Freezing Blueberries

Just because Florida blueberries are grown between late March and April, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them beyond the season.  Blueberries are an excellent candidate for freezing.  When freezing blueberries, follow these simple tips:

  • Use fresh blueberries that are completely dry when you pop them in the freezer. Don’t worry about rinsing the berries.frozen-bbs-stock-300x171-150x150-7409034
  • Before you freeze them; simply place them, still in their original containers, in resealable plastic bags and store them on your freezer shelf.
  • If you prefer to rinse the blueberries first, dry them well with paper towels, transfer to freezer containers or resealable plastic bags and freeze. The blueberries will freeze individually and you can remove just the portion you need.
  • After thawing, they are only slightly less bright and juicy as in their original harvest state. Do not wash them before freezing as the water can cause the skins to become tough. Rinse after thawing and before eating.
  • Enjoy your home-frozen blueberries into dishes like oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, shakes or sauces.
  • For best results, use your frozen blueberries within six months of freezing.

To learn more about freezing, canning and drying blueberries, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.

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