I love summer produce! There is an abundance of fruit and veg during the summer that can be easily frozen. Whether you grow your own or buy from the store (or steal from your mom’s garden), summer produce is less expensive than in the winter or its “off” season. So do yourself a favor and freeze some of it while you can!
What to Freeze?
You can freeze some produce as is but making meals or sauces ahead of time saves so much time later on. Meal prep baby! Plus, it’s great to just get a jar out of the freezer the night before and have a breakfast smoothie defrosted and ready. Or a soup that can be heated up for lunch right in the microwave.
I make and then freeze:
- Salsa
- Regular salsa and pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Summer soups
- Salmorejo and Thai Coconut Lime Soup
- Smoothies
- Green Mango, Strawberry Banana, and Green Peaches and Cream (recipes below!)
- Sauces
- Pesto, curry paste, and marinara
It’s great to get a taste of warmer weather even in the wintertime by freezing produce that’s in season during the summer. I freeze a lot of recipes that include tomato, basil, fruit, kale, spinach, and onions.
Except for the smoothie recipes I shared below, I didn’t come up with how to make the other meals and sauces on my own. Most of them come from Pinterest or shared recipes between friends and family.
Salmorejo is a cold tomato bread soup from Córdoba, Spain. It’s one of my all-time favorite foods! I lived in Córdoba last year teaching English in a bilingual elementary school. And seriously, this soup was available in every restaurant in Córdoba. I got the recipe from the literal wall on the street.
I’ll create a separate blog post about how to make this super simple Spanish recipe soon!
How to Freeze in Mason Jars
Some might be wary of freezing in glass but it’s really quite easy. The trick is to not fill it up all the way, leaving an inch or so of room for the liquid to expand. I freeze my meals (smoothies and soups) in 16oz wide mouth mason jars. These jars even have a little line where it says to fill to before freezing.
If you are afraid of breaking a jar, freeze it without the lid on so it can expand without interference. Then screw the lid on after a couple of hours. Easy peasy!
Smoothie Recipes
I’ve been loving having green smoothies for breakfast this summer! I drive about 30 minutes to work so it’s perfect to be able to sip it in the car as I go. Always with a metal or bamboo straw of course!
All of these smoothies are vegetarian and all but the last are vegan and dairy-free. I am sensitive to dairy, so I don’t drink regular milk anymore.
The strawberry banana smoothie is especially great with spinach! In the picture below, I used kale (I had a lot of kale). But spinach is a great alternative for any of these smoothies if you don’t have or don’t like kale.
Make sure to pin these images to your Pinterest page!
Have you ever had a green smoothie for breakfast? It’s a great way to get a yummy meal in the morning.
Stop (and Freeze) in the Name of Love
For your future self and for the planet, freeze or can your summer produce. It’s great to make some meals for your future self and help out the planet by using what’s available.
I’m not a food blogger but part of being zero waste is eliminating plastic and reducing food waste. And really, there are SO many possibilities. I listed just 11 things that you can freeze in mason jars. There are more meals and produce that you can freeze, not just in the summer, but throughout the year. Get creative and start freezing!
Happy Day-
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