As previously mentioned, fruits may be packed in sugar, syrup, or with a sugar substitute, but fruit also can be dry or tray packed. The method you use depends on the kind of fruit, how you plan to use it, and your personal preference.

Regardless of the food to be frozen, use a moisture/vaporproof freezer container—moistureproof so that food will not dry out; vaporproof so that odors will not penetrate the packaging material. There are other factors that are desirable too. The common freezer containers for fruits are freezer bags or rigid freezer containers. Check freezer bags for leaks by filling with cold tap water.

Pack fruit firmly to remove as much air in the container as possible. Air tends to dry food when it’s frozen. Allow about 1/2 inch of headspace for sugar packs for pint or quart containers.

Most fruits need about 1 pound of sugar to 4 pounds prepared fruit or about 2 cups of sugar to 12 cups of fruit depending on individual taste. When freezing cut strawberries, peaches, apples, or pears, add ascorbic acid or ascorbic acid mixture to the sugar to help prevent fruit darkening. Another option is to add 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid to 1/4 cup water and mix well with about 4 cups of prepared fruit; then add 2/3 cup sugar. For ascorbic acid mixture, follow the manufacturer’s directions. If fruit is juicy, ascorbic acid or ascorbic acid mixture can be mixed with sugar.

Allow headspace in freezer containers for expansion. For pint containers with a wide top opening, allow 1/2 inch; for quarts allow 1 inch. For pint containers with a narrow top opening, allow 3/4 inch; for quarts allow 1 1/2 inches. For glass jars, see section “Pack and Label Containers.” Be sure that syrup covers the fruit. It may be necessary to put a small piece of parchment (wax) paper on top of the fruit to keep fruit in the syrup.

Ascorbic acid or ascorbic acid mixture can be added. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for ascorbic acid mixture. For ascorbic acid, use 1⁄2 teaspoon to 1 quart of cool syrup. Citric acid may give the fruit an acidic taste.

Dry packing is good for small, whole fruits, such as berries, that make a good-quality product when frozen without sugar. Simply pack the fruit into the freezer container, fasten the lid or seal securely, and freeze.

Tray packing is a form of dry packing that makes the fruit easier to remove from the container. You actually freeze the fruit before packing it into the freezer container. To do this, spread a single layer of prepared fruit on a baking sheet or shallow tray and place it in the freezer. Do not allow the pieces to touch each other. When the fruit is frozen, promptly pack it in freezer containers and quickly return it to the freezer before it can begin to thaw. The fruit pieces will remain loose rather than freezing together. You can remove the amount you need from the container without defrosting the whole package. Be sure to package the fruit as soon as it is frozen to prevent freezer burn.

Write the name of the product and freezing date on each package. Follow manufacturer’s directions when using rigid freezer containers. Glass jars can break. When food freezes, it expands and the jar may break. If using a standard canning jar with a standard-size opening, do not fill quite to the shoulder of the jar. Standard pint canning jars with tapered sides can be filled to within 1/2 inch of the top for dry packs and 3/4 inch for those with liquid (quarts need 1 inch). Use new (flat) lids each time. Scald them before placing on the jar.

A wax-type carton usually cannot be sealed airtight. In addition, the wax can crack at 0 degrees F. This is especially true of milk containers. Some of these are plastic coated, but the lid does not fit airtight, and the plastic coating is not moisture/vaporproof. Milk cartons are made to hold milk for about 1 week at refrigerator temperature—not food at 0 degrees F.

Quick-Freeze the Fruit

Always freeze food as quickly as possible so that cells will not break down. Broken cells make thawed food soft and flabby and juices seep out.

Place the fruit in the coldest part of the freezer. If it is a chest-type freezer and does not have a special freezing compartment, the sides and bottom are the coldest. In an upright freezer, there are special freezing shelves; in some of the newer models, all shelves are freezing shelves. Leave a small space between each package for fast freezing.

Store Fruit Correctly

After food is completely frozen (12 to 24 hours later), pack containers as close together as possible. Put all like fruit together—for example, strawberries in one row, peaches in one row, etc. Keep a record of how many pints and quarts you store of each fruit. As you use a package, check it off your list. You will know exactly how many containers are left in the freezer.

All freezers should have a temperature of 0 degrees F or below. The basket, which is the warmest place in a chest-type freezer, should be at least 0 degrees F or below. In an upright freezer, place a thermometer on a nonfreezing shelf. The temperature here should be at least 0 degrees F.

All recent reliable research shows that food that is frozen and stored at temperatures above 0 degrees F is not as good in flavor, color, texture, and food value as that which is frozen at 0 degrees F or below. The colder the better. Read your use/care booklet and adjust the temperature; some freezers require a professional to do this.

Thaw Fruit Properly

When thawed, fruits are ready to be served. Thaw only enough for one meal at a time. Fruits that have been frozen lose their freshness quickly after they have thawed. The texture softens and the flavor and color change.

Berries that have been frozen taste better when they still contain a few ice crystals. Though texture of peaches and similar fruits is better when they are still a little icy, flavor is improved by complete thawing.

For best flavor and color, always leave fruit in the unopened container during thawing. Turn the package several times during thawing to keep fruit coated with syrup and to help prevent darkening.

On the refrigerator shelf, it may take as long as 4 to 6 hours to thaw a 1-pound package of fruit. At room temperature, the time is shortened to 1 or 2 hours depending on the pack. However, slow thawing in the refrigerator gives a better product. Fruits packed with dry sugar thaw more quickly than fruits in syrup.

Remember: For good-quality frozen foods, one step depends on another.

Revised by Bridgette Brannon, Regional Extension Agent. Written by Evelyn F. Crayton, Nutritionist for Special Endowments in Nutrition and Health, Professor, Nutrition and Food Science; Jean Weese, Professor, Poultry Science; and Patti West, Regional Extension Agent, all with Auburn University. Originally prepared by Isabelle Downey, former Specialist in Food Preservation.

Reviewed November 2023, Freezing Summer’s Bounty of Fruits, HE-0016-B