Take advantage of harvest season and affordable prices to stock up on Quebec fruits and vegetables. Freeze your excess carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, leeks, strawberries, apples, etc.—that way you’ll have yummy produce whenever you need it! Here are a few freezer 101 tips to help you preserve the colour and texture of your fruits and veggies.

Why freeze your fruits and veggies?

• Save money. When you buy large quantities of seasonal (or discounted) fruits and vegetables and freeze them, you’ll avoid having to pay full-price for produce for months at a time.
• Save time. Because your fruits and vegetables are already washed and cut, you can quickly and easily toss them into your weeknight dishes.
• Avoid waste. In addition to being costly, food waste is detrimental to the environment. Are your fruits and vegetables starting to look a little wilted and you have no plans on cooking them in the upcoming days? Freeze them for later!
• Encourage local producers. When you stock up on local fruits and vegetables during summer and fall harvest, you’re supporting the Quebec and Canadian economy, and reducing your purchase of imported produce during the winter months (which helps lower your carbon footprint!).
• Stock up on vitamins. Contrary to popular belief, frozen fruits and vegetables do not lose any of their nutritional value, vitamins, or minerals. So go ahead and benefit from the many perks fresh (and frozen) produce has to offer!

Blanche vegetables to preserve their crunch

It is imperative that you blanche your broccoli, cauliflower, and other veggies before storing them in the freezer. To do so, wash, peel, and cut them, then place them in boiling water for a few minutes. Next, remove the vegetables from the boiling water and plunge them into ice water. This will case the cooking process to abruptly stop and ensure the vegetables stay firm, flavourful, and full of colour!

Approximate cooking time in boiling water:

• Beans: 3 minutes
• Broccoli and cauliflower: 3 minutes
• Asparagus: 3 minutes
• Spinach: 3 minutes
• Green peas or snow peas: 1.5 minutes
• Zucchini: 30 seconds

Once you’ve removed your vegetables from the ice water, make sure to pat them dry with a clean cloth, to avoid frost from forming on them once frozen. Store them in the container of your choice and place in the freezer.

H3 : Loads of recipes made with frozen vegetables

In addition to spaghetti sauce and chili, there are a wide variety of other family-approved dishes that can easily be made with frozen vegetables: gratins, casseroles, soups, curries, sautés, chow meins, and rice.

Freezing fruit is so simple!

You don’t need to blanche fruits before freezing them—simply rinse them, dry them with a clean cloth, cut them (if need be), and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two, or until the fruit is frozen enough to be transferred to an airtight container or freezer bag without clumping together.

H3 : Loads of recipes made with frozen fruits

You can use your frozen strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, and peaches (to name but a few!) to make shakes, jams, muffins, cakes, sorbets, and other delicious treats!

H2 : Fruits and vegetables that DON’T freeze well

Onions, cucumbers, sprouts, alfalfa, lettuce, radishes, sliced tomatoes, potatoes, pears, and melons all become too soft when frozen . . . so enjoy them fresh!

Apples, plums, and peaches tend to oxidize and brown when exposed to air, which can alter their taste. To prevent this from happening, toss them in lemon juice prior to freezing.

H2 : Plastic containers, glass containers, or freezer bags: which to choose?

When freezing food, opt for containers that are resistant to cold temperatures and can protect your food from freezer burn.

Plastic containers

Choose thick plastic containers that bear a snowflake symbol—these are designed for the freezer. Using recycled margarine and yogurt containers can be risky, as they won’t properly protect your food from freezer burn. Only containers made with #2 or #5 plastic are resistant to cold and shocks (look for the recyclable symbol on the bottom of the container to be sure). But be careful! These containers are not microwave-safe, so you’ll need to thaw out their contents in the fridge before transferring to another container or dish.

Glass containers

If you like freezing food in Mason jars, just make sure you don’t overfill them, as they could burst once frozen. And don’t thaw them in the microwave—the drastic change in temperature can cause the glass to shatter. Instead, thaw in the fridge.

Freezer bags

Although they’re not as environmentally friendly, freezer bags remain a practical option, especially if your freezer is limited in space. Top tip: once you’ve placed your fruits and vegetables inside the bag, zip it up all the way except for a small space, just wide enough to fit a straw. Next, suck the excess air out, remove the straw, and close all the way. In addition to optimizing your freezer space, this technique helps prevent freezer burn (provided you use freezer-friendly bags). And don’t forget: you can wash and reuse bags that have been used to store frozen fruits and vegetables!

Aluminum foil

If you have extra-strength aluminum foil, you can cut out sections and use them to wrap up your fruits and vegetables. Seal your packages with freezer adhesive tape before storing in the freezer.

And what about cling wrap?

Cling wrap is too thin to offer adequate protection in the freezer. Plus, it has a tendency to lose its stickiness in colder temperatures, meaning your food will be exposed to the air—which you don’t want.

How long in the freezer?

Fruits and vegetables can keep in the freezer for approximately a year. Make sure you indicate the date on the containers before storing them, that way you’ll know exactly how long they’ve been in there.

If you want to know more about preserving a particular ingredient in the fridge or freezer, check out the MAPAQ’s thermoguide.