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Can you freeze kiwi? We’ve asked ourselves that same question many, many times. We are not fortunate enough to live in a tropical paradise where kiwis grow in abundance so we have to rely on our local produce department to keep us stocked up. And we ALWAYS keep an eye out for a good sale.

But kiwi gets soft and mushy after a week. Right? So what do you do with it if you can’t eat it all that quickly?

Simple.

You freeze it.

So, can you freeze kiwi? You absolutely can! It’s super easy and you have a few options to do it. You can freeze kiwi whole, sliced (or diced), or as a puree.

Can you freeze kiwi?

Kiwi is one of the easiest foods to freeze. It doesn’t need to be blanched. It doesn’t even need to be peeled (you can eat the skin)!

Frozen kiwi is a wonderfully delicious, and healthy, snack. If you have any experience freezing other fruits and berries, like cantaloupe, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, then this will be a familiar process for you. If you haven’t, don’t sweat it, you’ll catch up just fine!

Frozen kiwis are perfect for making smoothies or treating yourself with a healthy, chip-like snack. The methods we use are freezing whole (with or without the skin), sliced (or diced), and pureed. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• kiwis
• cookie sheet (for freezing whole)
• blender or food processor (for puree)
• ice cube trays (for puree)
• measuring cup
• freezer bags
• sharpie or marker

Freezing whole kiwis

Freezing whole kiwis is the easiest of all three methods.

Step One

Put your whole kiwis in a freezer bag and stick them in the freezer.

The end.

For real. It’s that easy.

You can peel them first, if you like. If you do not peel them, you will want to wash it first and make sure all of the hairs are removed. But freezing whole kiwi is really easy.

Although it is easy, this is our least favorite way to preserve kiwi. Whole kiwi takes a while to thaw and, once thawed, is extremely soggy and mushy due to all of the moisture in the fruit. The flavor is still okay but the texture experience is not nearly as good as sliced, diced, or pureed.

Freezing kiwi slices

Kiwi slices are our personal favorites. They are quick and easy to thaw. Plus, frozen kiwi chips are really, really good. Additionally, if you want to have a kiwi smoothie, you can toss them in the blender with your other ingredients and they blend pretty easily even when still frozen.

Step One

If you want to leave the skin on, make sure to wash all the little hair fibers off. If not, start by peeling your kiwis.

Step Two

Decide if you want kiwi dice, full round kiwi circles, or half moon shaped slices. Take a sharp knife and, if you want half moon slices or dice, cut the kiwi in half first. If you want full circles, just start on one end and carefully cut thin slices.

Half moon shapes are cut the same as full circle slices, you just cut it in half first. Kiwi dice can be cut by following the half moon shape method and then, while holding the slices together, turn the kiwi and make another line of slices perpendicular to the first slices.

Step Three

Whichever method you choose, the next step is the same. Line all of your kiwi pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in your freezer and wait a few hours. We like to do it overnight but if it’s earlier in the day they should be good and solid in about 5 or 6 hours.

We freeze them on a cookie sheet first so that they do not stick together in the bag.

Step Four

After the kiwi has had time to freeze, take the cookie sheet out of the freezer. Next, you will want to put all of the frozen kiwi pieces in a freezer safe bag. We always make sure to write the contents, quantity, and freeze date on the outside of the bag.

Puree your raspberries

If you don’t want to use your kiwi for chips then puree is the way to go. Pureed kiwi is also a great base for baby food.

Step One

Again, wash the hairs from the skin or peel the kiwis first. The hairs come of pretty easily under a steady stream of cold water and a little bit of wiping. You can use your hands to wipe it clean.

Step Two

You can toss whole kiwis in your blender or food processor, if you like. We find we have better results if we cut our kiwis in half or in quarters first. Whichever you do, place them all in your blender and use the puree, or similar, function.

If you are having trouble getting a good, smooth mix, you can start to add a little water in to help the blades mash it up a little better.

