How to Freeze Peaches

by Rachel Paxton

When we go camping each summer, we like to stop at a favorite
local fruit stand and buy a 20-lb box of fresh peaches. After
enjoying some delicious peach milkshakes and making some peach
jam, I decided to freeze the extra peaches.

Peaches are very easy to freeze. If you have some extra peaches
and need to do something with them in a hurry, you can prepare
them for the freezer in no time.

Here is what you will need:

Peaches
Plastic freezer containers
Fruit Fresh
2-qt measuring cup

There are a number of ways of freezing peaches, but the easiest
way is to just pack them into freezer containers.

Four cups of peaches will fit into a 1-qt freezer container. One
medium peach is approximately 1 cup.

Choose firm, ripe peaches that haven't begun to spoil or turn
brown.

Peel and pit the peaches and slice them into the large measuring
cup until you have 4 cups. Slice just enough to pack into one
freezer container at a time to prevent browning. To peel the
peaches more easily, dip them into a bowl of boiling water for at
least 30 seconds and then dip them into a bowl of ice water. The
skins should slip right off.

After you have prepared the peaches, stir in 1 tablespoon of
Fruit Fresh. Fruit Fresh is a powder that preserves the color of
the peaches, keeping them from turning brown. You can find it
with the canning supplies at your local grocery store.

Next pack your freezer container and place the lid on top. Label
the container with the contents and date. Peaches frozen by this
method will last up to 6 months in the freezer.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of
What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick
easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips,
home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative
Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.