Freezing vegetables (or fruits)?

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myiceisonfire
myiceisonfire Posts: 782 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone bought vegetables before and froze them? I wonder if I do that and then steam them when I want them if they'd be just as good as if I'd have steamed them fresh =/ I don't enjoy running to the grocery store every time I want a certain vegetable, so I was thinking of buying a bunch of green beans for example & then just taking what I want out of the freeze when I need them. But does that ruin the taste or anything? They wont get soggier or anything after steaming?

Also, there's no problem with freezing fruits and then using them when I want them right? They're pretty much the same after you thaw them out than they were before you freeze them?

Thank you for any help =)

Replies

  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    For the most part as long as you're cooking them after they've been frozen they'll be fine- most will have a weird texture if you freeze them and try to use them uncooked. You might be better off with just buying frozen veggies though...they have the freezing process down solid (haha....bad pun). I do freeze veggies in the summer when you can get boat loads of stuff super cheap when it's in season from CSAs and farmers markets.
  • ATLMel
    ATLMel Posts: 392 Member
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    I do this often since it is just the boyfriend and I. We tend to have a lot of leftover fresh veggies. Here is a quick guide on how to do it for almost every veggie: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze.html

    The website also recmomends using a blanching basket in some parts (who the F*** owns a blanching basket??) I use a colander (metal! not plastic!) or a steaming basket with a handle.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    It's all about the water content. Very high water content means the texture is screwed up, still okay for sauces & smoothies.

    Veggies freeze best if you blanch them first. This is simply, boiling or steaming them very briefly. Some veggies freeze poorly .... celery ... blech!

    http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09330.html

    Fruits can be frozen more easily .... but some are not worth the effort. Frozen berries - yum. Frozen watermelon - blech. You will have to experiment.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    I do this often since it is just the boyfriend and I. We tend to have a lot of leftover fresh veggies. Here is a quick guide on how to do it for almost every veggie: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze.html

    The website also recmomends using a blanching basket in some parts (who the F*** owns a blanching basket??) I use a colander (metal! not plastic!) or a steaming basket with a handle.

    LOL blanching basket.....Great website! I'm bookmarking that one!
  • cydonian
    cydonian Posts: 361 Member
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    Freezing is pretty much the only way I can keep mine fresh long enough as I tend to buy large quantities of veggies. You can also freeze fresh herbs, fyi!

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