8 Surprising Foods You Can Effectively Freeze

When you want to get into preserving food, you might be considering freezing. Some people choose freezing because it is said to preserve nutrients and freshness; others prefer freezing because it seems less complicated than canning. But you might be wondering what foods freeze well. Can you freeze fresh fruits and vegetables? Are there some foods that get ruined by freezing?

Here are some suggestions as to what foods are good for freezing.

Tomatoes

Did you know you can freeze tomatoes? You can! Here are some tips on freezing these fruits.

* Freeze them whole, unpeeled. Just core the tomatoes and freeze them whole on a cookie sheet. When they are frozen, put them in a zip top plastic freezer bag. When you thaw them to use them, the skin will slide off easily. You can also peel them first if you prefer.

* Cook them first. Cut washed tomatoes into quarters (cutting out the core if necessary), simmer them in their own juice in a covered saucepan until they are soft (just a few minutes), and allow to cool. Then you can freeze them in freezer-safe jars or zip top freezer bags.

Cabbage

Cabbage freezes well, which surprises some people. Simply cut cabbage in wedges or shred it, and freeze in zip top bags. Draw the air out of the bags by leaving a half inch or so unzipped, inserting a straw, sucking the air out and quickly sealing the final half inch.

Bell Peppers

Slice or dice washed bell peppers, removing the seeds and stem. Place the cut peppers on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, you can put them in a zip top bag.

Green Beans

Washed green beans freeze very well. Snap or cut off the ends, cut to desired length or leave whole, and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling water. Plunge them into ice water to end cooking, drain, and freeze in plastic bags.

Apples

Yes, you can freeze apples! The best way to prevent them from browning is to place washed apple slices in a freezer-safe, 2-cup glass jar, and then pour in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filtered or purified water over the slices to fill in the space between the slices. Leave an inch of space at the top for the water to expand when freezing.

Berries

Freeze raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc. by placing washed fruit on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. When frozen, you can put them in zip top freezer bags. You can also mash or puree berries and freeze the mash/puree in jars.

Peaches

Wash and slice peaches and freeze them the same way as berries – on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet, then a plastic bag. You don’t need to peel them first.

Fresh Herbs

Simply slip clean, fresh sprigs into a zip top bag, draw out the air, zip, and freeze.