Freezing 101

'Cause your freezer should be home to more than just vodka

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but hibernation season is just around the corner.  

You know, when you sit on your ass for four months 'cause it's "too cold" to go on a run. So while you pack on the winter pounds, you might as well do something useful: freezing.

Freezing is an easy way to store organic, locally grown fruits and veggies for months. Like our badass pioneer ancestors, smart women know to stock up on these valuable ingredients while they are in season. Freezing your haul is the best way to enjoy your stock year round—helping you stay satiated and healthy in the icy grip of Old Man Winter.

Prepare for Freezing

All you need are bags or containers that will stay intact when frozen and some space in your freezer (get rid of the booze, babe). Selecting glass freezer jars will ensure no unwanted chemicals will leach into your food. The quality of frozen fruits and veggies depends on the quality of the produce prior to freezing. Now isn’t the time to be cheap, honey. Buy fresh; buy organic. Freezing is best within 12 hours of harvesting the fruit, vegetable or herb, so purchasing from a local farmer's market picked fresh from the field is your best bet.

How to Freeze...

Vegetables


Blanching vegetables prior to freezing will neutralize the enzymes that make them go bad. Enzymes promote the breakdown of vitamin C and convert sugar into starch, leaving the food tasting like cardboard. Thoroughly clean vegetables and cut the edible parts into desired pieces. Blanch immediately. This involves immersing veggies in fast-boiling water or steaming them for a recommended amount of time. (Check out this handy list that details how to blanch each kind of veggie.)

When the blanching time is up, place the vegetables in ice water to stop the cooking. Pat them dry, pack in freezer containers, seal and label. Avoid freezing vegetables that are generally eaten raw, such as celery, cucumbers and lettuce. Use your frozen veggie haul for stews, broths, quiches or other winter comfort foods.

Fruit


Almost all fruits, especially berries, freeze very well. However, fruit must be at its peak of freshness in order to be frozen. Don't freeze fruit that is unripe or overripe. Unlike vegetables, fruits do not need blanching prior to freezing. There are many methods to freezing fruit, but most include the use of sugar (which we know has nasty effects on our beautiful bods).

I like to keep it simple. Wash, peel and cut up the fruit as you normally would. Some fruits will darken after they are cut, so you will need to prevent this by using an anti-darkening agent. Create a mixture of water and lemon juice to soak the cut fruit (about 1 teaspoon per quart). Place the chunks in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and set them in the freezer until frozen—about 1-2 hours. To avoid a large mass of fruit, ensure the individual pieces are not touching one another.

Herbs


For all you lazy bitches, freezing herbs takes little to no effort. Using a BPA-free ice cube tray, place several leaves, or a spoonful of chopped leaves, in each opening. Add water and freeze. Pop out cubes as needed for recipes. This works well for parsley, basil, chives, etc. I've also found that trays with lids help keep disgusting freezer odors from getting into the goods.

Remember: winter is not your enemy. There's no excuse to go overboard on high-fat comfort food. (OK, except when the Christmas cookies come out.) Grab your reuseable grocery bags, head to your nearest farmer's market or local grocer and stock up on all your favorites while you still can.

Tammy Christopherson, Guest Blogger
Tammy Christopherson is an Interior Designer by day and Graphic Designer by night. She resides in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with her husband and two children. Faced with post-partum depression after the birth of her second child, she made a lifestyle change and became vegetarian. Most recently Tammy has been exploring what it means to be vegan in the Midwest and now finds a healthy balance in yoga, photography and seeking a holistic lifestyle.  You can check out her graphics work on Etsy at pinkpaperandink.etsy.com. Tammy blogs at familybuildingblocks.blogspot.com.