Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Fruits and vegetables are expensive during the winter months. Now is the best time to prepare and save – by simply freezing them. September is not only a great month for bargains on delicious fresh foods; it's also the perfect month for deals on the necessary supplies.
Freezing is not difficult, but individual products have various needs. Some need to be blanched, some cooked, some sugared, and so forth. Simply research what your crops of choice need before beginning. Incorrect freezing will yield inedible results, wasting your investment and time. But with a little know-how and good old-fashioned kitchen work, you can enjoy the delicious Fall harvest for months to come and save in the process.
Here's a short-list of produce you can look for this month: apples, beans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, greens, peaches, pears, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, and zucchini.
And some general freezing tips to get you started:
-Get packaging that: seals out air; won't become brittle, crack or leak; and you can easily mark to know what is inside.
– Mark each package with the contents and the date prepared.
– When finding a spot in the freezer, leave a little space around packages to allow air flow and promote thorough freezing.
-If the product may expand when frozen, be sure to leave some room in the package. (Things such as fruit immersed in a sugar-solution may expand.)
-Remember that proper thawing is just as important as proper freezing. Thawing done right makes the difference between delectable close-to-fresh fruits and veggies or a mushy mess.
