“Blueberries top the list. They’re plentiful and they freeze easily—all you have to do is wash and dry them, put them in freezer bags, and mark the contents and date on the bags.” — Susan Haller

As we begin to move closer to our food sources—shopping at farmers markets, subscribing to consumer supported agriculture, growing our own—Hoosiers are discovering just how generous native Indiana soil can be: In the summer months, we’re a virtual cornucopia of tomatoes that actually taste like something; beans by the bushel, berries that command consumption as soon as they’re picked. It’s no wonder that the natural next step—or the next natural step—is preserving these treasures to enjoy through the winter. Or as Grandma would say, putting food by.

The benefits? In addition to having good food year-round, home food preservation means you know what you’re eating; you know your vegetables aren’t traveling 1,500 miles-plus to your table; you know your food was prepared safely and without added chemicals. And in today’s less-thanrobust economy, you’re likely saving money.

Susan Haller, executive director of Indiana Foodways Alliance in Anderson, says she’s seen an upswing in home food preservation. “I’ve been judging 4-H food preservation for 30 years, and I’m seeing a real increase in the number of food preservation projects,” she says. “In fact, it’s become such a huge category, I can’t judge it by myself anymore. It’s heartening.”

Where to start?
Although humans have been preserving food—drying, fermenting, keeping in oil and wine, and, later, canning—for millennia, freezing was one of the first and most successful ways of making food last. Fruits and vegetables have relatively generous storage times, anywhere from eight to 12 months. And for novices, freezing remains the easiest food preservation method.

“Freezing is the best way to preserve food because it changes food the least,” says Christina Ferroli, Ph.D., R.D.,
extension educator for Purdue Extension – Marion County. “Freeze only the highest quality products, and preserve
berries, stone fruits, beets, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, corn, and leafy green vegetables the same day you pick them. Pick tomatoes, apples, and peaches when they’re ripe but still firm, and let them ripen a bit more for a few days before you preserve them.”

Haller recommends building confidence with something fairly simple. Her suggestion? “Blueberries top the list,” she says. “They’re plentiful and they freeze easily—all you have to do is wash and dry them, put them in freezer bags, and mark the contents and date on the bags.”

For better veggies—blanch!
Blanching or scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam before freezing them is important. “Food gradually loses flavor, color, texture, and nutrients, even if it’s frozen, but blanching stops the action of natural enzymes that causes produce to spoil and lose nutrients,” says Ferroli. Blanching also cleans food’s surfaces and brightens its color.

To blanch: Use at least one gallon of water per pound of vegetables. Bring the water to a vigorous boil; place vegetables in a wire basket and lower them into the water, making sure the water covers them. Put a lid on the pot
and set your timer (see sample times in the chart on this page). Keep the heat on high while blanching. You can re-use your water—just be sure to bring it back to a full, rolling boil before adding more vegetables.

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