How to Freeze Blueberries?

Some of us may not know how to freeze blueberries, although they are a really popular species of berries. They taste both sweet and sour, which is almost like strawberry’s taste. So if you need to preserve your leftover blueberries by freezing them, then here’s the place!

The method of freezing blueberries is not complicated. It is simple and does not require too much equipment to do. I will provide you with more tips and tricks on freezing blueberries so that you can get the perfect results and extend their shelf life!

Fresh Blueberries — Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants!

But first and foremost, I will briefly show you the way:

How To Freeze Blueberries?

Here’s the process that I often follow when freezing blueberries:

Step 1: Place your blueberries on the baking sheet.
Step 2: Put the prepared baking sheet with blueberries in the freezer.
Step 3: Wait for at least 2 to 3 hours.
Step 4: Move all the blueberries from the baking sheet to the airtight container.
Step 5: Put them back into the freezer for long-term storage.

Still not get it? Here’s how they quickly freeze the blueberries!

Watch this video: The Quick and Easy Way to Freeze Blueberries

In the coming up sections, I will guide you to more detailed instructions as well as some interesting facts about blueberries and how to use them in an authentic recipe! Keep scrolling down for more!

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Instruction For Freezing Blueberries

Having chosen the best blueberries ever, are you ready to freeze them? Check out my detailed step-to-step instructions! If you do it the right way, the frozen blueberries can last for a very long time and help you with a lot of blueberry-related recipes!

Begin With The Best Blueberries

To get the best frozen blueberries, you have to choose the best ones at the very beginning! If you store the bad blueberries by freezing them, it will not last for a long time and affect other berries!

So, what are the signs of qualified blueberries when you are choosing them at the store? Observe carefully and taste some of them!

Appearance

First, look at the color. Good and ripe blueberries have an eye-catching deep blue or purple. If there is any sign of red appearing, they are not ripe enough for you to purchase. Also, avoid green and white blueberries because they are obviously not ripe.

Healthy blueberries should have a smooth skin texture and a gray dusting cover on them. That cover is called the “bloom” which protects blueberries from aging and getting rotten soon.

Good blueberries do not contain wrinkles on their skin. Try to inspect and avoid this important sign when you’re choosing blueberries at the store. But if you’re selecting them for smoothies, a little wrinkly blueberries can be acceptable.

Taste

If you are allowed, put one blueberry into your mouth and chew it. Good blueberries should have a tangy flavor, both sweet and sour, with an exploding juicy taste to your mouth. If they are too sour or have a too-firm texture, they may haven’t ripened yet.

Size

The size doesn’t really matter when it comes to selecting good berries. However, from my experience, the bigger blueberries are, the sweeter they taste. It’s just my feeling, so it’s not a really exact sign to indicate the qualified blueberries – just so you know.

Signs Of Overripe Or Spoiled Blueberries

Blueberries that begin with wrinkled skin, white mold, and mushy texture can be on their rotting process! Pass them immediately and look for better berries. They are not suitable for freezing stuff.

If you have accidentally bought nearly rotten blueberries, you can keep and reuse them. Overripe or near-moldy blueberries are acceptable for dishes such as smoothies, sauces, or fruit yogurt. However, be cautious to use them since they probably get spoiled for real.

Spoiled Blueberries — When your blueberries have many wrinkles on their skins, maybe it’s a sign telling that they are rotten!

What You Need To Prepare Before Freezing Blueberries

Before getting ready to freeze your blueberries, you have to prepare some equipment to support you in the whole process, which are:

A baking sheet: It is better to have a baking sheet with a rim and made of inox.
Zip-top plastic bag(s): Get enough bags to store your frozen blueberries. If you can’t find a zip-top bag, just use any container that you have but make sure that it is an airtight and freezer-safe one.
A freezer/ A refrigerator having freezing space: This is a must-have item for the whole process. How can you freeze something without a freezer, right?

So, is everything ready now? Get set, go!

The Most Effective Guide To Freeze Blueberries

With all the prepared items and blueberries, now it’s the perfect time for you to start freezing your blueberries for long-term purposes. The instructions are quite simple and easy to follow.

Step 1: Place your blueberries on the baking sheet.

Spread the blueberries on the baking sheet with a rim so that they won’t fall out. Try to make only one layer of blueberries on the tray surface and not overcrowd them. Doing this way, your blueberries will freeze faster and have better quality!

Don’t forget to look for and discard any blueberry or blueberry stems that consist of moldy signs.

Step 2: Put the prepared baking sheet with blueberries in the freezer.

Place the baking tray carefully in the freezer or the freezing drawer of the fridge. Make sure that the blueberries are spreading out evenly while staying in the freezer.