Step Three

After your kiwis are pureed, pour them into the reservoirs of an ice cube tray. Just like with the slices, we will do a pre-freeze before the final freeze.

Stick the ice cube trays in the fridge overnight or for a few hours. They may take a little longer since they are now in a thicker liquid form and not a thin slice.

Step Four

Once frozen, remove the ice cube trays from the freezer and pop all of the kiwi cubes out. Put them all in a freezer safe bag, write the contents, quantity, and date on it and place it back in the freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few common questions about freezing raspberries.

How long can you keep kiwis in the freezer?

Kiwis can stay fresh in the freezer for up to a year. We always follow FDA guidelines and recommendations for food and freezing safety.

How do you defrost frozen kiwi?

There are 2½ methods of defrosting that we recommend. We say 2½ because one method isn’t exactly thawing them.

The first method for thawing frozen kiwi is to just stick the frozen kiwis in the fridge overnight. It’s slow but after a few hours your kiwis will no longer be frozen. They will, however, be pretty soggy.

The second way to unfreeze them is to place them in a bowl of cold water and set it on the counter. Check on them in about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick the slices are. If they are still frozen when you check, replace the water with fresh cold water and check again in another 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat this process until your kiwis is thawed. This method will also result in soggy and mushy kiwi.

The last, or second and a half, method is to not thaw them at all. Eat them as frozen chips or put the pieces in a smoothie. They will thaw in the liquid of the smoothie and will not have an unappetizing mushy texture.

Why are my thawed kiwis so mushy?

Remember, kiwis have a high moisture content so when thawed they change in texture quite a bit. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to remove enough moisture to avoid mushy kiwis once frozen. That is why we highly recommend the sliced or pureed methods.

For more gardening tips

There are few things more satisfying than enjoying a delicious melon, particularly cantaloupe, at a relaxing backyard barbecue. What if you could recreate that any time of year (at least the melon, not the cooperative weather)? Can you freeze cantaloupe and save it for later?

So, can you freeze cantaloupe? In short, yes, you can. In fact, you can freeze it in a couple different ways, whole or as a puree, so you can use it in a wide variety of different ways, like a healthy snack, smoothies, etc.

Can you freeze cantaloupe?

Freezing cantaloupe is pretty simple when you get right down to it. Like many of our fruit and berry preservation techniques (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries) you don’t have to bother with blanching first.

Frozen cantaloupe can last up to a year in your freezer without losing too much of it’s taste, texture, and quality. You can toss some of the frozen melon balls in your water to make a delicious, healthy drink, just eat them on their own, or use the puree as a base to a smoothie or sorbet.

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• cantaloupe
• knife or melon peeler
• cookie sheet (for freezing whole)
• blender or food processor (for puree)
• ice cube trays (for puree)
• freezer bags
• sharpie or marker

Freezing slices or cubes

The simplest way to freeze cantaloupe is to just cut it, bag it, and freeze it.

Step One

Using a knife or your melon peeler you will want to cut your cantaloupe in half. Once you do that you can pull all of the seeds from the core and scrape it clean. Don’t throw away your seeds either. They make a fantastic roasted snack.

Step Two

Decide if you want slices or balls. If you want slices you can use your melon peeler and simply cut out the slices. If you want bite sized balls just use your melon baller and scoop them out of the center.

Step Three

Now lay your slices or melon balls on your cookie sheet in a single layer. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. This will give them time to freeze completely and not stick together which can be a real hassle when you want to use them later.

Step Four

Once the cantaloupe has completely frozen, take the pieces from the cookie sheet and place them in freezer safe ziplock bags. Make sure you write the contents, quantity, and date on the outside of the bag before putting it back into the freezer.

Cantaloupe puree

This is our favorite method because it is so versatile. As we mentioned earlier, you can use these in smoothies, sorbets, or just eat it as a cold snack.

