How to Freeze Strawberries and Other Berries

Let your berries freeze properly by putting them on a cookie sheet first.

There's nothing better than having berries on hand ready to add to smoothies, pies, cereal or yogurt. By keeping a supply of frozen berries in the freezer, you'll never be without, even when they're out of season. If done right, freezing berries is easy, fun and economical.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Fresh berries
• Water
• Colander
• Dish towel
• Cookie sheet
• Zipper-locking plastic bags

1. Trim off any green leaves or stems from your berries.

2. Rinse berries in cold water to remove all dirt. Be careful not to bruise the fruit.

3. Cut the strawberries into the desired size depending on how you plan to use them.

4. Drain the berries in a colander and lay them on a dish towel to air-dry. Remove and toss any berries that are mushy.

5. Place the berries spread out on the cookie sheet, not allowing them to touch.

6. Place the cookie sheet with berries in the freezer on a flat shelf.

7. After at least one hour, remove the berries from the freezer and transfer them to a zipper-locked plastic bag. You may want to freeze the berries overnight to be sure they are absolutely frozen.

8. Label the plastic bag with the date. The berries will keep in the freezer for as much as six months, maybe up to 10 months.

Tips & Warnings

• This works well with small fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

• Be careful not to bruise the fruit while washing.

• Be certain that the berries are frozen before transferring to the plastic bag. If they are not frozen, you will end up with a big clump of fruit.

References

• PickYourOwn.org: How to Freeze Strawberries