Freeze Your Fruit

FRUIT YOU CAN FREEZE!

Bananas– Bananas will darken in colour and be mushy, but they’re perfect for baking and smoothies.  For use in smoothies, peel and cut ripe bananas into quarters, flash freeze on a tray, then store in freezer bags.  For baking, you can pre-mash and pre-measure if you feel so inclined.  Bananas can be frozen in their peels, but extracting the banana after it is partially thawed increases the “eeww” factor.  It’s worth the small effort to take off the peels.

Grapes– Wash before freezing.  Frozen grapes make a fun summer treat for kids and adults alike.  They’re like a stick-less lolly pop.  You’ll want to eat them frozen, as they will get mushy as they thaw.  You could also add them into smoothies.  When grapes go on sale, buy more than you can eat and stick them in the freezer (after washing them, of course).

Melon– I cube and freeze watermelon and cantaloupe from the garden.  Flash freeze it on a tray for a few hours, then store it in freezer bags, and it’s easy to access the portion that you want.  Frozen melon is great to add to smoothies.

Citrus– Cut up and freeze lemons, limes and grapefruit to use in smoothies.  For lemons and limes, you can even leave the peel on.  If you have access to a citrus tree, you probably know that you can juice your oranges and lemons and freeze the juice.  Lemon juice freezes nicely in ice cube trays.

Pumpkin Purée– We make our own pumpkin purée to use in place of canned pumpkin in pies, muffins, cakes, and soups.  I freeze it in measured quantities in these storage containers, then once it’s frozen, I wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in freezer bags.

Berries– I hope this one isn't new to anyone.  Washing or hull the berries before freezing.  Frozen berries are great for pies, smoothies, sauces, jams, and more.  When they thaw, they can be mushy (depending on the type).  My kids love to stir berries or frozen fruit into bowls of oatmeal to help cool it down.

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