This post is part of my garden freezing series, where I’m sharing three simple ways to preserve the harvest:
- easy no-blanch freezer foods,
- blanch-and-freeze vegetables, and
- cooked vegetables for the freezer.
In this post, I’m covering the easy stuff — the garden produce you can prep and freeze without blanching.
Want all three freezer methods in one printable guide?
I love putting up garden produce for later in the year, especially when the freezer starts to feel like a quiet little backup pantry. Some vegetables need to be blanched before freezing, but a few summer favorites are even easier: just prep them, freeze them, and stash them away for winter.
Peppers
Peppers are one of the easiest things to freeze. I wash them, remove the stems and seeds, and slice or chop them depending on how I plan to use them later. Sometimes I leave them whole for stuffed peppers. Then I spread the pieces on a tray or place them directly into freezer bags. Frozen peppers are great for soups, omelets, stir-fries, casseroles, and stuffed peppers.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another simple freezer food. I usually core them, then place them whole into a gallon freezer bag. This is especially helpful in August when I’m overwhelmed with produce and don’t have time to process everything right away. In winter, when I have more time, I take them out of the freezer. Once they thaw, the skins slip off easily, which makes them especially handy for sauces, soups, and stews.
If I have a bumper crop, freezing tomatoes is one of the fastest ways to deal with them before they start to soften on the counter.
Zucchini
Zucchini is a little more flexible. I usually shred it before freezing, since that works well for muffins, breads, and casseroles. If I want to use it in soups or skillet dishes, I may slice it instead. Zucchini has a high water content, so it won’t always hold its texture perfectly after thawing, but it is still worth freezing when the garden is overflowing. I’ve found that it helps to prep the veggie the way I expect to use it later, because that makes it much more likely I’ll actually use it.
Berries
Berries are one of my favorite easy freezer foods. After washing and drying them well, I spread them on a tray and freeze them before bagging. This keeps them from clumping together so I can grab just what I need for smoothies, muffins, pancakes, or cobblers. Frozen berries are one of those things that make winter breakfasts feel a little brighter.
If you like having a quick reference, here’s a simple guide for these easy freezer foods:
| Food | General Method | How Long It Keeps in the Freezer | Best Use After Thawing |
| Peppers | Wash, remove stems and seeds, slice or chop, then freeze on a tray or in bags | 8–12 months | Soups, omelets, stir-fries, casseroles, stuffed peppers |
| Tomatoes | Core and freeze whole in freezer bags | 6–12 months | Sauces, soups, stews |
| Zucchini | Shred or slice, then freeze in portions | 8–12 months | Muffins, breads, casseroles, soups |
| Berries | Wash, dry well, tray-freeze, then bag | 8–12 months | Smoothies, muffins, pancakes, cobblers |
The nice thing about these foods is that they don’t require a lot of extra steps. If you’re short on time, they’re a great way to preserve a harvest quickly and keep food from going to waste.
What easy freezer foods do you like to put away from the garden? Share your favorites in the comments.
If this post was helpful, please like and share it with a friend who loves preserving garden produce.
Read More Here: Zone 4B Vegetable Garden Ideas: What We Planted in 2026
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