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Can You Freeze Prunes?

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By Ross Young

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Prunes are dried plums, and they’re deliciously sweet, making them an ideal snack or the perfect addition to a range of baked goods and desserts. But can prunes be frozen?

Can You Freeze Prunes?

Yes, you can freeze prunes for up to 12 months. Simply bag them up or place them in an airtight container before placing them in the freezer. (Full Instructions Below – Canned, Fresh, etc)

Do Prunes Freeze Well? Yes

Can You Refreeze Prunes? No

How to Freeze Prunes

Prunes

Most people store prunes at room temperature, as they will be good in the pantry for several months without deteriorating in taste or texture. This is because of their low moisture content and the fact that they’ve been dried.

However, freezing prunes is a great way to preserve them long into the future, and here are the steps you need to follow: 

  1. Portion: If you have a large batch of prunes ready for the freezer, split them into smaller portion sizes before freezing them. It’s entirely up to you how you go about this, but consider how you plan to use them in the future before bagging them up. 
  2. Bag Up: Once you’ve laid out your portions of prunes, place them into freezer-safe bags. Make sure you press out as much air as possible before sealing the bag, as this will protect the prunes from freezer burn. You can use airtight containers instead of bags if you wish. 
  3. Label and Freeze: Write today’s date and the use-by date on the front of the freezer-safe bags and place your prunes in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze prunes for around twelve months.

What About Tinned Prunes?

Excess liquid will cause freezer burn and affect the texture of your prunes so be sure to drain them first.

3 Tips for Freezing Prunes

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing prunes to have the best results:

Room Temperature (0-3 months)
You can store prunes is at room temperature for at least three months in the pantry or kitchen cupboard. As soon as you open the bag, transfer them into an airtight container, so they don’t spoil. This is a decent option if you don’t want to freeze them. 

Refrigerate (0-6 months)
The cool temperature of your refrigerator can help prunes maintain their freshness. Just make sure to keep them in an airtight container to prevent them from absorbing any odors from other foods in the fridge. 

Freeze Only Once (up to 12 months)
Prunes don’t respond particularly well to the refreezing. Again, this is because of the moisture content that causes changes in the consistency of the prunes.

Therefore, make sure you freeze your prunes in smaller portion sizes so you can easily remove what you need at any given time. This means you don’t need to worry about refreezing them. 

How Long Can You Freeze Prunes?

You can freeze prunes for around twelve months. In other words, this is the best way to preserve them for the long run.

You can keep prunes at room temperature in a sealed container for around three months, and in the refrigerator for around 6 months.

If you need them to keep longer than that, freezing is the best option.

How Do You Defrost Prunes?

If you’re planning to use prunes in a smoothie or as part of a recipe, you don’t actually need to defrost them and can use them straight from frozen.

However, if you want to enjoy them as a healthy and delicious snack, you will need to thaw them before tucking in.

Simply transfer the frozen prunes from your freezer to the fridge the night before you plan to enjoy them. Alternatively, you can leave the prunes at room temperature until they have completely thawed. However, if you do this, you can NOT refreeze them…you’ll have to use them (see below).

Can You Refreeze Prunes?

No, you should only freeze prunes once. When you defrost prunes, their consistency changes affecting the overall taste and texture. Also……

WARNING

There is an increased risk of foodborne pathogens if you refreeze partially thawed fruits & raw or blanched vegetables.

This is why we recommend freezing your batch of prunes in smaller portion sizes – it makes it much easier to remove what you need at any given time.

Do Prunes Freeze Well?

Prune freeze well for up to twelve months.

So, if you have a big batch of prunes that you don’t want to waste, consider portioning and bagging them up before preserving them in the freezer.

If you’ve still got questions about freezing prunes or prunes in general, then these may help:

How Long Do Prunes Last in the Fridge?

Prunes will keep for an exceptionally long time when stored in the fridge. They can be kept in the fridge for around 6 months.

Can You Freeze Dried Prunes?

Yes, dried prunes can be frozen but it’s worth noting that they will keep in the fridge, once opened, for around 6 months.

Can You Freeze Tinned Prunes?

Yes, you can. Drain the prunes from a tin before freezing them. Excess liquid will cause freezer burn and affect the texture of the prunes. Once drained, you can place them in an airtight container or freezer bag before freezing.

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2 thoughts on “Can You Freeze Prunes?”

  1. I am unsure if when freezing unused tinned prunes you should drain the juice off before freezing or freeze the prunes in the juice that was in the can they came in. Would you advise?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Thanks so much for this question! We’ve updated our post to help others who’ve had the same concern.

      It’s a good idea to drain prunes from a tin before freezing them. The excess liquid will cause freezer burn and affect the texture of your prunes. Once drained, you can place them in an airtight container or freezer bag before freezing.
      Hope that helps!

      Reply

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