How to Freeze Fruits, Vegetables and Dairy

How to Freeze Just About Anything

Freezing is a great way to extend the life of perishable items, whether produce you buy at the store or that bumper crop of spinach from the garden. You can also hold over eggs and milk by freezing. Read on for great tips on freezing everything from strawberries to milk, green beans and so much more.

How to Freeze Eggs

An ice cube tray provides a no-muss no-fuss solution. Break the eggs into a bowl or measuring cup and beat them enough to integrate the white and yolk. Take care to avoid beating too much air into the mix. Measure 3 tablespoons (the equivalent of one large egg) into each cell of the ice cube tray. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Transfer cubes into a storage container and label them with the date frozen. Eggs will hold up in the freezer for up to a year.

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How to Freeze Spinach

To retain nutrition, steam blanch spinach leaves by placing them in a steamer basket that keeps leaves above the boiling water. Steam for two minutes. After removing the spinach from the ice water, spin it dry in a salad spinner or blot it on a thick towel. Stuff leaves into freezer bags, placing one to two cups of leaves per bag, depending on your desired portions. Place sealed bags in the freezer. Use frozen spinach within nine to 14 months for the best quality. If you know you'll use your frozen spinach within six months, you can freeze it without steaming.

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How to Freeze Fresh Strawberries With Sugar

To freeze strawberries using the dry sugar method, wash strawberries in a colander, discarding any unripe strawberries or berries that show bruising or discoloration. Drain well and let rest for a few minutes to dry. Hull berries and slice or cut into halves or quarters and transfer into a large bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar per quart into the bowl and gently stir strawberries to coat and dissolve sugar. Immediately transfer sugar-coated strawberries into freezer bags or other airtight containers. Label with contents and date and place in freezer. Frozen strawberries may be kept for up to one year, although color and flavor will begin to fade after about six months.

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How to Freeze Whole Strawberries

Pick any stems or leaves out and then rinse the strawberries in a colander under cold water. Handle the berries as little as possible to avoid breaking the protective skins. Leave the strawberries in the colander to rest for several hours or overnight to allow them to dry completely. Any surface moisture will result in a layer of frost that will cause freezer burn. Spread berries on a baking sheet or other lipped tray in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and place tray in the freezer for at least four hours or overnight. If freezer space is limited, trays may be stacked, but be careful to avoid crushing. Once completely frozen, transfer the strawberries into freezer bags on any other airtight freezer containers. Label containers with the contents and date frozen and place in the freezer. Strawberries will keep frozen for up to a year with minimal loss of flavor or texture deterioration.

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How to Freeze Bananas

To freeze whole bananas, first, peel them and then place them into a freezer-safe bag or container. Label the container with the date and contents. Frozen bananas can go straight into the blender for smoothies. For baked goods, let the bananas defrost first before adding them to your recipe. Bananas will keep in the freezer for six to eight months.

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Can You Freeze Milk?

Yes, you can freeze all types of milk including plant- or nut-based milk. First, transfer the milk out of a glass or paper container into a freezer-safe plastic container. A paper carton does not provide the air-tight seal you need and a glass bottle might break in the freezer. If you're freezing milk in its original plastic container, leave a few inches of headspace, because milk expands when frozen. Make sure to freeze the milk before its expiration date, and label the container with the new expiration date. Milk will save in the freezer for up to three months. Some people recommend splitting a gallon or half-gallon of milk into several, smaller containers so you can defrost the milk more quickly. When you are ready to defrost, thaw it in the refrigerator and not at room temperature, for safety's sake.

How to Freeze Green Beans

Green beans are acceptable candidates for canning, but the texture of canned beans tends to be a little rubbery. Freezing, on the other hand, retains most of the flavor and texture of fresh beans. First, trim the ends from the beans and cut them into bite-size pieces to save time later, if you like. Blanch the beans in one gallon of water per pound of beans for two to four minutes depending upon the size of your beans, then quickly immerse them in an ice bath. Drain the beans and place them in freezer bags or freezer-safe plastic containers with all air squeezed out. Label your bag or container with the date. The beans will keep for eight to 10 months.

