How to freeze Quebec
fruits and vegetables?

Freezing your Quebec fruits and vegetables will allow you to enjoy them all year long and will reduce food waste! Here is a quick guide to help teach you how to freeze delicious seasonal produce.

Fruits that will not brown

Many kinds of fruit will not brown after being frozen. This is the case for, among others, most of the fruits grown in Quebec such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, melons, and cranberries. These fruits are easy to freeze because you can store them in the freezer immediately after purchasing them.

Select the fruit you want to freeze, then wash and slice them if needed. Dry them with a clean cloth. Spread them out on a baking sheet then put the baking sheet in the freezer. When frozen (it should take about 1 hour), transfer the fruit to freezer bags. Don’t forget to write the date on the bag. That way, you can enjoy the fruits that have been frozen longer first.

Fruits that will brown

Some fruits will brown when frozen, such as apples. Lemon juice is the key to preventing this from happening. In addition to being very acidic, lemon juice contains a lot of vitamin C. To freeze these fruits, the process is the same as for fruits that do not brown. However, before putting them on a baking sheet, simply coat them with lemon juice. Use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for every 2 cups of fruit.

Vegetables

Freezing vegetables can be a bit more complicated than freezing fruits because you need to blanch them first. Start by washing the local vegetables you want to freeze (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc.) then slice them if you want. You then need to blanch them. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the vegetables. Leave them in the boiling water for a few minutes before quickly transferring them to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. This technique allows vegetables to keep their nutrients and colour. Dry the vegetables with a dry, clean cloth. Then put them in freezer bags and you’re all set.

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