Freezing Vegetables

An excellent way to preserve fresh vegetables at home.

Freezing does not sterilize food: the extreme cold simply retards growth of microorganisms and slows down changes that affect quality or cause spoilage in food.

The quality of frozen vegetables depends on the quality of the fresh products and how they are handled from the time they are picked until they are ready to eat. It is important to start with high-quality vegetables because freezing will not improve the product's quality.

Container considerations…

Before preparing vegetables for freezing, assemble the containers you will use. The container depends on the vegetable being frozen, personal preference and the types that are readily available. Containers should be moisture-vapor resistant, durable, easy to seal and should not become brittle at low temperatures. Containers suitable for freezing vegetables include plastic freezer containers, flexible freezer bags and their protective cardboard cartons, or glass canning jars. Foods packed in wide-mouth jars are easier to remove than those packed in narrow-mouth jars. Some household containers are not recommended for freezing. The cardboard cartons that milk, ice cream or cottage cheese come in are not moisture-vapor resistant enough. Regular (not canning) jars break too easily at freezer temperatures.

Blanching needed for success…

Blanching is a must for almost all vegetables to be frozen. Blanching slows or stops the action of enzymes that can cause loss of flavor, color and texture. Blanching cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens the color and helps retard loss of vitamins. Blanching also wilts or softens vegetables and makes them easier to pack. Blanching time is crucial and varies with the vegetable and its size. See your county extension agent for a list of blanching times. Under-blanching stimulates the activity of enzymes and is worse than no blanching. Over-blanching causes loss of flavor, color, vitamins and minerals.

Quick cooling…

After blanching, vegetables should be cooled in cold water for the same length of time as the blanching time. Then they should be drained completely before packing them in moisture-vapor resistant materials.

Don't forget to leave the appropriate amount of head space in the container.

For more information freezing vegetables contact your local county Extension office.