I usually buy fresh fruit, but the price of frozen is so much less that I gave it a try. I tried a bag of starwberries and when I thawed them, they had a "sauce" to them. I now have sworn off frozen fruit, but thought maybe it was just the strawberries. Does the other frozen fruit taste as good as fresh without the "goop"? I would like to save the money if the taste isn't compromised. Please let me know what you think, thanks!
the problem is that when you freeze things the ice crystals break down the cell wall, hence the "mush". This also happens when you cook things. So frozen fruit that is destined to be cooked or pureed(ie baked in a pie, blueberries added to pancakes, made into a sauce, or pureed into baby food) is GREAT. But if you want to eat it like, well, a piece of fruit... stick with fresh.
I would buy fresh fruit but what is in season that goes for vegetables too. The frozen fruit is good for stuff like smoothies and baking. I don't think it thaws well for just eating plain. It is fun to use the produce that is in season and come up with new ways to prepare it and to look forward to the next season and those fruits that will be in flavorful.
My daughter loves frozen blueberries in her oatmeal in the morning. My son loves frozen mangoes in his. They don't have any goop at all and the frozen fruit cools off the oatmeal and it thaws the fruit pretty quickly. Strawberries I don't like frozen for the reason you mentioned.
I went thru similar experience. I bought a bag of mixed frozen fruit for the days when I do not have fresh nor have time to get it. But after eating it...unless I have to make a shake or puree I could not use it at all.
I will vote for fresh fruit.
V.
Greetings, Jennifer...I totally buy frozen...the mixed fruit doesn't have the 'goop' like some of the strawberries have...but if you defrost each strawberry separately, they do not 'goop' as much due to the lack of weight upon each other...but I have to admit, they never come out like fresh strawberries. Have a blessed day! di
I agree that the mixed fruit is better. For frozen strawberries, you have to look for the whole berries. The cut up ones are the ones with the goop in there. The only that is good for is cake filling or put in smoothies. I like the mixed fruit with manog, melon etc but make sure you check that they do not have a lot of ice crystals. That usually means they were not kept frozen and you wil get a syrupy result.
Cosco has wonderful frozen fruit. Also, they carry many products that are organic (can't speak for the frozen fruit offhand.)
Also, it is very easy to freeze your own berries and different fruits. Just place them, one single layer - pick out the bad ones and sm. branches, on cookie sheets (do not wash them in advance - very important!). Once frozen, measure berries and indicate amount on bag and date item. During blueberry season, my family and I take a day trip to Michigan and have brought back 10 - 20 lbs. They last for months and months.
You can do the same with strawberries and other berries.