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How to Freeze Tomatoes

Blanching tomatoes is the best way to freeze them. Start by dropping tomatoes into boiling water for 60-90 seconds and, using a slotted spoon, transfer immediately into a bowl of ice water to cool. Skin will slip easily from the flesh. Prepare the tomatoes by removing stems and coring the tomatoes. Tomatoes may be left whole, but preparing them in a way that maximizes storage space is recommended. Transfer the tomatoes into storage bags. Using a ladle or measuring cup, fill a pint- or quart-sized freezer bag. Finally, pop the tomatoes into the freezer. Frozen tomatoes will retain flavor for 12 to 18 months.

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How to Freeze Cherry Tomatoes

Tiny tomatoes, like cherry or grape, are one of the few items you can freeze without blanching. For full-size tomatoes, just core fruits and toss them into zipper bags — you don't even have to dip them into boiling water to remove the skins if you don't want to. Cherry tomatoes are even easier. Wash and dry, place on a cookie sheet, and slide it into the freezer. When the tiny globes are frozen solid, toss them into a container or freezer bag.

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How to Freeze Broccoli

Split broccoli sections into florets that are no bigger than 1-1/2 inches across. Remove the thicker stems. Broccoli — florets and stems — must be blanched for effective freezing. You can either blanch in boiling water for three minutes or steam for five minutes. You can use a colander that fits inside your pot, if you use a large enough pot. Cool broccoli in ice water for the same amount of time you heated it. Dry the broccoli as best as you can before freezing. A salad spinner works well to force water out of each tiny floret joint. It's best to shift broccoli as quickly as you can from ice water to the freezer. Package broccoli in freezer bags in portion-size amounts. After bagging broccoli, gently shift the florets in the bag to get it as flat as possible for the fastest freezing. To serve frozen broccoli florets, steam or boil for no more than 60 to 90 seconds. For the best flavor, use frozen broccoli within a year.

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How to Freeze Apples

The handiest way to freeze apples is to peel, core and slice them. Then use the apples later by the handful or bagful in any cooked recipes. Pies, muffins, cobblers and even applesauce can be made from frozen apples. Once sliced, dip the apples in a bowl of water with a little lemon juice stirred in (about a tablespoon per gallon) to prevent browning. To prevent clumping, arrange slices on a plate or baking tray lined with parchment paper and pre-freeze them for a couple of hours before bagging them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

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How to Freeze Corn

You can freeze fresh corn either on the cob or off. Freezing corn on the cob follows the same steps as freezing the kernels, except you’ll be freezing whole cobs. To freeze corn off the cob, cut kernels to about two-thirds of their depth (for cream-style corn, cut kernels to about one-half their depth and scrape the cobs using the back of a knife). Blanch both whole-kernel and cream-style corn for four to six minutes. Blanch whole cobs based on cob diameter: small ears for seven minutes; medium ears for nine minutes; large ears for 11 minutes. After heating, cool for the same amount of time. Pack corn into serving-size portions to freeze.

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Can You Freeze Lemons?

You can freeze lemon wedges or slices, lemon zest, lemon juice or whole lemons. To freeze whole lemons, place them in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Use whole frozen lemons for juicing. To freeze individual lemon wedges or slices, place the items on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Stick the sheet into the freezer until the lemon pieces are frozen. Tuck these pieces into freezer bags or containers. Bags are better because you can remove as much air as possible. Fresh lemon juice can be frozen in ice cube trays. Once cubes are frozen, slip them into freezer bags and remove as much air as possible before sealing.

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Can You Freeze Avocados?

Avocados can be pricey. If you find a good deal or have an avocado tree, it's worth learning how to preserve them, and you can do it easily in the freezer. Avocados yield the best result when frozen as puree. Place peeled, cut avocados in a food processor or blender. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice for each avocado to prevent browning. Pureeing in a motorized appliance ensures that the acidic juice distributes evenly to all the avocado flesh. Mashing avocados by hand works, too, but make sure you blend the juice thoroughly into the avocado to avoid any brown patches. Freeze avocado puree in ice cube trays or in the portion size needed for your recipes.

