How to Freeze Summer Berries | Quick Freezing Guide

Freezing summer berries is a simple way to enjoy them in fall and winter. Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are easy to freeze and worth the effort.

Follow these easy steps to freeze your summer berries! Check out the guide and then get some berries to freeze!

QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE to FREEZE SUMMER BERRIES:

To jump to one of the following, click:

• Raspberries and Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Strawberries

How to Freeze Summer Berries: Raspberries

Raspberries are beautiful, tasty, and healthy. They are easy to freeze. If you don’t grow your own, look for them at farmer’s markets or local grocery stores. You’ll be happy to have them in winter!

Enjoy Fresh Berries All Winter

These berries are so tasty that it’s worth your time to freeze some raspberries. It’s exciting to think of all the ways to use frozen raspberries.

You can add them to smoothies, coffee cakes, warm syrup for pancakes, French toast, or waffles. They also make great toppings for ice cream, or you can just grab a handful and enjoy them anytime!

Taste of summer all year long, so here’s what you need to do:

Simple Steps to Freezing Raspberries:

1. Pick or buy fresh raspberries.
2. Now, sort the raspberries, taking out any bruised or damaged berries.
3. Place the unwashed, yes, unwashed raspberries on a clean cookie sheet.
4. Freezing them individually helps keep them from sticking together.
5. Please see the photo below on spacing ideas.
6. Place the raspberry-filled cookie sheet in the freezer, being careful to keep it level.

Now, wait for the raspberries to freeze solid…

This works very well for Blackberries, too!!!!

Once the raspberries are completely frozen, take the cookie sheets out of the freezer and place the frozen berries in plastic quart-size Ziploc-type bags.

If you do not like using these types of plastic bags, then you can try storing your frozen berries in quart-size Ball or Mason jars with screw lids.

Freezing in Ball jars is a great alternative idea to using plastic bags.

Ball jars are wonderful for storing berries in the freezer.

Immediately place the sealed Ziploc bags or Ball jars back into the freezer, being careful not to let the raspberries thaw at all.

The frozen raspberries need to remain frozen so they stay individually separated, which makes them so easy to take out of the bag. You can take one, a handful, or a cupful. Just rinse quickly under water prior to eating or using in recipes.

Here’s a simple, healthy idea for my husband’s lunch that works perfectly in his lunchbox!

If you want to limit sugar in your yogurt, try using plain yogurt. You can add your own fruit and Pyure Organic All-Purpose Blend Stevia Sweetener

1. Spoon the plain yogurt into a small 8-ounce canning jar (I use Nancy’s Organic Plain Yogurt)
2. Sprinkle one teaspoon of Pyure Stevia Blend sweetener
3. Rinse 5 to 6 of your frozen raspberries with water, shake off excess water, dry with a towel
4. Place clean raspberries on top of yo
5. Top with a lid and put in a lunchbox

Recipe Idea for using Frozen Raspberries

This recipe is simple, tasty, and healthy! Frozen raspberries keep the yogurt cool until lunchtime.

Beautiful Healthy Raspberries!!!!

As you can see, freezing raspberries is an easy way to enjoy this delicious and healthy berry all year round!

Second on the list are:

One of Summer’s Best……Strawberries

Learn all about Freezing Strawberries

 

Another Easy Freezing Berry……Strawberries

The beauty of the strawberry is seen here………..take that berry energy from the summer sunshine and store it away for renewed vitality. So simple, so easy and really quite quick!

So, what is involved in Freezing Strawberries?

First of all, pick your strawberries in the early morning from your greenhouse or garden……or, pick them up from your local Farmer’s Market or grocery…………

Next, take your handfuls of berries or your containers of berries and place them in a colander to rinse.

I rinse my strawberries prior to freezing but still freeze them individually for ease of use later on. I rinse and sort under cool running water or simply sort, take out green tops and spray with your sink faucet.

Anyway you want to rinse is just fine, just make sure your berries are fresh, not bruised or damaged and clean. You may use a small knife to remove the green stem area or you may use the berry huller like this one, Chef’n StemGem Strawberry Huller for ease of hulling.

After hulling, sorting and rinsing, I sort by size.

I cut the larger strawberries in half or even quarters as they are easier to add to the blender for smoothies in a more manageable size.

Rinse Strawberries in Colander

The next step is to simply arrange them on a baking sheet or cookie sheet that can be placed in the freezer.

Place Strawberries on Baking Sheet to Freeze

Make sure to leave enough space in-between berries so they freeze individually.

Wait for a little while to allow the strawberries to completely freeze solid, then take the cookie sheet out of the freezer and tap on the counter to loosen the berries. You are now ready to pop them into quart size freezer bags for more long term freezing.

Make sure to label each bag with the date they were frozen and then begin to plan on what you can do with all your strawberries………since most Strawberries arrive at the store in June, make sure to watch for sales so you can freeze this wonderful berry for year round enjoyment.

