Freezing

Freezing is the most convenient and flexible way to preserve foods and prevent food waste. If you have that special recipe and cannot find a safe way to can it, chances are it can be successfully frozen.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation has a wealth of information of freezing. Information of particular interest to home cooks includes:

Freezing food is a very safe way to preserve, however improper thawing can be very dangerous. This is how to properly defrost most foods you'll have in the freezer.

Some vegetables need to be blanched to maintain optimal quality. Blanching is a quick immersion in boiling water or steam that stops enzyme activity. Information on the process and recommended times to blanch can be found here.

Extensive information about freezing vegetables is available in this PowerPoint slide show by Dr. Elizabeth Andress at the University of Georgia. Link. (This requires PowerPoint to view. Online office suites such as Google Drive can open these files if you do not have Microsoft Office.)

Freezing fresh fruit safely

Video provided by Michigan State University Extension