Freezing Fruit for Smoothies

“I buy fresh fruit in season and freeze it in individual serving containers to keep on hand for making protein shakes or ‘smoothies’. For example, I clean and hull fresh strawberries, place them in a bowl, and chop/mash them with a pastry blender. I do the same with ripe peaches, after first peeling and pitting them. Then I put each serving in individual plastic containers or freezer baggies. For blueberries, I place the fresh berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then put them in the freezer overnight. The next day, I remove the frozen berries and put them in individual plastic containers or baggies while still frozen. Bananas are easy also; simply slice or mash them before freezing. (Although bananas darken when frozen, they taste the same.) When I’m ready to make a protein shake, it’s easy to grab a fruit serving from the freezer and add it in the blender. It’s delicious and nutritious!” — Debbie