as a delicious addition to a fruit smoothie.  Or quick access when the desire for banana bread or a fruit pie is weighing heavy on your mind.

When shopping, don't ignore the reduced produce.  As I had commented on my friend's blog Berrymorin Bits and Tips, it is a super way to try produce you may not normally purchase or have never tried before.  EX:  I recently bought a mesh bag of tiny key limes and have been using them in my ice water for added flavor.

If you are able to deal with it and think economically, you can definitely make use of some of the ripe produce at excellent prices by preparing and freezing immediately.  One of my favorites is yellow, red and green bell peppers.  I wash, slice and freeze for use later in omelets and other recipes.

This past week, I used two (2) sealed containers of summer squash/zucchini in a huge batch of a vegetable beef soup that I made one night.  I could have easily frozen the squash and used later, but decided to empty my produce drawer and freeze the soup instead.