How to freeze fresh fruit- this tutorial tells you how to freeze fruit to maximize freshness and minimize freezer burn. Berries, peaches, apples and rhubarb are all easy to freeze and enjoy year round!
Freezing fruit
One of the best parts of summer is the bounty of fresh fruits available. Whether you grow them in your own garden or pick them up at the farmer's market or grocery store, the fresh berries, cherries and peaches are plentiful and sooooo delicious.
And then? They're gone in a flash.
So if you'd like to prolong your enjoyment of your favorite fruit, your best bet is to stock up the freezer!
Some fruits freeze better than others, and some fruits you wouldn't think are freezer-friendly actually are, so I thought it would be handy to put together a little guide with some tips and tricks for freezing fruit
Tips for freezing fresh fruit
- always wash fruit before freezing; pick through and remove any damaged fruit
- allow to air dry before freezing; in general extra moisture can result in freezer burn
- to prevent fruit from clumping together, arrange on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours before transferring to freezer bags for long term storage
- some fruit like peaches and apples benefit from a soak in lemon water to prevent browning during the freeze/thaw process
- remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag. I use a straw to suck it out, then quickly seal the bag
How to use frozen fruit
The caveat to freezing fresh fruit is that it does lose some of its texture upon thawing. That being said, frozen fruit retains great flavor and all of its nutritional value, and is still pretty versatile.
Some of my favorite ways to use frozen fruit are:
- in a smoothie (here are 5 of my favorite smoothie recipes!)
- in a crisp (like this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp)
- in overnight oats (like this Fruit on the Bottom Overnight Oats recipe)
- in baked oatmeal cups (find 7 Baked Oatmeal Muffins here)
- in muffins (like these Strawberry Apple Crumble Muffins)
- in a Frozen Margarita
- in chia jam
As you can see there are a TON of ways to use frozen fruit, and this list is far from complete! Do you have a favorite way to use frozen fruit? Let me know in the comments below!
How to freeze frozen fruit:
I have written individual posts with step by step tutorials (with photos!) on how to freeze the following fruit:
- how to freeze peaches
- how to freeze rhubarb
- how to freeze blackberries
- how to freeze apples
- how to freeze blueberries
- how to freeze strawberries
dordogne says
Such an accommodating reference, particularly as I love to freeze new berries in the spring/summer when they're in season and on special to have close by for some other time
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi there! So glad to hear that you found this guide helpful! Thanks for leaving a rating and review 🙂
Sofia Husain says
Hi Denise,
I've used your directions on how to freeze apples and it works great!
Could you please tell me the best way to freeze bananas? I would like to use them for eating with things like pancakes or would that not work?
And I have already sliced mushrooms. Could they not be frozen and used on pizza?
Thanks!!
Sofia.
Denise says
Hi Sofia, so happy to hear it worked well for you! Here's a great tutorial on freezing bananas: https://fitfoodiefinds.com/how-to-freeze-bananas/
Dani says
I have frozen bananas and apples. I use them in my instant oatmeal in place of sugar. I used lemon water dir the apples but another pinterest board stated salt water works. Someone else posted honey and water works.
Dani says
*for not dir lol.
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says
Such a helpful reference, especially as I love to freeze fresh berries in the spring/summer when they're in season and on sale to have on hand for later!
Denise says
Thanks Brittany!