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Happy 4th of July! Celebration our Nation’s birthday is one of the best things to do. Be safe this 4th of July both in protection from the sun and from the use of fire crackers.

Having Monday off as a holiday may give those of us who work outside of the home some extra time in the kitchen. If so, then read on to learn about how to freeze foods safely.

Freezing is one of the easiest, most convenient and least time-consuming ways to preserve foods at home. The extreme cold stops growth of microorganisms and slows down changes that cause spoilage and affect quality in food. With today’s food prices, it might just be worth a try.

First step is to consider the container. Plastic bags are the most frequently used packaging material for freezing food items. Other containers suitable for freezing fruits and vegetables, however, are plastic freezer containers, or glass canning/freezing jars.

Don’t use paper cartons, like milk boxes. Many plastic containers that foods are packaged in for purchase, like yogurt, dips and sour cream do not provide characteristics for preserving quality in the freezer. Freezer foil and coated paper are good for odd shaped foods.

Fruits should be washed and sorted before freezing. Discard those that are not yet ripe or of poor quality. Allowing fruit to soak in water will cause lose of nutrients and flavor.

Stem, pit, peel or slice fruit as desired; prepare enough fruit for only a few packages at a time to prevent browning. Do not use galvanized equipment in direct contact with fruit, the acid in the fruit dissolves zinc, which can be harmful in large amounts, states the Center.

Use vegetables at peak flavor and texture. Whenever possible, harvest in the morning and freeze within a few hours. Wash vegetables thoroughly in cold water and sort according to size for blanching and packing. Blanching, which is scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short period of time, should be done to ensure highest frozen food quality and shelf life.

Blanching stops the action of enzymes that can cause loss of flavor, color and texture. The time is crucial and varies with the vegetable and its size. Under blanching stimulates the activity of enzymes and is worse than not blanching at all; over blanching can cause loss of flavor, color, vitamins and minerals.

Water blanching is the most widely recommended method for blanching vegetables. Use one gallon of water per pound of vegetables. Put the vegetables in a blanching basket and lower into vigorously boiling water. Place a lid on the pot and start counting blanching time as soon as the water returns to a boil.

As soon as blanching is complete, cool vegetables quickly to stop the cooking process by plunging the basket of vegetables immediately into a large quantity of cold water. Cooling vegetables should take as long as blanching. Drain vegetables completely after cooling.

For Specific blanching times, call our office at 602-0600 to receive your freezing booklet and a copy of the Let’s Preserve newsletter, or visit our web sites at http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/preserve.html.

In case you have been out berry picking or plan to, here are the USDA recommendations for freezing green beans:

Freezing Green Beans

Select young tender pods when the seed is first formed. Wash in cold water, snip and cut into 2 to 4-inch lengths.

Water blanch 3 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

If you are headed out to a 4th of July picnic, or are hosting one yourself, try this easy to make and lighter version to the traditional potato salad! If you have fresh green beans, first blanch the beans as noted above and then add them in. If not, use frozen. Rinse first, then let thaw for 10 – 15 minutes.

Light Potato Salad

1 lb green beans, with ends cut

2 lbs red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped red onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp fresh dill or 2 Tbsp. dried

4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Prepare beans as noted above. Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender.

If necessary, cool green beans and potatoes and place in a bowl. As they are cooling, prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients together.

Add onion and bell pepper to the cooled green beans and potatoes; top with dressing.