The Best Ways to Preserve Your In-Season Harvest

As nutritionists, we always emphasize the importance of incorporating a variety of colorful vegetables into your diet. We often speak of seasonal produce options and obtaining diversity for maximum nutrient availability. While this time of year is splendid for so many vegetables and fruits, we may long for a vine-ripened tomato or sweet blueberries during the chillier months. While we encourage seasonal eating, there’s always the option of preserving your harvest when foods are abundant or if you happen upon a bag of ripe tomatoes or a plethora of zucchini. It is not uncommon to have options from farmers' markets that make grabbing a larger amount more cost-effective. Preserving these foods at their peak is not only great for us later when we want to enjoy the flavor but also preserves the nutritional value of the seasonal food. 

Preserving food does take some time, but we promise you’ll be grateful later! There are several techniques to save your abundance for the future, and we will share how to best preserve the more common seasonal items.

The most common and easiest is to freeze fruits and veggies. Freezing is a straightforward method that retains much of the food's nutritional value. All you need to do is wash, slice, and freeze. You can place them on a baking sheet to flash freeze, then pop them into baggies for longer-term storage. This does take up freezer space, obviously, but it is convenient and fast.

Pro tip: If you freeze tomatoes in the summer, you can make a pot of sauce in the winter when you actually enjoy the heat coming from the stove!

Dehydration or drying foods is another option, and if you have a dehydrator, it is similar in preparation to freezing. The waiting is the majority of the time taken to dehydrate foods, and the more moist an item, the longer it takes. Dehydration concentrates the flavors of the food and removes the water content. You can simply eat dried (apple and kale chips) or re-hydrate (zucchini in a soup). Dehydration condenses foods and makes them pantry-stable. It is critical that the moisture is removed so no bacteria grows. We suggest researching times and temperatures for various foods you wish to dry. You can also use your oven on a low setting or air-dry some items.

Canning is a more involved process but significantly extends the shelf life of many foods. You can make salsas, pickles, and relishes. Canning safety and processes vary depending on the food, so always follow safe canning practices to ensure the longevity and safety of your preserved goods.

By preserving produce, you reduce food waste and ensure you have nutritious produce to add to your meals year-round. 

Here are a few commonly preserved summer vegetables and fruits to try out. 

• Tomatoes- Can be canned, dried, or frozen.
  
• Peppers- Suitable for freezing, drying, or pickling
• Cucumbers- Great for pickling, can be frozen for future smoothies
• Zucchini- Can be frozen, dehydrated, or pickled.
• Green Beans- Ideal for canning or freezing.
• Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)- Can be frozen, dehydrated, or made into jams.
• Peaches- Suitable for canning or freezing
• Herbs (Basil, Mint, Parsley)- Can be dried or frozen in ice cube trays for ease of future use.
  

Preserving these fruits and vegetables allows you to enjoy their flavors and nutritional benefits year-round. We hope you preserve your bounty and soak up the nutrients from this season well into the next.