Step 3: Wait for at least 2 to 3 hours.

Now, wait until the blueberries are completely frozen with a very hard and firm texture like ice cubes. Regularly check them and make sure it is hardened enough. Then, you can move to the next step – packing it for long-term storage.

Step 4: Move all the blueberries from the baking sheet to the airtight container.

Take the frozen blueberries out of the freezer and transfer all of them to containers. Here I usually use the zip-top plastic freezer-safe bags to store them. Don’t fill the bags with too many blueberries, about half or two-thirds of the space will do.

Don’t forget to label the berries bags or containers with the frozen date so that you can keep track of their shelf life. It’s some kind of “homemade” expiration date on the packaging!

Step 5: Put them back into the freezer for long-term storage.

It’s almost there! Place all of the things that you have prepared in the freezer and just store them like that. Take only enough amount out of the freezer when you want to serve.

Packing Berries In Zipper Plastic Bags — Put your blueberries in airtight zip-lock bags and label them for better preservation in the freezer!

Note:

The frozen blueberries can last for up to one year or more. However, for the best quality, make use of them within 6 to 8 months of freezing.

How To Defrost Your Frozen Blueberries Quickly?

You have done freezing your blueberries, now what? How to use the frozen blueberries? But before that, you should learn how to defrost them.

Is It Necessary To Defrost Frozen Blueberries Before Using Them?

It depends mostly on what dish you want to cook with your blueberries. Smoothies and baked items, such as muffins, do not need you to defrost the frozen berries; but with more savory dishes and sauces, you may need to thaw them before using them.

The Easiest Ways To Thaw Your Blueberries

As I said, there are some dishes using frozen blueberries that require you to thaw them before using. Here are the simplest but efficient ways to defrost your blueberries!

Let them be at room temperature: The easiest way to thaw frozen blueberries is to let them defrost at room temperature or to sink the whole zip-lock bag in water.
Put them in the fridge: Move the bags of frozen blueberries from the freezer to the fridge and wait for them to thaw. It may take a longer time but it still works.
Rinse them with water: Whenever you want to use them, rinse them with room-temperature water for 1-2 minutes. When finished washing, dry them with paper towels and use them for your purposes. You should only rinse enough to use.
Use the microwave: You can also defrost them using the microwave, but keep in mind that they will lose their moisture.

Blueberries Rinsed With Water — Frozen blueberries can be washed with water for a quick defrosting process!

Best Recipes To Go With Frozen Blueberries

What can you do with frozen blueberries? There are a lot of blueberry-included recipes for you to try with! Here are some outstanding ones. Take a look and try them with your frozen blueberries!

Blueberry Smoothies

The easiest way to deal with frozen blueberries is to blend them into smoothies! You need to prepare frozen blueberries, some of your favorite fruits, milk, and ice.

Put all of them into a blended machine for a few minutes, and you’ll get the most healthy and delicious smoothie ever! You will feel the creamy touch, the sweet taste of fruits, especially the exploding, refreshing flavor of blueberries in your mouth!

Try this simple blueberry recipe and tell me in the comment section if you like it!

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

This is an excellent breakfast recipe for those who don’t have time in the morning because you just need to do it once in the weekend and enjoy it for the rest of the week! It is super healthy, crunchy, and full of blueberry’s sweet and sour flavor!

The oatmeal bars can also be consumed as a healthy snack whenever you feel hungry after three meals of the day. It is just like the granola bars in your diet because it doesn’t include many calories from the ingredients. You can have it for your losing weight process.

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

This no-bake cheesecake tastes truly like a dream! Its filling is creamy, milky with the sour, fruity taste of blueberries; while the wafer crust is full of vanilla flavor with a soft, mellow texture that can melt right on your tongue!

This amazing dessert can be on your family’s dinner table for every holiday or at any time!

Blueberry Cookies

You all must have eaten cookies with chocolate chips and raisins, right? Now I will provide you with a brand new flavor cookie – blueberry cookies – that promisingly replaces those two iconic types of cookies!

The outcome of this recipe is expected to be flavorful, crunchy with a nice light purple appearance! It is super easy to make and you should totally try it to get yourself and family members a great snack!

Learn how they make delicious cookies with frozen blueberries! Make some at your home!

Watch this video: Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cookies using Real Blueberries

Those are the most wonderful recipes with frozen blueberries that I highly recommend for you! Actually, there are a lot more and many of them are from individual likings, so you yourself can make your own recipes from frozen blueberries!

