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    Home » Kitchen Tips » Freezer Cooking

    How to Freeze Berries and Make Good on Summer Sales

    Published: Jun 22, 2019 · Modified: Apr 21, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    Freeze berries at home so you make good on summer sales. Whether you grow your own or find great deals at the store or farm stand, building your own stock of frozen berries in the freezer is like having a hoard of riches.

    Blueberry pie with server, plates, and forks this …

    Who doesn’t love a good berry pie bubbling with juices and enrobed in a flaky crust or a refreshing smoothie full of sweet tart flavor? Both make great use of flavorful, succulent berries. 

    But what happens when you have a craving for a blueberry pie or a cold, frosty smoothie when it’s not berry season?

    Sure, you can buy frozen fruit, but it’s often incredibly expensive, at least compared to in-season sale pricing.

    The answer? Do what our grandmothers did: stock up and preserve the harvest for yourself!

    Yep, it’s true. You can freeze berries yourself when they are at their peak, abundant, and offered at a great price. Freezing your own berries isn’t difficult, and it’s a great way to take advantage of summer sales and freshness.

    Why Should You Freeze Berries Yourself ?

    You can take advantage of in-season sales.

    I love using my freezer to stock up on certain foods. But for some, you might wonder if or how you can freeze them so you can take advantage of those sales! For example, freezing lemons, freezing yogurt (yes you can!), freezing potatoes and freezing vegetables and herbs when they are in bounty.

    It’s not hard to stock your pantry or freezer with fresh fruit when you shop the sales. While you may normally spend upwards of $3/bag (12- or 16-ounces) on commercially frozen berries, you can easily find fresh berries for at least a third of the price when on sale in season.

    When you see a great sale, snatch it up and get it ready for the freezer. While you will pay some storage “costs” in the sense of running electricity to keep frozen fruit on hand, you’re running your freezer anyway — and full freezers run more efficiently than empty ones.

    fresh picked strawberries in a white cardboard bucket

    You’ll know where your berries come from.

    When you freeze berries yourself, you have the benefit of knowing where your berries came from and exactly how they were handled. My daughter contracted food-borne hepatitis a few years ago when Costco sold a contaminated batch of frozen fruit, so I don’t mind spending a little effort to freeze berries myself when I can.

    If we can pick them ourselves or buy organic, so much the better!

    You’ll have a sense of accomplishment.

    There’s something intensely gratifying about “putting up” food for winter. Ma Ingalls did it. Little Sal’s mother did it. Even Martha does it.

    For some reason, even though we live in a refrigerated age and can have food shipped from anywhere in the world, there’s something special about preserving and freezing your own food. Whether it’s a few pans of enchiladas or some bags of frozen berries, you gain a sense of accomplishment in providing for future meals and having a stash on hand.

    You’ll have berries whenever you want!

    Probably the most compelling reason to freeze berries yourself is so you’ll have berries on hand for baking and smoothie making whenever you want! When you decide you’re going to bake a batch of Spiced Blueberry Coffeecake, you’ll know you’ve already got what you need on hand.

    When you stock your freezer well, you open up all kinds of culinary options — without having to go to the store. I call that getting ahead, my friends.

    individual blueberry crumble in red pots with lids

    Personal Blueberry Crumble

    Tips for freezing berries

    I’ve got you thoroughly convinced now to freeze your own berries, but hold your horses. Don’t grab the first plastic clamshell you find and toss it in the freezer. Follow these tips for freezing berries to your best advantage:

    Buy them at a good price.

    If you love smoothies and milkshakes and cobbler and pie, frozen berries are a great thing to have on hand. To buy a bag of frozen berries can cost $3-5 a bag. So, it makes so much more sense to buy strawberries at a good price and package them for the freezer yourself.

    Identifying a good price is the tricky part of this operation.

    Do you know what a loss leader is?

    A loss leader is an item offered at a crazy good price to get you in the door of your neighborhood grocery store. Loss leaders are usually splashed all over the front page of the weekly ad.

    Last week, the loss leader in my neck of the woods, blueberries, were on sale at $1.97/18-ounce package ($1.31/pound). I bought four packages and froze those berries. The week before, cherries were $0.95/pound. You can guess what I did with those. (Cherries can be frozen the same way you freeze berries, only you remove the pits first.)

