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How to Freeze Cantaloupe
I’ve got to be honest with you. Prior to this post, I’ve never frozen cantaloupe. But when I needed a quick solution to preserve a large amount of unexpected cantaloupe, freezing came to the rescue!
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This story begins with this “not so attractive” rubbish bucket.
I stop once a week or so at a local farm stand and take their “past the point of being able to sell” produce and feed it to my chickens.
That day, the owner of the stand pointed to a large bin of cantaloupe and asked me if I would take them all, stating that they weren’t all bad, but too unattractive to sell.
I took home about 50 melons that day!
When I got home, my daughter-in-law and I went to the process of rinsing each melon in some soapy water and cutting into them to see if they were edible for us. (Yes, all of this was done right on the tailgate of my truck! Ha!)
We were able to salvage about 20 melons for the family’s consumption!
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Hence, my need for a fast way to preserve these (good but soft) melons was paramount!
Freezing to the rescue!
As much as I love cantaloupe, I simply cannot eat it fast enough, so freezing cantaloupe is a wonderful way to preserve that summer flavor!
Freezing allows you to take advantage of grocery store loss leader sales, so grab that cantaloupe when it goes on sale!
Freezing cantaloupe is just as easy as freezing just about any other fruit.
You’re going to need some cookie sheets, a good knife, freezer bags and of course, a freezer.
Simply cut your melon in half, then peel and remove seeds.
I like to cut my melon in “moon shaped” pieces, then into 1/2″ pieces that can be placed directly on your cookie sheet.
You could also use a melon-baller for your cantaloupe!
No need to grease the cookie sheet.
Once cut, pop your melon-covered cookie sheets into the freezer for about an hour or so, until small ice crystals start to form.
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Then, using a strong spatula, scrape the frozen melon off of the cookie sheets and place into gallon-sized plastic bags.
Squeeze your bag to make sure you’ve got all the air out.
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Label and freeze your cantaloupe! It’s that easy!
How Long Can You Freeze Cantaloupe For?
Great question! Somewhere between 9-12 months in your freezer.
Can You Freeze Cantaloupe for Smoothies?
Absolutely!
You can use frozen cantaloupe for your smoothies, just like any other frozen fruit!
We love smoothies around here and I can’t wait to enjoy these melons this winter!
Here are a couple of quick smoothie combinations that include frozen cantaloupe! Just blend and enjoy!
Smoothie Recipe #1 – Combine Greek yogurt, orange juice, and frozen cantaloupe for a fresh and easy breakfast!
Smoothie Recipe #2 – Combine 1/2 banana, 2 cups of frozen cantaloupe, 1/2 peach (pitted and peeled) and 1 cup of non-dairy milk of your choice.
Smoothie Recipe #3 – 3 cups of frozen watermelon (Yes! You can freeze watermelon as well!), 1 cup frozen cantaloupe, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup yogurt of your choice and one cup of non-dairy milk or orange juice.
Enjoy!
This Post Has 4 Comments
Love cantelope. Great idea. I make smoothies with cantelope frozen grapes honey dead pineapple strawberries and kiwi.
Hey there, Mandy! We are big smoothie addicts here as well! Thanks for your comment and for being here!
Once thawed, are they presentable for a fruit salad?
Hi Brenda, my guess is that they wouldn’t look as presentable as you might like, but you could try it! I would just use in smoothies.