Strawberry Smoothie ♥

• 1 cup Organic Milk or Almond Milk
• 6 Frozen Strawberries
• 2 tablespoons honey or 1 teaspoon Stevia Pyure Organic Blend Stevia Sweetener, 16 oz
• …….and possibly 1 banana if you so chose.

Whiz in the blender until smooth. Makes one serving. This is delicious, nutritious, refreshing and so easy……….Enjoy!!!

Sparkling Strawberry Spritzer ♥

• 2 cups sparkling water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 2 teaspoons of Stevia Pyure Organic Blend Stevia Sweetener, 16 oz or try this 4 lb Organic Cane Sugar!
• A sprig of mint leaves, this is optional

Pour sparkling water into your tall glass or quart jar, add strawberries and sweetener of choice. Mix slightly and Enjoy! Refreshing and Beautiful…..this makes you feel good about yourself as it is so pretty to look at and so healthy for you!! I love making things that are easy, healthy and a delight to look at. You will understand what I mean, especially if you are a visual person……Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder of this refreshing drink!!!

In addition, another way to use your frozen berries is to make strawberry syrup…….

Strawberry Syrup ♥

Simply take:

• 1 cup of frozen strawberries
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 Organic Cane Sugar or Honey

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and gently heat on low until berries have thawed and the sugar has melted. Spoon warm syrup over pancakes, ice cream, yogurt, waffles or French Toast. This is wonderful…..such a treat, especially during the wintry months!!! Enjoy!!!

Still another strawberry idea…….is to add these delightful berries to a fresh greens salad:

Must Try Kale Recipe & Freezing Tip!

1. Strawberry, Kale and Parmesan Salad ♥

2. Freezing Kale in Individual Servings

In conclusion:

Strawberries are simply one of the best……they are beautiful when added to fruit salads & fruit platters, versatile when used as a garnish for breakfast or lunch and a delight to the eye when simply set on the table by the bowlful.

In addition to being healthy and delicious, they are simply a beautiful berry.

Consequently, they are the Number One fruit in the USA!!!!

Therefore……Look for the Beauty of the Strawberry!!!

Third on the list are:

Blueberries ~freezing blueberries is like saving Summer all Year Long……

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Freezing Blueberries The Easy Way

So, let us see how easy this really is…………

Blueberry Waffle Breakfast

~Freezing Blueberries the Easy Way~

Freezing blueberries is a snap! First of all, simply leave the blueberries in their original container, un-rinsed and un-washed and pop into your freezer!!!! Make sure to leave the existing plastic cover on the box or package or simply leave them in their “clam-shell” plastic container.

The reasoning behind not washing or even rinsing your blueberries is that they will freeze ~ individually~ this is key! By freezing them “dry” -meaning not washed- the blueberries are easy to handle when you need them. Since they are being frozen individually, you can simply take a few at a time for a smoothie or a cupful for muffins.

The secret is to freeze them while they are still dry and then rinse them just before using.

Frozen Blueberries are a perfect addition to cold drinks…..use the frozen blueberries in place of ice cubes!

Learn how to Freeze Strawberries and Raspberries the Easy Way, too!

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Freezing Blueberries the Easy Way

Frozen blueberries are the bomb!!! So simple to freeze, so simple to use!!! Adding your frozen blueberries to smoothies is easy, just rinse and toss into the blender; they will add just enough “chill factor” so you will not need to add ice cubes.

These berries are so handy……When getting ready to use in your blueberry coffeecake or blueberry muffins, simply take out the needed amount and place them in a colander or strainer and quickly rinse them under cold water.

Since they are frozen, the blueberries will develop of slightly icy glaze which enables you to quickly fold them into your batter without them thawing. This way your batter does not turn a bluish gray….. ? and the blueberries keep their shape.

My favorite, go-to gardening cookbook by Barbara Damrosch & Eliot Coleman entitled, The Four Season Farm Gardener’s Cookbook. This book has wonderful information on growing and using blueberries as well as a multitude of gardening information.

How to Freeze Summer Berries!

Another super way to use your frozen blueberries is to take one cup of blueberries, rinse under water, and place in a small saucepan.

Next, add 1/4 cup plain water and 1/4 cup organic cane sugar. Simmer on low heat until bubbly. This is a simple homemade version of blueberry syrup made fresh to order.

It is wonderful spooned over French toast, oatmeal, waffles, pancakes or yogurt. You can add raspberries, strawberries or blackberries to the mix.

Just remember to adjust your other ingredients to the number of berries being used.

Final thought, since Freezing Blueberries could not be easier……..start now!!

And, best of all…..they make a super healthy, super easy snack!!! Since they are frozen and cold, they make it so easy to just pop in your mouth right out of the freezer for a refreshing treat!!!

Plus, not to mention all the wonderful antioxidants they deliver free of charge!!!

Strawberry and Blueberries

In conclusion, these little blueberries add a flavorful, healthy color to life. After reading How to Freeze Blueberries………..Smile and eat more blueberries!!!

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