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How to Freeze Grapes

No need to thaw frozen grapes, eat them straight from the freezer for a thirst-quenching, healthy snack. Grapes need to be washed well before freezing. If you're using non-organic grapes, it's important to cleanse the skins well. Grapes maintain a steady position on "The Dirty Dozen," the list of fruits and vegetables most likely to contain the highest levels of pesticide residue. Remove grapes from stems before washing. Drain grapes in a colander and/or salad spinner. You want grapes to be dry before you freeze them, so even after draining or spinning, lay them out on a towel, and then blot them gently with another towel. Place the grapes on a parchment-lined tray. The parchment paper makes removing the frozen grapes easier, although if you have really managed to dry them well, you can place grapes directly on the tray. Place the tray into the freezer to quickly freeze the grapes. After they're frozen solid, pack grapes into freezer bags or containers.

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How to Freeze Pickled Cucumbers

Cucumber pickles are easy to freeze. Slice cucumbers uniformly. Slice onions to add to your frozen cucumbers. Use one onion per 2 quarts of sliced cucumbers. In a large plastic bowl, layer sliced cucumbers and onions with 1-2 tablespoons of salt. Sprinkle the salt onto layers as you create them. Cover this mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit for roughly two hours. Dump the cucumbers and onions into a colander and rinse with cold water to remove all traces of salt. Transfer the cucumbers back to the large plastic container. Combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1-1/2 cups of sugar in a separate bowl. Pour this mixture over the cucumbers and stir well. Ladle cucumbers into freezer containers, bags, or can-or-freeze Mason jars. Be sure to leave at least a 1/2 inch of head space for expansion. Label containers and freeze. Wait at least a week before eating. Frozen cucumber pickles will last up to 12 months. Thaw containers overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

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Hwo to Freeze Onions

You can freeze onions with or without blanching. Do blanch when freezing whole onion bulbs. Use a blanching time of three minutes for small onions, and seven minutes for larger ones. For safe freezing, blanching must heat onions all the way to the center of the bulb. To freeze chopped onions, wash bulbs well and chop. Slip chopped onions into freezer bags, arranging them in thin layers. To use, break off a piece of the frozen layer. Place the bag under warm water to make removing a chunk easier. To use frozen onions, toss what you need into your dish and let them thaw as they cook. Seal onions in an airtight container or double and even triple bag them to avoid onion odors in your freezer. When packing onions in containers, leave half an inch of headspace. Use onions within three to six months for the best flavor.

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Can You Freeze Garlic Cloves?

You can freeze whole individual cloves — peeled or not — in airtight containers or freezer bags. Once garlic freezes, peels come off easily, but think ahead to your typical meal prep. If you're usually short on time, it might be worth the effort to peel cloves before freezing. Chop peeled cloves and tuck them into snack-size bags, freezing in a thin layer. To use, just break off a piece of the frozen layer. Be sure to seal it in a container that won't allow garlic odor to escape and flavor your freezer — and everything in it. Double and even triple bag garlic that's stored in freezer bags.

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Can You Freeze Watermelon?

Watermelons are 92 percent water, so there's no doubt they'll freeze. You'll get the best results by starting with the freshest, ripest watermelons you can find. Good candidates for freezing should have solid rinds and a nice, hollow-sounding center when you knock gently on them. Avoid any melons with decaying or dark spots. The flesh should be firm, fully colored and juicy. You'll need to remove seeds before freezing, so if you're short on time, get a seedless watermelon. Cut up the watermelon, lay it on a parchment-lined tray then place it on a tray into the freezer to flash-freeze the melon. After the watermelon is frozen solid, pack the pieces into freezer bags or containers. Remove the air from the bags using a straw or vacuum sealer.

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How Do You Freeze Eggplant?

Can you freeze eggplant using traditional blanching methods? Yes — begin the process by washing and peeling the fruits. Slice peeled eggplants into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Peel and slice enough eggplants for one blanching batch at a time. For blanching, add one-half cup of lemon juice to one gallon of water, and bring it to a boil. Blanch the eggplant slices for four minutes, cool, and package in freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible before sealing bags. For the best flavor, use frozen eggplant within nine to 14 months.