Step One

As with freezing whole, you will want to use a knife and cut the cantaloupe in half. Scoop out all of the seeds from the center and put them to the side for roasting later. Next, take you knife, melon peeler, or melon baller to cut your cantaloupe into manageable pieces.

Step Two

Take each of your pieces and place them in a blender or food processor. Turn the blender or processor on and blend until the cantaloupe is completely pureed.

Step Three

Pull out your ice cube trays and pour the blended cantaloupe into each of the reservoirs. Put the ice tray in your freezer overnight or until the are frozen solid.

Step Four

After the ice cube trays have completely frozen, take them out of the freezer and just pop all of the cantaloupe cubes out. Put them in a freezer bag and label it with contents, quantity, and date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few common questions about freezing raspberries.

How long can you keep cantaloupe in the freezer?

Cantaloupe will stay good in the freezer for about 10 to 12 months. It may still be edible after this but eventually it will begin to suffer from freezer burn and the taste, texture, and quality will decline. If you are unsure about it, you can always follow FDA.org guidelines to be safe.

How do you defrost frozen cantaloupe?

Cantaloupe is soft enough that even when frozen, it is still pretty easy to chew. So you don’t really need to defrost it. However, if you would like to anyway just run it under cold water or leave it in your refrigerator overnight.

The puree doesn’t really need to be thawed as it is intended to be a base for a smoothie or sorbet.

For more gardening tips

When we plant our garden we almost always plant too much. We end up with way more berries than we can eat in a single season. Fortunately, we learned how to freeze raspberries so they can last us all the way until the next berry season!

You actually have a couple methods for freezing raspberries; whole or pureed. Both food preservation techniques are pretty simple. Essentially, all the steps boil down to clean, freeze (or puree first), eat. We will, of course get into more details as we go further.

Steps for how to freeze raspberries

We love the versatility of berries. Regardless of if they are blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, they have a million and one uses. You can put them in oatmeal, on top of pancakes, blend them in a smoothie, or eat them plain, just to name a few.

What’s even better, is you can preserve them using the same techniques! That’s right, if you have too many blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc, you can freeze them and have garden fresh berries all year around.

Frozen raspberries, in particular, are perfect for giving whatever you are eating a perfectly blended sweet and sour kick. The add a little more flavor to waffles and can give your breakfast smoothie the extra jump you need to get your day started.

We will cover two methods of freezing today; freezing whole berries and freezing raspberry puree (but not the kind you find in a second hand store).

Supplies

You are going to need the following supplies:

• raspberries (of course)
• colander
• cookie sheet (for freezing whole)
• blender or food processor (for puree)
• ice cube trays (for puree)
• measuring cup
• freezer bags
• sharpie or marker

Freezing whole berries

Let’s start out with the easiest method; freezing whole berries.

Step One

Once you have harvested your raspberries you will want to gather them into a colander large enough to hold them all. Put the colander in your sink and run cold water over them. Use your hands to move the berries around and get off any unwanted dirt, bugs, or anything else you do not want to preserve with your food.

Step Two

Now you want to dry your raspberries completely. You can do this by laying them out on some paper towels. You can also place them in a second colander, slightly raised to allow air flow to dry them. Whichever method you use, you will want to make sure they are as dry as possible.

Step Three

Take out your cookie sheet and arrange a single layer of raspberries. You can pack as many as you like into the cookie sheet just make sure that it’s a single layer and they are not stacked or piled up.

Now place the cookie sheet in the freezer and leave for a few hour (we like to do this at night so they can sit overnight).

Step Four

Once a few hours has passed (or you’ve woken up) your berries should all be frozen. Now all you need to do is portion them out however you like and add them into freezer bags. Make sure to label the bags with a Sharpie noting the contents, quantity, and date of freezing.

Puree your raspberries

Freezing pureed raspberries is really good if you like to make smoothies, sorbets, and those sorts of snacks.

