Do you freeze actual produce?

[robertandenith]

I read somewhere that some of you freeze meals but can I freeze produce? Like carrots, onions, or fruits like apples, etc.? I have a ton of produce this week (went shopping and got some produce from an organic co-op that I am trading for webwork). Now, I don't have the space in the refrigerator to put them but I have space in the freezer, I mean LOADS of space!! :o

also, if you do, how do you thaw them?

[rawpriestess]

you can freeze it, but it comes out rubbery when you thaw it, so it is best to dehydrate, then freeze if you like. without the water content, it won't get rubbery, but it will be dry.

[robertandenith]

interesting!!! thanks so much RP!!! :)

[exurb]

Freezing really depends on what you're freezing, there is no one blanket answer for all foods, each food responds differently, and in some cases there are things you can do to improve what comes out of the freezer when you're ready.

If you have the time, I would get a book (or maybe you could find some info on line) about preserving harvests. A decent book will tell you how to freeze certain things, what freezes well without doing anything to it, etc. Then it will also point you in the direction of some other ways to preserve what you've got (and many of these are raw processes), from salting and pickling, dehydrating, packing in peat moss, etc. There's tons of little stuff you can do to make stuff last longer, from wrapping apples in newspaper, to washing down the outsides of hard squashes with 10% bleach, to freezing, dehydrating, pickling and curing, etc.

I love apple chips from the dehydrator! Also, if the final destination of the thawed produce is into something blended like a puree or burger, I don't worry that much about how it's frozen.

[vickiesltw]

I have been freezing produce for years. They are correct it depends on what you are doing with the produce.

Ex I freeze cases of tomatos at a time but, the only thing I use them for is recipes. When you freeze produce it weakens the cell walls. Which is what makes it rubbery or mushy when you thaw it.

Bananas, apples, berries carrots and pretty much any fruit can be frozen that is going to be used in a smoothy or recipe. Good rule of thumb is what do they freeze in the store.

There are some produce we found like bell peppers, onions, potatos that can be frozen however, they are way to mushy when thawed even to use in recipes. These are blanched before freezing. As I am sure a lot more than I realize are in the supermarket.

If you have a vitamix the book talks about freezing also.

Have a great day

[robertandenith]

awesome ideas!!!!! Thanks so much!

I think I could freeze some veggies if I want to keep that produce specially for recipes. I was asking because I run out of space in my refrigerator and we cannot afford another one specially for produce lol

so, ok freezer here I come!