“Cantaloupe tonight, dear, Dad’s got the car!” Get it? huh? yeah – it’s a groaner, but it is all about my tip today!
Did you know that you can freeze canteloupe? You can! You can also dehydrate it! Seriously!
How to Freeze Canteloupe
- Cut canteloupe in half.
- Clean out the pulp
- Cut in quarters or eighths – whichever works best for you.
- Edge knife around the quarter to remove the husk
- cut pieces into 2″ squares
- Line on a cookie sheet and flash freeze
- Store frozen segments in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months (you can store longer, this is just the recommended time – I find that much longer leaves them beginning to lose their appeal)
Here’s how I used it:
Cantaloupe Watermelon Smoothie
- 3 C watermelon – cubed (I actually just used some frozen watermelon that we stock in the freezer)
- 1 C cantaloupe cubed – I just cubed it and froze it like it is
- 1 small handful spinach leaves
- 1/2 C strawberries
- 1/2 C yogurt
- tsp each of flax or chai seed (pretty much a staple in all of our smoothies)
- some ice
- some fruit juice or water – I find that a little liquid makes it easier to process
This made 4 8oz glasses for breakfast – but that’s because I’m sure I added more watermelon and cantaloupe than this – I tend to just fill the blender. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this.
It would also make great freezer pops, too!
Factoid: According to food expert Alton Brown, most canteloupe that we see in the US really isn’t canteloupe, but musk melon.
How to Dehydrate Canteloupe
- Follow the procedure above to cut and clean your canteloupe
- Cut the wedges into 1/4″ slices (not chunks)
- Layout on dehydrator trays in single layer, not touching
- Dehydrate on 125-130 F until chewy but firm (depending on weather and how ripe your canteloupe is, may take 18-20 hours)
- Store in airtight container. I tend to store mine in zip top bags in a canning jar because they don’t last long enough for longer storage!
These make great snacks!
Tip – cut into smaller portions and they make great additions to granola or oatmeal!
Need a Dehydrator? Check out my Nesco FD-80 review here.
