How to properly freeze vegetables and spices for the winter

Freezing is considered the most suitable way to extend the use of fresh seasonal fruit, as at low temperatures the natural process of food spoilage is effectively slowed down.

Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, so they are sensitive to freezing, but if you follow certain rules, you can preserve more nutrients in food than with any other method of preservation.

How to properly freeze vegetables

• Freezing is recommended, i.e. storage at -18 °C, as at this temperature the action and reproduction of microorganisms is disabled, and the food preserves its nutritional values, color and taste.
• At -18 °C in the freezer, you can store vegetables for an average of 8-12 months, and fruit for 6-10 months.
• Choose the highest quality and freshest fruits and vegetables that come directly from the garden or orchard. Before freezing, wash it well, clean it and remove any damage.

• Cool food before putting it in the freezer, and use it as soon as possible after defrosting.
• Pack in plastic bags and containers with lids.
• There should be as little air as possible in the packaging - squeeze it out of the bags, as this prevents loss of taste and drying out of the food.
• Mark the type of product and the date of freezing on the packaging to make it easier to find your way around and ensure the durability of the food.
• Frozen fruits and vegetables do not need to be thawed, but can be prepared immediately, so it is best to pack them in small, single-serving quantities that are sufficient for one meal.
• Almost all types of vegetables that can be frozen are best blanched beforehand, to maintain quality as much as possible. If you cook vegetables briefly in boiling water or steam, the amount of microorganisms and the activity of enzymes that cause changes in texture, color and taste are significantly reduced. Blanching is recommended for root vegetables (e.g. carrots, beetroot), peas, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, kale, courgettes, pumpkins, peppers, corn, eggplants...

• Blanch hard vegetables (e.g. carrots, celery, parsley) for about 4 minutes, and softer ones (e.g. legumes, pumpkins, zucchini) from 1 to 3 minutes.
  After blanching, cool the vegetables quickly, preferably under running water, or put them in a pot of cold water. Then drain it, dry it and then pack it.
• When thawing vegetables, remember that they are already blanched, so there is no need to cook them for a long time.
• Vegetables with a very high water content are not suitable for freezing: lettuce, radicchio, radish, cucumbers, tomatoes. A better solution is to boil the tomato juice and freeze it in bottles to prepare stews and sauces.
• Freezing potatoes and mushrooms is not recommended.
• Fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, celery, basil) can be frozen. We clean them, wash them, drain them, chop them and put them in freezer bags.