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How to Freeze Brussels Sprouts

Sort sprouts by size, grouping them as small, medium and large. Why? Because blanching times are based on spear size. Blanch small sprouts for three minutes, medium ones for four minutes, and large ones for five minutes. Use a steamer basket to shift sprouts easily between boiling and ice water. After blanching, move Brussels sprouts into the freezer as rapidly as possible. Package serving-size portions of Brussels sprouts in freezer bags. Keep sprouts in a single layer for the quickest freezing. Place bags into the freezer as flatly as possible until sprouts are frozen. Afterward, pack the bags into your freezer to maximize space. For best quality, use frozen Brussels sprouts within 12 to 14 months.

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How to Freeze Mushrooms

To blanch, add mushrooms to a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam whole mushrooms for five minutes, buttons or quarters for four minutes, and slices for three minutes. Cool mushrooms quickly by placing them in ice water for the same amount of time you steamed them. Strain, then place mushrooms in airtight freezer bags or containers. For the best flavor, use frozen steamed mushrooms within a year.

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How to Freeze Okra

To blanch in boiling water, sort pods into groups of small and large. Wash and cut off stems, but slice carefully because you don't want to cut into the seed cell. To blanch okra, add pods to boiling water. Steam small pods for three minutes; large ones for four minutes. Cool pods quickly by placing them in ice water for the same amount of time you boiled them. After cooling, place whole pods into airtight freezer bags or containers. For the best flavor, use whole frozen okra within a year.

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How to Freeze Fresh Pineapple

The trickiest part of freezing pineapple is picking out a ripe one. A ripe pineapple has a sweet, tropical, pineapple smell. It should feel heavy for its size and have a nice, plump shape. Fresh pineapple doesn't ripen once it's picked, so don't leave it sit out thinking it will sweeten up like other fruits. Cutting a pineapple isn't difficult. Remove the top and bottom, cut in half, and slice away the outer skin. Don't toss it; you can squeeze the juice out of this section for fresh drinking or freezing. Cut pineapple into whatever size chunks or slices you want to freeze. Place the pieces on a baking tray. Because pineapple is juicy, it's wise to line the tray with parchment or wax paper first. This simple step makes removing the frozen pineapple easier. Place the tray into the freezer to quickly freeze the pineapple pieces. After everything is frozen solid, pack pineapple into freezer bags or containers. Remove as much air as possible from the bags.

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How to Freeze Peppers

Bell peppers hold up well in the freezer and can speed up your meal prep time when you've got them cut and ready to go. Clean and cut the peppers according to how you use them the most when cooking. Spread the sliced or chopped peppers in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for one hour to flash freeze. After an hour has passed, place the partially frozen peppers into a freezer bag or container. Be sure to label the bag with the contents and date. Place the bags back in the freezer so that they can continue to freeze.

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There More Than One Way to Freeze Fresh Herbs

Freezing herbs is fast, easy and retains much of the taste, smell and nutrients found in fresh herbs. Although they aren’t always pretty and may not stand up to scrutiny for use in salads or as a garnish, frozen herbs will retain much of the flavor of fresh-picked herbs to use for cooking. You can freeze herbs straight from the garden or pack them in oil or butter first to use in sauces, marinades or stir-fries. Check the link below to find out how.

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How to Freeze Peaches

There are a few ways you can freeze peaches. They can be packed in syrup or pureed before freezing. Peaches can even be wrapped and frozen whole. However, a peach that is skinned, sliced and dry-packed has the most versatility. Freeze them in small batches so you can take a few out of the freezer at a time to spruce up a smoothie, garnish a cocktail or sweeten a cup of yogurt. The only downside to this convenience is that you may use them up before they can make it into that mid-winter peach pie.

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Can You Freeze Cantaloupe?

