Top 10 Veggies to Freeze
Avoid food waste! Kim McCosker and the 4 Ingredients team have shared their top tips for freezing the right fruit and vegetables!
DID YOU KNOW: In Australia, the government estimates food waste costs the economy $20 billion each year?!
When fresh produce is in abundance and on sale, we tend to buy in bulk. Sometimes this means we tire of peaches before we eat all 16 bought in a bulk buy!
If like me, this is you, often I will buy in bulk and while the fruit is fresh and nutrient rich, I freeze a small portion immediately to ensure as many of the fruit's nutrients are retained. Similiarly, when bananas are ripening faster than we are eating, peel and freeze. Frozen fruits can be used in delicious breakfast smoothies and vegetables added to stir-fries, sauces and risottos.
For the best results, always give fresh vegetables a quick blanch, drain and dry, freeze on lined trays (single layer) before placing into bags or containers removing all extra air. This gives the best chance of saving colour and flavour. For speed, wash and trim vegetables, separate into bags removing excess air, then seal and freeze immediately.
Top 10 Veggies to freeze are:
- Corn. Buy whole cobs of corn, remove the husks and cut the kernels from the cob. Baby corn freezes well in whole form.
- Carrots. Carrots can be frozen whole, but for adding to stews, stir-fries and steaming, dice or slice to desired size before freezing.
- Broccoli. Trim into florets, rinse, dry, bag and freeze.
- Cauliflower. Rinse and freeze in portions or florets.
- Beans / Snowpeas. Trim ends, remove strings, then cut into smaller pieces before freezing.
- Peas. Shell, bag, freeze.
- Zucchini/squash. Wash, cut and freeze.
- Pumpkin. Peel and remove seeds. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces or cubes and freeze loosely to avoid freezing in clumps. Perfect for turning into pumpkin puree, mash or soup.
- Sweet Potatoes / Parsnips. Peel, cube, par cook and freeze.
- Onions. Onions can be diced or sliced and placed into smaller portions for use as needed.
TOP TIPS: Tomatoes can be frozen for use in sauces, bolognese etc. However they will become watery and lose some flavour.
Most fruits can be frozen from fresh. But best results are from bananas and berries. Simply peel bananas and freeze in containers or bags. Add to smoothies with milk, ice and either a Weet-bix for kids, or a protein powder for adults. Both are perfect either side of trainings or for a handy breakfast on the run. Frozen fruit is a great addition to muffins and healthy slices too.
ENJOY!
