Storing Summer Produce for Winter

It’s hard to believe September is already here. If you have a garden, you likely have an abundance of fresh produce that you may or may not know what to do with. If you have more than you know what to do with, then today’s post is for you! Much of the produce in your summer garden can be saved and consumed in the winter months. Here are some of the best ways to preserve your summer produce to enjoy year-round.

Freezing

If you have the space, most produce can be frozen in some way.

Tomatoes

I love making tomato sauce or tomato soup with tomatoes fresh from the garden. Both soups and sauces are great to make in large batches and freeze. They also still taste great once thawed.

Tomatoes can also be easily frozen whole. I tend to do this when I don’t have time to make sauce or soup. This gives you the flexibility to make tomato sauce or soup year-round. All you need to do is run the whole frozen tomatoes under warm water until the skins start peeling off, then cook the tomatoes as you would if they were fresh.

Greens

Any green, such as spinach, chard, kale, or collard greens can be frozen and used in soups, stews, or smoothies throughout the year. Greens should be clean and dry before putting them in the freezer.

Herbs

Fresh herbs can be frozen in a few different ways. Spreading them on a baking sheet and freezing them before just placing them in a bag or container will prevent them from sticking together. You can also try freezing them in ice cube trays topped with a little bit of olive oil. You can also make pesto with extra basil and freeze the pesto.

Berries

Freezing whole berries is easy. Just wash them, dry them, spread them on a baking sheet, and stick the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the berries are frozen, remove them and place them in a container or Ziploc bag. Frozen berries can be used directly in smoothies or thawed and used in yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, cobblers, or just eaten on their own! They can get a little mushy once thawed but still taste delicious. You can also make freezer jam with any type of berry.

Peaches

Cut the peaches into slices and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once the peaches are frozen, store them in a Ziploc bag or container and add to smoothies year-round! Frozen peaches also make a great crisp or cobbler any time of year. Peaches can also be made into freezer jam.

Canning

Canning is a great way to preserve summer produce. Making jam is an easy way to use up extra fruit such as peaches, plums, or berries. Or try canning peaches. One downside to canned fruits is they often contain added sugar, so keep this in mind if you’re trying to limit sugar in your diet. Canning your own fruit at home does allow you to control the amount of sugar that is added.

Tomatoes can also be canned and used in many dishes that call for whole canned tomatoes. Or, try making your own canned salsa! Store-bought salsa or canned tomatoes can contain a lot of sodium, so making them at home allows you to control the amount of salt added.

Pickling

Though we often just think of cucumbers when it comes to pickling, many other vegetables can be pickled. Try this easy refrigerator pickle recipe for cucumbers, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, or anything else that may sound good! Pickling is a way of preserving vegetables by placing them in a vinegar and salt solution. Other seasonings or sugar can be added as well for more flavor or sweetness.

Pickles are good for your gut as they contain probiotics, which are healthy bacteria. They are also a good source of several vitamins and minerals, which differ depending on the variety of pickled vegetables. Homemade pickles tend to be fresher and may be lower in sodium than store-bought varieties. I also think they taste much better when they’re homemade!

I don’t like wasting food, so I love finding ways to save every last scrap of my summer produce. Freezing, canning, and pickling are all ways to stock up for winter. What are your favorite ways to preserve your summer harvest?