Puttin’ by
How many of my working sisters can or freeze produce in the summer?
If you’re anything like me, you probably think that it’s too much work. You don’t have enough time. Or you don’t know how…
No Big Deal
I’m here to tell you that freezing or canning produce is truly no big deal, even for us working folk.
Stay with the seasons
Part of the reason it is no big deal is because it comes in spurts as different fruits and veggies hit their peak production. (i.e., you can get them cheap.)
You know what kinds of fruits and veggies you will eat over the winter.
As you see those items go on sale, buy them in bulk.
Example
This week, Kroger has some great sales on Cherries and Strawberries.
Cherries are on sale for 1.99 and Organic Strawberries are 2/$4.00.
I like to freeze fruit for winter use in Smoothies!
So Monday, I hit Kroger and stocked up.
I bought 10 quarts of Strawberries and 5 bags of Cherries.
The quarts of strawberries were washed and placed straight into the freezer. That is the 8 that were left after my kids got ahold of them. (I put them back into the original plastic container they came in because they actually stack well in the freezer and then I can remove just a little at a time as I use them. )
The cherries were a little more work because they needed to have the pits removed.
My favorite helper, working the cherry pitter.
No mom, I’m not snitching cherries!
How to freeze
The freezing method is so simple, it’s crazy more people don’t do this…
Basically all you have to do is lay the fruit out onto cookie sheets (we put the cherries on the sheets after we took the pits out).
Put the cookie sheets into the freezer overnight.
The next morning, scoop your fruit or veggies into either freezer bags or freezer containers.
The reason we put them on the cookie sheets first is so that they don’t all freeze together into one big lump (since they are wet from being washed). Freezing them this way allows you to only pull out the number of Cherries you want each time.
Simple!
So far this summer, we have put up Cherries, Strawberries, Blackberries, and Blueberries.
I taste lots of Smoothies in our future!
Coming up next week, I have a big announcement to make, as well as more canning/freezing posts. So, get ready!
June 30, 2010
Posted in: Canning/Freezing, Gardening, Good Deals
3 Responses
Have you ever done anything with tomatoes. My husband planted some in our garden and we have way too many and I am trying to think of ideas to use them and not waste.
Yes maam. I put up Tomatoe’s every year. We use them in chili all winter long. I plan to post my method later in the summer when the tomatoes come in.
9 To 5 Frugal » Puttin’ By- Corn Edition - July 15, 2010
[...] As promised , here is Part 2 in Puttin by! [...]
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