Beyond Smoothies: Simple Ways to Use Frozen Fruit

Preserves nutrients: Frozen fruit is usually picked at peak ripeness and flash-frozen within hours, which locks
in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—often making it as nutritious (or more) than fresh fruit that’s been sitting in transit or on store shelves.

Minimally processed: Most frozen fruit contains no added sugar, salt, or preservatives—just the fruit itself.

Affordable: Typically cheaper than fresh fruit, especially for out-of-season varieties.

Long shelf life: Keeps for months in the freezer.

Ready-to-use: Often already washed, peeled, pitted or sliced, saving prep time.

Year-round availability: Enjoy seasonal fruits (like berries, cherries or peaches) even when they’re not in season.

Reduces food waste: No rush to eat before it spoils.

Consistent quality: No guessing if it’s ready to eat — frozen fruit is picked when ripe.

Emergency backup: Great for when fresh fruit isn’t available.

Flavors plain water: Put a few chunks of frozen fruit in your water to keep it cold and flavorful!

Ingredients
1 ½ cups pitted frozen cherries
1 cup cottage cheese (I used 4% fat)
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions
Add cottage cheese and honey to blender. In small batches, add frozen cherries and blend until smooth. Gradually keep adding cherries until all ingredients are well blended. If you have a very powerful blender or food processor, you may be able to add all the cherries at once. 

Alternatively, you can defrost the cherries overnight in the refrigerator and add them all at once to your blender. Pour into two bowls, and top with desired toppings (I used granola and sliced almonds).

Makes 2 servings. Nutrition per serving (without toppings): Calories: 155 | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Fiber: 2g. Adapted from Ways to My Heart

Ingredients
2 pounds frozen strawberries (about 3 cups)
16 ounces half and half
5 ounces plain Greek Yogurt (I used 2% fat)
2 tablespoons sweetener of choice (I used granulated sugar)

Instructions
Add half-and-half, yogurt, and sweetener to a blender.
In small batches, add frozen strawberries and blend until smooth. Gradually keep adding strawberries until all ingredients are well blended.

If you have a very powerful blender or food processor, you may be able to add all the strawberries at once. Alternatively, you can defrost the strawberries overnight in the refrigerator and add them all at once to your blender.

Serve the soup chilled.

Makes 6 servings. Nutrition per serving: Calories: 190 | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Fiber: 3g. Adapted from 40 Aprons

Ingredients
1 ¾ cups plus 1 teaspoon white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup honey
2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% fat)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or place muffin liners in each cup.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ¾ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and honey and whisk until blended. Add the eggs and beat well. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla, mixing until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a large spoon just until combined (a few lumps are okay).

In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 teaspoon flour (this helps prevent them from sinking). Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. The mixture will be thick, but don’t worry.

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake for 15–17 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack. If needed, run a butter knife along the outer edges to loosen the muffins.

Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 12 muffins. Nutrition per muffin: Calories: 190 | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 3g. Adapted from Cookie and Kate

Ingredients
9 cups frozen sliced peaches
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the peaches into a large bowl and toss with the cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar, then spread into the prepared baking dish.

In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and melted butter. Stir together until crumbly, then spread the topping over the peaches in the pan and press down slightly.

Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the peaches are bubbly and soft. If the topping begins to brown too much, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking. Let cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Makes 12 servings. Nutrition per serving: Calories: 250 | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 3g. Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients
2 ½ cups frozen diced mango
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% fat)
3 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 pinch salt
½ cup water

Instructions
Add the yogurt, honey, cardamom, lime juice, salt, and water to a blender. In small batches, add the frozen mango and blend until smooth, gradually adding the rest until all ingredients are well blended. If you have a very powerful blender or food processor, you may be able to add all the mango at once. Alternatively, you can defrost the mango overnight in the refrigerator and then add it all at once to your blender.

Distribute the mixture among 10 Dixie cups, filling each about three-quarters full to allow room for expansion while freezing. Cover each cup with foil or Press’n Seal, insert wooden popsicle sticks into the center, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.

Makes 10 popsicles. Nutrition per popsicle: Calories: 60 | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 1g. Adapted from Shutterbean

Ingredients
2 cups frozen fruit of your choice, (strawberries,
blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches,
cherries, or a combination)
2 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions
Place the fruit in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1–2 minutes, until softened and beginning to release some juices. Alternatively, you can heat the fruit in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Once heated, mash the fruit with a fork or potato masher until mostly broken down, leaving some chunks for texture. Stir in the chia seeds and let the mixture set in the fridge for at least 4 hours to allow the chia seeds to absorb the liquid and thicken into a jam.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Makes 4 servings. Nutrition per serving: Calories: 35 | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 3g