Yes, and the process is easy and fast. Like most melons, cantaloupes have a high water content: 95 percent. The flesh is denser than a watermelon, so it tends to emerge from the freezer with a chewier, more substantive texture than its pink-fleshed cousin. Other than a slight textural change, this frozen melon serves the same lovely flavor you'd expect from a fresh cantaloupe. To freeze cantaloupe successfully, start with fresh, ripe melons. How do you know if a cantaloupe is ripe? Look for cantaloupes with solid rinds where the netting stands out on the surface. The stem end of the melon should have a slight give, and you should be able to detect a slight cantaloupe fragrance. To freeze, slice the flesh from the rind. Be sure to remove that bright green, tart-tasting area between the orange flesh and rind. Cube the melon or freeze it in chunks. Place the cantaloupe pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment or wax paper first which will make removing the frozen pieces easier. Place the tray into the freezer to quickly freeze the cantaloupe. After the pieces freeze solid, pack them into freezer bags or containers. To remove air from bags, try using a straw or vacuum sealer.

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Can You Freeze Lettuce?

You can’t make a tossed salad with thawed lettuce, but for cooking or smoothies, frozen lettuce is a good idea. The reason you won't be able to use frozen lettuce to make salads is that the freezing process causes ice crystals to form in plant cells. When ice crystals form, they rupture cell walls. For vegetables like corn or peas, cell wall damage isn't as visible because these vegetables are high in starch and contain little water. But lettuce has such a high water content that freezing produces more of a slimy mess. Thicker-leafed lettuces handle freezing better than supermarket-style iceberg lettuce. Examples of freezer-friendly lettuces include romaine or Cos types and Boston or bib types, which are also known as Butterheads.

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How to Freeze Cabbage

Freezing cabbage without blanching is possible; you'll just need to use it within four to eight weeks. For the longest-lasting frozen cabbage, blanch wedges for 90 seconds. Use a colander to drain wedges after removing them from ice water. Quick-freeze cabbage individually on a cookie sheet. Cabbage should freeze in 12 to 24 hours, depending on how large your wedges are. After it's frozen, toss wedges into freezer bags in bulk. Before sealing, remove as much air as possible from the bags. You can also place blanched cabbage into individual packages prior to freezing. Use freezer bags and fill them with appropriate serving-size portions. For best quality, use frozen cabbage within nine to 14 months.

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Can You Freeze Pears?

There are two popular methods of freezing pears. You can sweeten them with sugar or syrup first or simply freeze them without sweetening, also known as the dry-pack method. To use pears in pies or other cooked dishes, choose either the sugar or dry pack method (see link below). If you'll ultimately use your pears to make sweetened sauces, jam or fruit butter, use the unsweetened pack method.

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How to Freeze Celery for Soup

Some cooks like to freeze celery, coarsely chopped, in muffin tins or finely chopped in ice cube trays. After the celery freezes into a solid chunk, they pop it into freezer bags. With this method, toss a frozen celery chunk into your soups or stews and let it thaw as it cooks.

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Can You Freeze Kale?

You can freeze kale without blanching it but plan to use it within four to six weeks. And unblanched kale may develop a bitter flavor. For frozen kale that lasts eight to 12 months, blanch the leaves and stems. Blanch leaves for 2.5 minutes, covering the boiling water pot with a lid to steam-heat floating leaves. Blanch stems for three minutes. Place leaves and stems in ice water for the same amount of time. Dry leaves by placing them on a towel. Fill the towel with leaves, then roll it up and squeeze to remove excess water. Simply place blanched and dried kale into individual packages prior to freezing. Choose the right size freezer bag to suit your serving-size portion.

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How to Freeze Asparagus

Wash spears and remove tough ends and scales. Sort spears by size, for two reasons: first, because blanching times are based on spear size; second, it will be easier to package your asparagus. Blanch small spears for two minutes, medium spears for three minutes and large spears for four minutes. Add up to one pound of asparagus to the boiling water at a time. Blot spears dry quickly before placing them in the freezer. After blanching, it's important to package spears quickly and efficiently to get them into the freezer as rapidly as possible. Place asparagus into freezer-safe bags or vacuum-sealed packages. Pack them in a way that permits the least air to surround stalks after freezing to prevent mushiness. For best quality, use frozen asparagus within eight to 12 months.

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Can You Freeze It?

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