This post was previously posted in 2012 but this thrifty tip is timeless~
Frozen vegetables are something we can often get pretty cheap using coupons. But what if there is a cheaper way?
Hence: DIY Frozen Veggies
I did 3 vegetables but there are MANY more you can do!
I did bell peppers– I purchased 3 pks of Peppers for $3.27.
I washed and sliced each pepper to my personal preferences.
Then I stuck them in a freezer bag, labeled, dated and rolled all the air out. Put it into the freezer. Voila- done.
Total Cost: $3.27 for the vegetables and .10 for the freezer bag= $3.37 for 3 lb 6 oz worth of green peppers. The equivalent amount of pre-packaged would cost (at stock up price) $5.25. And they are full of preservatives and other additives!
Next up: Celery
I purchased one bunch of celery for about $1.25. I washed and cut it up and put it in a freezer bag. I use it to cook soups and stews so I don’t need it raw and fresh.
I ended up with over a pound of sliced celery!
Next I had 2 bags of carrots to process. I actually got both 1 lb. bags free using coupons Ebfarms.com sent me when I wrote them and requested coupons.
I washed, peeled and cut the carrots up.
Then I placed them in a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes. This is “blanching” which destroys enzymes and bacteria that breaks down the food.
After 2 minutes place the carrots into ice water for another 2 minutes. This stops the cooking process.
Then I let the drain and place them in a freezer bag. Voila- frozen carrots!
I ended up with just under 2 lbs. of carrots. Even if you bought them you can usually find them for .99 or less. At that price, the equivalent in pre-made frozen veggies would cost nearly $4!
In all, I spent a total of $4.82 (the veggies + 3 freezer bags). I ended up with 6 1/2 lbs worth of vegetables. If I had purchased the equivalent (per oz) worth of pre-made frozen vegetables it would have cost nearly $10. (even at regular price it would have been nearly $18)This is the equivalent of 13 boxes of frozen veggies.
It took me less then 30 minutes to chop, prepare and even blanch the carrots and other veggies. I prefer to make my own when possible because I prefer to have food that I know what is in it .
You can do the same with other fruits and veggies. In fact- if you want steamed veggies you can even make you own mixed veggie bags and freeze them separately! If you want to steam them in the microwave- just put in a glass bowl- cover tightly and microwave for about 5 minutes (check for doneness about 1/2 way through). The water frozen in and on the veggies will melt and steam the veggies!) This way you can make as much or as little as you want!
Bottom line; Yes, it’s a tad bit of work- I was in the kitchen anyway cooking dinner. I could do this while my pasta water boiled or the meat sauteed. But for the price- saved 50% over STOCK UP price of frozen vegetables and knowing that there are no chemicals or additives on them- it’s worth it to me!
AND the ends of the carrots, the unused pieces of celery did not go to waste. I kept them in a separate bag to use to make stock!
What tips do you have for making DIY frozen veggies?
I also dice up onions and freeze them. Frozen onions are only good if you want to use them cooked. Not good for recipes that require them raw.
Grape tomatoes are great washed and then frozen. I cook them from frozen in omelets and soups.
I’ve accidentally placed a whole bag of tomatoes in the part of the fridge that can freeze… and when I pulled them out the skins had cracked. I let it thaw and the skin peeled right off. I tossed it into a huge pot and made tomato soup. I would check to see if you should blanch your tomatoes before you freeze them.
I do blanch tomatoes before freezing them- it makes it easy to skin them. I usually can my tomatoes though….
I buy fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc) on sale and freeze them unwashed on a cookie sheet. Once frozen i bag them up in freezer bags and i make homemade smoothies all winter long.
I do the same with strawberries…except last time I took the tray out to put something underneath and accidently left it out! TOTALLY forgot until the next day when the bugs had discovered them…all that waste! Now I am sure to be more careful!
why unwashed?