Every month we explore the who, what, where, when and why of an important topic so by the end of the month, you’ll have more information and confidence to make meaningful changes to eat and live better with IBD.

Much of our newsletter content in 2021 will focus on getting back to the basics.  

This month’s theme: The Advantages of Frozen Fruit

Most of us don’t eat the recommended 1-2 cups of fruit per day any time of the year, but eating fruit in the winter is especially difficult because fresh fruit is scarce (more so in some parts of the world than others). No problem! Go frozen. 

Over the past two weeks we talked about why fruit is an important part of a well-balanced diet, its many health benefits, specifically for those with IBD, and practical tips for adding more frozen fruit to your diet.

Week 1: The Many Advantages of Frozen Fruit

Week 2: The Many Ways to Eat Frozen Fruit

USES FOR FROZEN FRUIT

Scott says…

The ability to pick quality fruit - knowing which piece of fruit is going to be delicious and which you should leave at the store - runs strong in my family. 

My dad grew up in Florida and ate lots of, and became really good at picking, fresh fruit. Our family loved this off the beaten fruit shop that we’d drive out of the way to visit called “The Produce Market”. To this day, my dad makes extravagant fruit platters - even when we’re running late!  

My sister worked at a store (like a Whole Foods Market) as a ‘Foodie’ where her job was to pick a delicious piece of fruit right off the shelf and cut it up for customers to sample on the spot. She too has the gift for selecting the best fruits. 

And I… don’t have that gift.

I was, however, spoiled by having access to lots of fresh fruit. I ate little frozen fruit. If anything, I viewed frozen fruit as inferior both in taste and health benefits.

Sometimes, it’s good to be wrong. 

Frozen fruit can be delicious, and as Colleen mentioned, nutritious.

Lucky for me, the ability to pick the best piece of fruit off the shelf doesn’t help with frozen fruit one bit.

Frozen fruit to me means smoothies.

Frozen fruit and smoothies are a match made in heaven. Frozen fruit helps to keep smoothies cold without watering them down like ice. Fruits last long in the freezer so you don’t have to worry about them spoiling as quickly. They’re available year round, when many fresh fruits are not, and it’s easy to mix and match frozen fruits for lots of different flavor combinations.  

I find the most consistently delicious frozen fruits are pineapple and raspberry. But that’s not all we buy. Here are the frozen fruit Bertina and I use most often:

• pineapple
• raspberry
• strawberry
• blueberry
• mango

For a long time, I avoided most berries because I was afraid of the seeds. Even now, they make me a little nervous because they’re rough. But I’ve found that when I blend the fruits thoroughly, they’re not a problem. I ramped up slowly, starting first with the smaller and softer strawberries before adding seedier raspberries.

Frozen Treats

Another way I enjoy frozen fruit - especially pineapples and grapes - is right out of the freezer. Just one or two pieces at a time, I let them sit out for a few minutes to soften juuuuust a bit. Chefs kiss.

Similarly, and I have Kyla to thank for this one, you can soak the frozen fruit in hot water for a couple minutes to soften them. This trick works well for frozen mango pieces. They taste more like fresh fruit. 

By the way, washing grapes and putting them right in the freezer is a great way to save grapes that might otherwise spoil, and they’re delicious when they’re extra cold. Cotton candy grapes aren’t available year-round, so if you come across any, I highly recommend freezing them!

Prepare for taste inconsistencies among frozen fruit

If you have a poor opinion of frozen fruit, remember that as much as it might seem like frozen fruit should be as consistent in taste as a box of crackers, frozen fruit is still fruit. Sometimes it’s sweet, and other times it’s not.

I keep a box of dates on hand for when I’m making smoothies with slightly sour frozen fruit. I’ll add 1-2 dates per smoothie. Dates are a terrific substitute for added sugars, like maple syrup, honey or table sugar.

I usually forget to do this, but it’s a good idea to soak the dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften them.

Coming up later in the month… 

Stay tuned! Next week Bertina will share an original IBD-friendly jam recipe using frozen fruit.

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Did you know that smoothies are one of the simplest and tastiest ways for people with inflammatory bowel disease to consume wholesome foods, including fruits, vegetables and other high-fiber foods, like nuts and seeds EVEN while following a “low-fiber” diet.

Learn everything you ever wanted to know in our book Smoothies to the Rescue!  

Check it out

Do you have a question or comment about these topics, or something else? Just reply with your to this email and it may appear in an upcoming newsletter.

In good health,

Colleen, Bertina & Scott