Sometimes grocery store runs leave us with far too much fresh produce. There’s a reason they say never grocery shop on an empty stomach! If your trip to the market leaves you with more avocados than you can use before they ripen, you do have another option… freeze them! Freezing avocados is a great way to preserve them when you think you might not eat them in time. It’s difficult to freeze avocado without turning brown, and it does lose some of its vibrant green color, but it is still great in guacamole, mashed onto toast (or avocado chocolate smoothie anyone?).
How do you store avocados in the freezer?
The best way to freeze avocado is to use an airtight, freezer-safe method. There are two options depending on how you plan to use the fruit later on.
Freeze Mashed Avocado
This method is great for using in smoothies, soups, or of course, guac (and in fact you can use this same method to freeze guac)!
Freeze Avocado in Pieces
This method will leave you will avocado pieces great for using in salads, sandwiches, or wherever solid avo is desired.
Do avocados turn brown in the freezer?
Though avocados’ nutrients are preserved when frozen, the fruit can sometimes turn slightly mushy or brown. The brown color comes from the oxidation process. To prevent this, you can drizzle a bit of lemon juice on top of the avo prior to freezing!
Can you freeze a whole avocado
Storing entire avocados isn’t ideal, as they don’t tend to thaw as nicely as we’d like. However, if you’re crunched for time or the alternative is to just throw the fruit away… by all means, freeze it! You can stick a whole avo in the freezer if needed. Just be sure to let it thaw before you try to cut into it. Frozen whole avocados will work well in soups and smoothies.
How To Thaw Frozen Avocado
To thaw frozen avocado, move them to room temp about an hour before you plan on using them (or move to the fridge the night before using them). Use thawed avocado within 2 days, and keep tightly covered to minimize browning.