Step One

This is the same as freezing whole raspberries. You will want to pick them and clean them in a colander under cold running water. Make sure to massage the berries enough to allow good water coverage and remove any undesirable debris.

Step Two

Here is where we start to diverge. Instead of drying your berries, toss them all in a blender or food processor. Set it to the puree (sometimes they will have a smoothie setting) and let it do it’s thing until they are all blended together.

Step Three

Pour your blended raspberries into your ice cube trays. Place the trays into the freezer and allow to sit for a few hours or overnight.

Step Four

Once they have all frozen simply pop the raspberry cubes out of the tray and put them in a freezer bag. When you are are ready to use them you can toss them straight into the blender for your smoothie. It’s super easy and delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few common questions about freezing raspberries.

How long can you keep raspberries in the freezer?

You can leave frozen raspberries, both whole and pureed, in the freezer for up to a year. They may still be safe to eat after that but they will definitely start to degrade in taste, texture, and quality. Remember to always follow FDA guidelines on food preservation safety.

How do you defrost frozen raspberries?

When you’re ready to use your raspberries you have a couple options. You can leave them in the fridge overnight to allow them to slowly thaw. This is time consuming and can also make them soggy. You can also just munch on them frozen. This is the quickest method but can be tough on your teeth and not an enjoyable experience.

The best method is to put your berries in a bowl and fill it with cold water. Then sit the bowl on your counter and wait a few minutes. Test the berries and see if they are still frozen or if they have thawed. Replace the water and test as needed until they are completely unfrozen but still firm. Too much water or soaking for too long can make the berries water logged and soggy.

For more gardening tips

If you are one of the many types of people that over estimate what they need when planting their garden (or be prepared, as we like to say) you may find yourself with an overabundance of radishes as well as other crops. How do you make sure they do not go bad? Can you freeze radishes?

So, can you freeze radishes? Yes, you can! In fact, freezing radishes for long term storage is one of the best food preservation techniques you can use. Essentially, to freeze radishes is a 4 step process; clean, cut, blanch, & freeze. Frozen radishes may lose some taste and texture, as well as a small bit of nutrients but they will stay good for up to 6 months which is long enough to get to your next gardening season.

Radishes are a great vegetable that is easy to grow and are packed full of valuable nutrients. They go well with many dishes as they are considered a “super food“.

With out further ado, let’s get into the process.

How To Freeze Radishes

Freezing is one of the best methods to preserve most of your garden crops. Learning to freeze radishes is not too much different than freezing zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, and green beans. If you are familiar with how to blanch then you will have no problem preserving your radishes, as well.

Supplies

Let’s get started with our supply list. To freeze radishes you are going to need:

• radishes
• vegetable cleaning brush
• 2 colanders (one for cleaning and one for blanching)
• knife or mandolin slicer
• large stock pot
• large mixing bowl
• measuring cup
• freezer bags
• sharpie or marker

Start by washing them

The first step in preserving radishes, and any vegetable really, is to make sure it is good and clean. Since radishes are considered root vegetables they are going to be pretty dirty. Fortunately, cleaning them isn’t too hard.

Simply, run your radishes under cold water and gently scrub the dirt off of the radish. You can do this by hand or by using a vegetable cleaning brush. These are designed to remove excess dirt without damaging the skin or edible parts of the vegetable.

We also recommend using a colander while cleaning to make sure your sink does not end up clogged with dirt and mud.

Cut into slices

Take a sharp knife or your mandolin slicer and prepare to cut your radishes. You will want to slice them into thin slices or ‘medallions’. You want them to be thin but not transparently thin. About 1/8″ – 1/4″ should work well.

Do make sure to remove the ends and discard them. Like with cucumbers, squash, and other veggies, the ends contain an enzyme that will allow the radish to continue to age even when frozen. If you cut them off that enzyme is no longer an issue once you blanch.

Blanch your radishes

Now it’s time to blanch your radishes. Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Add all of your radish medallions to a colander small enough to fit into the pot.