    Unless it’s a special occasion, I try to purchase fruits for $1.00/pound or less. Remember at the store they aren’t often sold by the pound, so you’ll need to do some math to identify your base unit cost.

    Stock up on the fruits on sale and preserve them for future eating. During the summer, expect to see great prices on berries, cherries, melon, and stone fruit — all fruits you can stash in the freezer for a later date.

    frozen blueberries on a rimmed, parchment-lined tray

    Buy good quality berries.

    Freezing slows down enzyme action which leads to decay. It’s a great method for extending the shelf life of produce that might be “on its last legs”. However, it’s always better to start with the best, freshest berries you can find.

    This means to avoid mushy, moldy, or wrinkled berries. Instead focus on blueberries with “bloom” to them, a white frosty appearance, and cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and boysenberries should be shiny.

    Use rimmed trays which fit your freezer.

    Commercially-packaged berries are “flash frozen,” a process requiring professional freezing equipment. You can approximate this process via “open freezing“, the practice of freezing each berry individually before packaging them all together. In this way, you’ll be able to use as many berries as you want instead of having to thaw an entire bag or container of berries at one time.

    Freeze the berries in a single layer on a rimmed tray before packaging them. The size tray you use will depend on the size and width of your freezer, so plan accordingly. I like these USA pans.

    frozen cherries and berries in ziptop bags

    Use freezer bags or freezer-safe containers.

    Once you’ve frozen the berries individually, you’ll need to package them for longterm storage.

    Choose ziptop freezer bags; they are thicker than regular ziptop storage bags or freezer-safe containers and offer better insulation. These square freezer boxes stack well and make good use of space in your freezer.

    Be sure to label your berries.

    It’s important to know how long your berries have been in the freezer. Frozen food doesn’t go “bad”, but it can lose taste and texture over time. Berries run the risk of losing their structural integrity.

    Using your frozen berries in the order you froze them will help keep your stock rotated, so be sure to label each package with the date you put them in deep freeze.

    How do I Freeze Berries at Home?

    Know how to store berries for short term as well as the long haul. So here’re the super simple basics to freeze berries at home.

    • Rinse berries or cherries in a vinegar water bath. This helps to kill surface bacteria and remove any silt or dirt. Gently pat them dry with a clean cloth.
    • Hull and slice or quarter strawberries. Pit cherries.
    • Lay the berries or cherries out in a single layer on a tray covered with plastic wrap, parchment, or a silpat mat.
    • Freeze until firm, several hours to overnight.
    • Remove the tray from the freezer and transfer the berries to labeled freezer bags or containers, removing any air from bags. Move quickly.
    • Store the packaged berries in the freezer for up to 1 year in the deep freeze or for several months in a refrigerator freezer.
    • To serve: Use only what berries you need and return the bag promptly to the freezer.
     

    If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
    frozen blueberries on a rimmed, parchment-lined tray
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    5 from 1 vote

    How to Freeze Berries

    Freeze berries at home so you can make good on summer sales. Whether you grow your own or find great deals at the store or farm stand, building your own stock of frozen berries in the freezer is like having a hoard of riches. Follow this method for best freezing.
    Prep Time2 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 1 bag
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $3

    Ingredients

    • 4 cup berries , such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or strawberries; cherries also work
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Rinse the berries or cherries in a vinegar water bath. This helps to kill surface bacteria and remove any silt or dirt. Gently pat them dry with a clean cloth.
    • Hull and slice or quarter strawberries. Pit cherries. Leave other berries whole.
    • Lay the berries or cherries out in a single layer on a tray covered with plastic wrap, parchment, or a silpat mat.
    • Freeze until firm, several hours to overnight.
    • Remove the tray from the freezer and transfer the berries to labeled freezer bags or containers, removing any air from bags. Move quickly.
    • Store the packaged berries in the freezer for up to 1 year in the deep freeze or for several months in a refrigerator freezer.

    Notes

    To serve: Use only what berries you need and return the bag promptly to the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    Slack your Grocery Spending in 7 Easy Steps

    Slash your grocery spending in lots of areas!

    Freezing berries you buy on sale is a great way to save money on groceries and build your pantry on a budget. Want to save even more?

