A hot summer day is perfect for enjoying a refreshing, healthy dessert like a fruit salad.
But if you have a leftover fruit salad or want to meal prep for the week, you might wonder if you can freeze fruit salad.
It could be handy if you needed to prepare in advance fruit salad for a big group.
Yes, you can freeze fruit salad! Freezing fresh fruit salad is a great way to preserve its taste and enjoy it for weeks or even months.
However, there are a few things you need to know about frozen fruit salad that will still taste good once it’s defrosted.
Similarly, Ambrosia Salad can be stored in the Freezer
Luckily, with the right steps, freezing fruit salad is easy and quick.
Read on to learn everything you need about freezing fruit salad, from how long it will last in the freezer to the best ways to defrost it.
How to Freeze a Fruit Salad That Will Last for Weeks
If you’d like an extra fruit salad that will last a few weeks, follow these steps: cut up your desired or favorite fruits, such as dragon fruits, banana slices, green grapes, and mandarin oranges, then make a light syrup (maple syrup) with water, sugar, lemon juice, or lime juice.
The addition of syrup protects the fruit from freezing and lessens freezer burn.
Freezing fruit salad and simple syrup is possible with an airtight container. Place the fruit inside your deep container and enough syrup to cover it completely; wrapping plastic around it will protect it from excessive moisture.
For the best healthy treat, freeze your mixed fruit of fresh ripe fruits or canned fruit in syrup for at least eight weeks.
If you wait longer than that to eat it, ice crystals can form and damage the cell walls of the fruits. Although some people prefer their fruit salads without mushy fruits, you can avoid this by eating it with ice crystals still present.
How to Freeze Your Fruit Salad Fresh for Months
You can easily freeze your fruit salad by using a baking sheet. Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces, spread them thinly on the baking sheet, and pat dry using a paper towel. Cover it with foil or plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 4 hours.
Once frozen, remove the tray from the freezer and put fruit inside the individual portions of plastic bags meant for freezing food or freezer-safe containers.
When sealing the bag, get all the air bubbles out.
Your frozen dessert will last in ideal conditions for three months.
How Long Does Fruit Salad Last in the Freezer?
Fruit salad will last anywhere from 2-4 months in the freezer if stored properly.
Be sure to label your containers with the date so you can track how long it has been frozen.
Once thawed, fruit salad should be eaten within two days for the best quality.
How to Defrost Fruit Salad
Fruit salad can be defrosted in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours but too long to prevent bacterial growth. You can also defrost it in a mixing bowl with cold water if you’re in a hurry.
Should You Refreeze Fruit Salad?
The main issue with refreezing fruit salad is that the fruits will start to break down and release their juice as they thaw. This means that when you refreeze the salad, the fruits will have lost some of their structure and will be mushy. In addition, the liquid from the thawed fruits will separate from the solids, making for a watery, unappetizing dish.
So, should you refreeze fruit salad? It could be better, but if you do it within 24 hours of initially freezing it and consume it within 2-3 days, always check for signs of spoilage. After that, it’s best to toss it out.
Will Frozen Fruit Salad Still Taste Good?
As long as your fruit salad is fresh, to begin with, and properly stored in the freezer, it should taste just as good after being defrosted. The texture of some fruits may change slightly—frozen strawberries or grapes, for instance, will be softer than fresh ones—but overall, your frozen fruit salad should taste delicious with cream cheese and vanilla ice cream on top.