Freezing  is by far the easiest way to preserve fresh pumpkin and will give you the best quality product over other preservation methods.

Preparation

When selecting pumpkin to freeze look for mature, full colored pumpkins with a fine texture. Wash the pumpkin and cut into cubes, removing the seeds as you go.  The rind may be left on the pumpkin. If you plan to cook the pumpkin in the oven you may halve it and place the cut side down for cooking.

Cooking

The pumpkin should be cooked until the flesh is tender. You may boil, steam, bake or cook the pumpkin in a pressure cooker.  Once cooked, place the pumpkin in cool water to cool.  When cooling is complete remove the rind and mash the cooked flesh to your desired texture.

Freezing

Package the pumpkin in freezer bags or containers, leaving 1/2 inch of head-space. Seal the container and place the packages in the freezer.  The frozen pumpkin can be stored for up to one year.

As with pumpkin, freezing is by far the easiest way to preserve fresh squash and will give you the best quality product over other preservation methods.  This guide will cover “winter squash”: Acorn, Banana, Buttercup, Butternut, Golden Delicious, Hubbard and Spaghetti squashes.

Preparation

Select mature squash with a hard rind and deep color.  Allow the squash to fully ripen, usually 2 to 3 weeks after harvest.  Wash the squash with cool or lukewarm water and gently scrub.  Cut the squash in halves, quarters or smaller pieces if necessary for your cooking method.  Scrape out all the loose pulp and seeds. You may leave the rind on the squash.

Cooking

The squash should be cooked until the flesh is tender. You may boil, steam, bake or cook the squash in a pressure cooker.  Let the squash cool enough to handle and scrape the flesh from the rind.  Mash or puree the squash, you may use a potato masher, hand blender or any other gadget you have on hand.

Freezing

Place the pureed squash into freezer bags or freezer safe containers, allowing 1/2 inch of head space.  Seal the continer and freeze the squash.  The frozen squash should last from 8 to 12 months.

There is no better way to preserve fresh vegetables than freezing them. Of course, if you have a garden you can go out and pick your vegetables and then after some prep you can freeze them so that you can have them all year round. You can also freeze the fresh produce from the store the very same way.

Freezing locks in the freshness of the vegetables so that when you cook it you swear it just came out of the garden. Just think that in the middle of winter tasting such fresh tasting veggies. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

Make sure you are freezing only the best quality produce because freezing will not help make anything better than it started off being.

The vegetables need to be washed well so there is no sediment at all in them. Then they have to be blanched according to the recommended time for them. Then they need to be put in airtight freezer proof containers that will keep in the maximum freshness.

Blanching can be done one of two ways. The vegetables can be blanched in boiling water or they can be steamed to blanch them. Both methods are good methods. What blanching does is to stop the enzymes that make the plant ripen this has to be done or the food could go bad even in the freezer. The enzymes can also affect the flavor, color, and make the nutrients less. More important reasons to blanch.

To blanch in boiling water you must first bring about 1 gallon of water to a full boil in a large pot with a lid. Place about a pound of prepared vegetables in the water and cover. Allow the vegetables to blanch according to their own recommended times. Make sure the water stays at the right temperature too. Some people place the vegetable in cheesecloth or a metal basket this does helps with taking them out of the water at the right time.

For steam blanching, you have to leave the vegetables in a bit longer and not have them submersed into the water. Use a steamer basket for this method.

After blanching, you can pack them in freezer proof containers and freeze them. Mark them with the date before freezing them though. When you first place the containers in the freezer leave a bit of space between them so they will freeze evenly.

You can also tray freeze them first and then place them in freezer bags or containers. This method allows you to take small portions out at a time and cook them and leave the rest frozen for later.

Freezing them at 0 degrees F is best and they can be good from 12 to 18 months usually.