    Learn to slash your grocery spending in 7 easy steps!

    Get the guide when you subscribe to the free Good Cheap Eats Gazette.

    pinnable image of frozen blueberries on a tray

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    Comments

    1. Holly

      July 10, 2010 at 12:40 pm

      Why rinse in vinegar water? And what is the ratio? I’m glad to know if this will help 🙂 I rinse and try to freeze raspberries but they always are falling apart… any hints?

      Reply
      • Jessica

        July 10, 2010 at 3:56 pm

        Vinegar has anti-bacterial properties. I don’t have a scientific measurement. I just spray them generously and then rinse. Raspberries are very fragile. I don’t have tricks for those.

        Reply
    2. FishMama

      June 21, 2010 at 3:49 pm

      Make cherry pies and freeze them! Or just pit and freeze the cherries to make a pie later. Sour cherries are perfect for pie. I can't find them cheap, so I used sweet cherries last year: https://www.goodcheapeats.com/2009/07/sweet-cherry-pie.html Just use more sugar. Yum!

      Reply
    3. Anonymous

      June 21, 2010 at 3:34 pm

      I too need something to do w/ Bing cherries…my neighbor talked me into a diet this week, south beach, whch does not allow fruit for the 1st 2 weeks, but, hate to waste…any suggestions???

      Thanks,
      Christy

      Reply
    4. Anonymous

      June 21, 2010 at 3:06 pm

      Does anyone know what to do with sour cherries? We moved to a place with two sour cherry trees but I'm not sure how to preserve. Any suggestions?

      Reply
    5. Dani

      June 21, 2010 at 1:46 pm

      Like you I buy my fresh on sale… and really stock up when in season. I freeze similar to you. I let the strawberries ripen as much as possible before freezing… yummm. We use them in pancakes, smoothies, for fruit syrup you name it. Next year I plan to pick and make homemade jam but we ran out of time this year.

      Reply
    6. Leslie

      June 20, 2010 at 1:11 pm

      Thanks for the vinegar water rinse link! I just got free blueberries from publix, but I'm leaving town tomorrow for a week, and was planning to freeze them! Now I know how! Hooray for procrastinating yesterday and not getting around to it!!Both of your blogs are great! Thanks so much!

      Reply
    7. Steph

      June 20, 2010 at 12:37 am

      Sandee – I also use my frozen fruit for baked goods that use fruit – like banana bread or strawberry muffins. No need to wait for them to be over ripe!
      I stock up on fresh seasonal fruit & veggies and freeze whatever we can't use right away. Just posted about my favorite freezing method yesterday.

      Reply
    8. Duck's Mom

      June 19, 2010 at 9:56 pm

      Sandee, you could puree them and use them in yogurt as well. Or on ice cream. or even baby food (which is how i fed both of my boys fresh fruits in the middle of winter).

      Reply
    9. Anne

      June 19, 2010 at 4:42 pm

      I always thought California was more expensive! I'm very jealous of your prices, there is absolutely no way I could ever get strawberries at .88/lb here. Right now, this week, the best deal around here is 5.99 for a 4lb box. That is actually an awesome deal for my area. I picked my own raspberries for 2.99/lb and I thought that was an amazing price for raspberries. Only a very few fruits get to $1/lb around here, and that's only VERY occasionally. If I had that target price, we'd NEVER eat fruit. My target price is $2/lb or less. (Or $1/pc for things like mangos and avocado) Anyway, I've been freezing a lot around here, too, as much as I can in my small freezer! And Sandee, I like to use frozen fruit in baked goods and stuff like pancakes. You can also make ice cream sauces and pancake/waffle syrup with the frozen fruit.

      Reply
    10. Sandee

      June 19, 2010 at 3:43 pm

      I have been wanting to do this. but other than smoothies and milkshakes, which aren't popular at our house (except for momma) what else can you use them for?

      Reply
    11. Carrie

      June 19, 2010 at 2:05 pm

      i usually buy my fresh but my freezer is tiny and disfunctional (9 inches wide with a broken ice maker and two broken shelves) so if it's the off season and i need some i'll usually buy a frozen bag then. i just don't have the space to store much.

      Reply

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