Once your pot of water is at a rolling boil, gently lower the colander of radishes into the water. Set a timer for 2 – 3 minutes. While the radishes are boiling, prepare a large mixing bowl with cold water and ice.

Once the timer goes off, carefully remove the colander of radishes from the boiling water and put them into the ice water bath. This is to instantly cool the radishes and stop the cooking process. We cook for a short period of time to destroy the enzymes we mentioned earlier which will allow the radish to continue to age. This will stop that from happening.

Once cooled, take the radishes out of the ice bath and dry them off. They do not have to be completely dry, just free of excess water. Patting them dry with a paper towel should do just fine.

Time to freeze them

Depending on how many radishes you are freezing you will want to get the appropriate amount of freezer bags. Use a sharpie or a marker to label the freezer bag with the contents, quantity, and date.

A single serving of radish medallions is around 1 measured cup. Add a scoop or 2 to the freezer bag, label it appropriately, and stick in your freezer. It should only take a few hours for them to freeze completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the more common questions we came across while researching this topic.

Q1. How do you defrost frozen radishes?

Freezing radishes does no good if you don’t know how to defrost them to use later. It’s easy to thaw them though. Simply run them under cold water until you no longer see any ice crystals and they are flexible again.

Q2. How long will frozen radishes keep in the freezer?

Radishes will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 6 months. After that, they may still be edible but will begin to go through some flavor and textural changes. Additionally, they will start to lose some of their nutrients.

Q3. Will freezing ruin radishes?

Freezing will not ruin radishes. Freezing radishes is a great way to preserve their nutrients and flavor for an extended period of time. However, as we mentioned above, it is possible for them to change flavor, texture, and lose nutrients if frozen for too long.

Q4. Can you freeze without blanching?

It is not recommended to freeze radishes without blanching. Blanching removes the enzyme that causes the radish to age even after freezing. If frozen without blanching, your radishes will continue to age and rot, even in the freezer!

Q5. Can you freeze radish greens?

Let no part of your harvest go to waste! You can even freeze radish greens. Believe it or not, it’s even easier than freezing radishes. All you need to do is blanch them for 10 seconds, dry them, bag them, and freeze them. Easy peasy!

Q6. What other ways can you preserve radishes?

If freezing isn’t your thing, there are a few other ways to preserve radishes. You can pickle them, ferment them, and even dehydrate them. Each of these options requires there own process and each have their own freezer life.

Conclusion

Freezing radishes really is a simple food preservation technique. Now you know how to keep your radishes fresh and you can stay fully stocked in between gardening seasons.

Happy freezing!

Freezing butternut squash is the best way to preserve the flavor and important nutrients that this most loved summer squash contains. Follow these three different ways to freeze butternut squash. If you have wheel barrows full from your summer garden or you’ve just found a great deal at the grocery store you couldn’t pass up, this post is just what you need. 

You can freeze butternut squash to preserve its freshness. There are three popular methods to do this; flash freezing, puree, and the cook & blanch method. Each method is easy to do and will ensure that your butternut squash will last until you can grow some more.

Growing butternut squash, like yellow squash and zucchini, is by far one of the easiest crops to grow in my garden. I often grow a lot of summer squash great for fresh eating and freeze the rest for fall and winter. Some winter squash varieties are great for storing in your cold storage as well.

Butternut squash will keep for a month or more when stored in a dark cool place. 

If the squash is peeled, it should be covered and stored in the fridge for up to five days. The best way to preserve your squash for longer storage is by pickling it or freezing. In this post you’ll learn the three common ways to freeze butternut squash to preserve your fresh summer harvest.

Butternut squash is a great option for fresh eating or preserving for the fall and winter months by freezing. From roasting the squash and adding to a salad, as a side dish to a roast meal or better yet my favorite butternut squash soup with a dollop of sour cream the options for making meals with butternut squash are endless. 

