MOLINE, Ill. — March is Frozen Foods Month
Frozen foods last much longer than their fresh counterparts. Use just what you need and put the rest back in the freezer for next time – wasting less food and saving money.
-Many frozen foods are perfectly-portioned so there’s no waste.
-You are paying for 100% edible food – no stalks, seeds or rinds.
-Frozen foods are consistently priced year-round
Today’s quick-freezing process freezes foods in just minutes stopping the clock and preserving all the nutritional value, freshness and flavor.
-You can enjoy nutritious, quality fruits and vegetables year-round.
Keeping your freezer stocked means delicious, quality foods are ready-to-use, making meal prep fast and easy.
-All the picking, cleaning and chopping are already done, saving you time in the kitchen.
Fruits
· choose plain fruits without added sugar or syrup
· unopened frozen fruit lasts 8 – 10 months
· opened frozen fruit lasts 6-8 months
· washed and flash frozen
· thawing in a bowl of cold water will help preserve fruit’s appearance once thawed
USDA Grading
· Optional
· Measure quality
· Grade A fruits – nearly perfect
· Grade B fruits – the most common fruit grade
· Grade C fruits – less uniform and may be less sweet (work well for purees)