Some Surprising Health Benefits From Blueberries

We all know that not only blueberries but any member of the Berry family provide a lot of nutrients for the consumers, especially the antioxidants! Learn more about the health benefits of blueberries by reading the facts below.

1. Slowing The Aging Process

Blueberries contain the highest antioxidants content in all kinds of fruits! It’s truly the King of antioxidants. Therefore, if you consume them enough, they may protect you from unstable molecules that contribute to the aging process, and help you live a longer life!

2. Boosting Your Mood

Blueberries are considered a natural mood-boosting fruit, with all the nutrients that can affect your brain and bring refreshing feelings. Having a significant amount of blueberries can brighten up your day, so why not include them in your breakfast?

3. Reducing Blood Pressure – Protecting Your Heart

High blood pressure, a dangerous factor for heart-related illnesses, may be reduced by consuming blueberries. They contain anthocyanin that can lower the risk of having heart attacks. Blueberries are certainly a lovely friend to your heart health!

4. Improving Brain Functions

Your brain functions better when you eat blueberries. It benefits your brain cells and upgrades your memory by enhancing aged neurons. Therefore, blueberries are really healthy for your brain!

5. Fighting Against Cancer

Surprisingly, blueberries are considered a cancer-fighting kind of fruit! They help reduce the ADN damage occurring every day in your body. Therefore, consuming blueberries can amazingly decrease the health risk of having cancer.⁽¹⁾

How wonderful is that? Now you know about some of the health advantages of blueberries, let’s come to the next important parts of the article, shall we?

Blueberries are the super fruit that makes you healthy as a “superman”! Let’s see this video to know:

Watch this video: Health Benefits of Blueberries - 17 Amazing Blueberries Benefits

FAQs

If you find all of the above information is not enough, here are more questions and answers on blueberries and the ways to freeze them. Want to ask other questions? Comment below!

Do I have to wash blueberries before freezing them?

Some people recommend that you should wash the blueberries before freezing them, and you actually can. In fact, if you wash the berries, it may accidentally eliminate the graying cover called “bloom” of the blueberries that protect them from germ invasion.

Therefore, I suggest that you should not rinse the blueberries with water before freezing them. Only wash them when you take them out of the frozen bags to serve.

Do frozen blueberries contain antioxidants?

Yes, they do. Freezing your blueberries can really improve the availability of antioxidants, due to some recent research.⁽²⁾

What are the best containers for me to use in freezing blueberries?

As I mentioned before, I usually use zip-lock bags when it comes to freezing fruits. It can be the most effective container. You can also use an airtight container such as plastic boxes, but remember to check whether it is freezer-safe or not.

A good container will join a hand in preserving your foods longer than its original shelf life, reducing freezer burn when storing them too long in the freezer or fridge.

Do frozen blueberries become mushy?

Yes, they do become mushy, and this process may get quicker if you rinse them before freezing. Therefore, you shouldn’t wash them. Also, make sure that your blueberries are dry before freezing. This may help the berries last longer and barely become mushy.

Can I use frozen blueberries in my baked desserts?

Yes, of course! Frozen blueberries can be used directly in baking desserts. Some of these dessert recipes are included in the previous section of this post, check them out!

Can I just eat the frozen blueberries as they are?

Why not? But keep in mind that they’re frozen and hard as ice. Your teeth may be hurt when chewing them, so eat them like a lollipop!

Can frozen blueberries be an alternative for fresh ones in a recipe?

Sure they can. Frozen blueberries can be applied to almost every recipe that includes fresh berries, but you should thaw them before using them to have the best result.

Does freezing blueberries change their taste and texture?

Taste? No. Texture? Yes. The frozen blueberries taste exactly like the fresh ones so don’t worry about the flavor. However, freezing blueberries will cause them to become a little mushy, just like other frozen fruits.

Why are my blueberries tough?

Maybe it’s because they are frozen with sugar. Therefore, blueberries should not be frozen with sugar; if you want to add more sweeteners to the berries, only do it when you take them out of the freezer and prepare to serve them.

Know How To Freeze Your Blueberries Now?

See, it’s not that hard if you know how to do it the right way! Try my method of freezing blueberries and you’ll be surprised by the result!

If the frozen blueberries are stored properly in the freezer, they can last for up to a year or more! However, my advice is that you should consume them as fast as possible to get full of their nutrients and taste since they can’t maintain the original flavor for a long time!

Also, try those recipes with frozen blueberries and tell me about your feelings! Want to ask more questions about freezing blueberries? Just leave some words in the comment box below! I am willing to help and listen to all of your stories.

Preferences

1. Healthline.. 10 Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries.
2. ScienceDaily.. Freezing blueberries improves antioxidant availability.