What to do with all those apples: storing, freezing and using them up

Sort before you store

Set aside bruised or damaged fruit for early use and discard mouldy or rotten apples. Store only sound fruit long-term and check it regularly. Gentle handling during picking and transport protects what you have paid for.

A mixed bag may contain apples with different keeping qualities. Ask the grower which varieties should be eaten first rather than assuming everything will last equally long.

Give good apples a cool home

A refrigerator crisper is useful for household storage. Protect apples from freezing, avoid washing the whole harvest before storage, and wash fruit before eating or preparing it.

Keeping time depends on variety, maturity and condition. Some apples keep for weeks; suitable storage varieties can last longer under good conditions. No single number of months is a guarantee for your harvest.

Freeze for cooking

Prepared apples can be frozen, but their texture softens after thawing. Peel and core if your recipe needs it, slice or chop, and follow a tested preservation guide for preparation and any anti-browning treatment.

Use freezer-safe containers, label the date and portion fruit for dishes you actually make. Frozen apples work well in cooked recipes rather than as a crisp fresh snack.

Use surplus thoughtfully

Sound but cosmetically imperfect apples can become sauce, crumble or a mixed-fruit bake. For shelf-stable jars, use a tested preserving recipe and exact processing instructions; improvising a canning method is not the same as cooking for immediate eating.

Questions before you go

Sources and further reading

• University of Minnesota Extension: apple storage
• National Center for Home Food Preservation: freezing apples