HOW TO FREEZE BUTTERNUT SQUASH THREE DIFFERENT WAYS 

There are three popular ways to freeze butternut squash for eating within 6 months to a year. The quickest and easiest method is flash freezing, the second is by blanching and finally making butternut squash puree. 

Depending on what your meal and baking plans are for the fall and winter months will depend on the methods you consider. Flash freezing and blanching are great options for roasted squash, chilli,  stews and casseroles where as squash puree is lovely for pureed soups.

HOW TO FLASH FREEZE BUTTERNUT SQUASH 

Flash freezing is a perfect method for freezing fresh fruits and vegetables in individual bite size pieces to make measuring and cooking much easier later on. 

The flash freezing method is popular for freezing berries for baking or chopped vegetables for soups and stews. To flash freeze butternut squash you’ll need a few tools:

• potato peeler or knife
• cookie sheet or baking pan
• parchment paper
• freezer bags

The steps to flash freeze are also pretty simple:

• Peel the squash using a potato peeler 
• Cut the squash into 2 inch size cubes
• Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
• Place cookie sheet flat in the freezer for a day or two or until pieces are fully frozen. 
• Fill freezer bags with frozen pieces of squash

The best way to enjoy your frozen butternut squash chunks is by roasting them with roasted vegetables come the winter. It’s a quick and easy side dish for any roast meal and with a little butter and herbs they taste delicious. 

When using this method, be sure to cook and eat within 4 months due to the fact that it is not pre-cooked it will continue to age in the freezer and will go bad eventually. Freezing just slows the process down.

If you want to store it longer, follow the baking instructions in the puree section or skip to the blanching method below.

HOW TO FREEZE BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE 

This is a popular method of freezing squash for pies, soups, and baby food. 

The first thing to do when making butternut squash puree is to wash the outside of the squash well. Then, simply slice the squash in half length wise and scoop out any seeds for later roasting or seed saving for next years garden. 

Once squash are prepared, line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake the butternut squash halves flesh down for approximately 45 minutes or until quite tender. 

After the squash has baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. The skins will peel away from the squash easily then transfer to a large stock pot. 

Puree the butternut squash using an immersion blender or food processor to puree the squash. 

The immersion blender makes manual mashing or using a food processor a thing of the past. In just a matter of minutes the job is complete and super easy and quick to clean up. 

It’s quite easy to freeze butternut squash puree. Simply fill medium sized freezer bags with 2 cups of pureed squash to easily use for recipes later on. Label the bag with the amount and the date. 

Use your squash within 6 months to a year.

Lay bags flat between cookie sheets until frozen then stand in freezer drawers for ultimate storage. 

Pureed butternut squash can be used for baking, adding to soups, chilli, casserole or even pasta sauces. 

HOW TO BLANCH BUTTERNUT SQUASH FOR FREEZING

Blanching is a popular method of preserving flavor and vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables before freezing.

It’s also a guick and easy method to stop the ripening process of the squash and to easily remove skins. 

Most cooks suggest blanching for three to five minutes then cooling in ice water followed immediately with freezing. The reason we blanch is it kills enzymes that continue the aging process thus retaining vital nutrients and a palatable texture.

Isn’t it exciting that you know how to easily and quickly freeze butternut squash? I mean nothing feels better than making the most of what you have and getting a good deal. You’re future self will thank you when you’re tired and needing to whip up a healthy meal for your family. 

What do you plan to use your frozen butternut squash for? Comment below and inspire more great content from MrAnimal Farm. 

An added plus is you’ll be prepared and you don’t have to worry about wasting a good crop or a great deal at the store. 

Thanks to Diana Bouchard for this tutorial contribution.

Diana Bouchard at Wandering Hoof Ranch helps others plan to lead a homegrown healthier lifestyle without the overwhelm and burn out. People often ask her how do you grow and raise your own food and stay sane? Day by day, one thing at a time with the help of the Happy Homestead Planning System. Start today with the free Garden Calendar.