How to Freeze Veggies To Preserve Their Nutrients?

The invention of freezers made our lives simpler in terms of food extended storage, however, it caused another issue: how to stock fresh and raw foodstuff so that it preserved all the vitamins and nutrients?

This is especially actual when we need to freeze some veggies since they often require more skills due to the variety of their kinds. And if this inquiry is something you would like to receive an answer to, we will gladly share the basic freezing hints that Elisa Chan shared with us.

What to Consider Before Preserving Vegetables In Freezer

Freezing foodstuff is helpful not only in terms of extending the products’ durability. When stocking products in frosting cameras, we save more time for other household tasks since we don’t need to go shopping so often. And of course, exposure to frost preserves the foodstuff’s beneficial qualities.
However, different kinds of foods require completely distinctive freezing conditions.

They even need to be prepared for freezing differently! For instance, a great variety of veggies exist, and not every veg can be frozen the same way. This must be considered long before frosting them since for certain kinds of vegetable exposure to frost can have quite the opposite result: freezing will rather ruin them than extend the lifespan.
So if you want to preserve some fresh vegs yourself instead of purchasing them from the nearest store, consider the following handy facts:

Almost anything can be exposed to frost
Yes, veggies often have that disadvantage of getting too soft and sometimes even mushy after we defrost them which makes it impossible to add them to salads or eat raw. Nevertheless, we can easily find plenty of other ways how to make use of them! Un-frosted vegs fit perfectly such dishes like casseroles, soups, and even pasta. Some of them will defrost better, others a bit worse, but they will still remain edible, that is important.

As for freezing, note that broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and corn, carrots, squash, and also kale, chard, and collars can stand frost best of all.
Celery can also be preserved this way but freezing it will be somewhat different But veggies with a high level of moisture (for instance, cucumbers or lettuce) and mushrooms are better not to be frosted. Exposure to such cold will turn them mushy after unfreezing.

Related:
https://beezzly.com/how-to-store/how-long-do-grapes-last-in-the-fridge

Try not to skip blanching

Many of us try to skip this procedure because it takes time, effort, and so on. Nevertheless, we would recommend everyone to not do that since blanching actually is rather beneficial for vegs. After this procedure, veggies become more frost-resistant, and when they are defrosted, the texture and taste are way better than if we would preserve them raw.

Any blanching should be started with peeling, trimming off the stems and roots, and deleting any damaged parts of the veg. Peas or beans must be shelled, veggies that you usually reseed or peel must undergo this procedure prior to blanching as well. Large vegs are better to be cut in smaller bits for better thermal processing.

In general, two or three minutes is enough to get the vegs or even greens blanched, but sometimes it may take more time so be prepared.

Related: https://ventsmagazine.com/2020/08/17/cabbage-wellbeing-benefits/

For performing the procedure correctly, carefully follow the further steps:

● Boil up a large tank with water.

● Submerged the prepared (it means peeled, deseeded, and cut) veggies in it for the recommended period of time. Remember that they still must be rather firm after blanching, and herbs or greens must only wilt a bit.

● Scoop them out and instantly transfer to the ice bath. This will make the cooking process stop at once preventing the vegs from spoilage.

● After the veggies are cooled, dry them thoroughly by shaking. If you think it is needed, pat them with paper napkins: no liquid must remain on their surface to avoid freezer burn.

● Certain sorts of veggies, for instance, bell peppers, onions, and celery do not need blanching, consider that!

1. Pre-frost them on a tray

This is not necessary for the leafy greens that can be placed into the frosting camera at once, but other kinds of veggies are better to undergo this stage. Simply spread the veg bits on a tray so that each bit doesn’t touch its neighbor, and slide that tray to the frosting camera.

When they are hard, remove them safely to the frost-resistant tanks and preserve. What is the point of doing that? Such a method allows receiving individually frosted bits of veggies instead of a solid icy mass that will be impossible to defrost and use later.

2. Make use of proper tanks

Frost-resistant and clean tanks are a must for preserving veggies. Our top-recommended items are glass tanks, resealable packets, or plastic deli tanks - all airtight, of course.

In certain situations, wide-mouth glass jars are also acceptable, but be sure to leave an inch of empty space since liquid content (e.g. sauces) tends to expand which may lead to the tank shatter.

3. Herbs need another approach

Tender herbs will need more attention compared to hearty veggies, so we would recommend using ice trays for them.

The procedure of freezing will be simple: mince the herbs finely and fill the sections of an ice tray about ¾ of the way. Top the herbs with olive oil or water to save their aroma and taste, and frost until they are solid. Then these herbal cubes can be kept in any frost-friendly tank and used right from the frosting camera without defrosting.

4. Remember to label

Most of us forget about this step but sticking tags with the date of freezing onto the tanks with goodies can be a great reminder. However, writing the date down is also fine.

At least, this will help to monitor the freezer content and know, how soon this or that batch must be used.

When correctly prepared, packed, and stocked, frozen veggies can last safely for eight to even ten months - more than enough to enjoy them in all possible ways.

Elisa Chan
City: Chicago
Master of Science in Nutrition Education American University of Washington
Contacts: https://beezzly.com/author/elisa

All about home decoration and house inspiration tips.

This release was published on openPR.