Packed with iron, calcium and vitamin A, spinach is a leafy green that boasts both nutritional value and flavor. Enjoyable by itself or as an addition to practically any entrée it’s added to, spinach is both a spring and fall crop that thrives in the cooler weather. If you plan on freezing spinach until it comes time to use it, it will need to be cooked, or at least blanched, to help stop the enzyme activity which could cause it to go bad.
Step 1.
Wash the spinach under cool running water to help rinse away dirt and debris.
Step 2.
Tear off or cut away damaged leaves and woody stems with a knife.
Step 3.
Place the spinach leaves into a pot of rapidly boiling water.
Step 4.
Boil the leaves for two to three minutes before pouring the contents of the pot into a colander.
Step 5.
Soak the spinach leaves in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and cool them off.
Step 6.
Remove the spinach from the ice water after a few minutes and set them out on paper towels to allow them air dry.
Step 7.
Place the spinach leaves into large freezer bags and seal them up tightly expelling excess air.
Step 8.
Write the current date on the bag before placing it into the freezer.
Things You Will Need
Knife
Pot
Colander
Bowl
Ice cubes
Paper towels
Freezer bag
Tip
Spinach can be kept in the freezer for up to one year.
Warning
Do not steam blanch spinach.
References
Writer Bio
Melynda Sorrels spent 10 years in the military working in different capacities of the medical field, including dental assisting, health services administration, decontamination and urgent medical care. Awarded the National Guardsman’s Medal for Lifesaving efforts in 2002, Sorrels was also a nominee for a Red Cross Award and a certified EMT-B for four years.