The Step You Can't Forget Before Juicing Frozen Fruits And Veggies

Frozen fruits and veggies are ideal for making cold, creamy, nutritious smoothies, but they may not hold up so well in your juicer. In fact, if you toss rock-hard berries or apples into your juicer, you're probably going to end up with a broken machine. 

These devices get liquid out of your produce with a high-speed spinning blade that separates the juice from the rest of the flesh — or, in the case of a cold press juicer, by subjecting it to immense pressure. Frozen fruits and veggies are too hard to get properly squished and pulverized in these machines, so they may end up damaging your blades at best.

However, you can use produce out of the freezer to make juice — just make sure to thaw it completely first so it's soft enough to make its way through your device. Using frozen fruits and veggies can be a strategic way to avoid food waste and produce a juice that has similar nutritional value to a fresh fruit version, according to Healthline. So it's worth it to plan ahead and place your food in the fridge the night before to thaw safely.

Not only is it possible to juice frozen fruits and vegetables (once thawed), but it may even be more advantageous to do so. If you've ever warmed up frozen berries, you know how much juice is generated once they become room temperature, which happens because their cells break down more easily. 

It's even possible to juice thawed frozen fruits with your hands, which leads to a liquid with a more concentrated flavor since the food doesn't have time to oxidize in a machine. If you do use a juicer, however, make sure to save all that liquid and throw it in. If your produce isn't already in bite-size pieces, try cutting it into smaller chunks once thawed so the juicer will digest it more easily.

One potential downside of using produce from the freezer is that it may have freezer burn. If you notice that ice crystals have formed, try adding a little lemon or lime juice into your machine with the rest of your ingredients to brighten the flavors. Or, try incorporating a little extra liquid into your juicer to balance out any dryness. Not sure where to start with juicing? If you've got frozen pineapple or spinach on hand right now, try thawing it to make a crisp and gingery green juice.