Bake with Frozen Wild Blueberries This Holiday Season

As the cold weather sets in and winter snow starts to fall in New England, it really starts to feel like the holiday season is here. Break out the decorations and baking supplies, because it’s time to start preparing! If you’re the plan ahead type, then chances are you’re starting to put together your holiday shopping list – including the supplies you’ll need to bake some goodies for your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

This holiday, consider putting a *wild* spin on your traditional baked goods, appetizers, or drinks by adding some wild blueberries into the mix. Wild blues are frozen at the peak of freshness, loaded with nutrients, and are bursting with a wonderfully intense blueberry taste, making them the perfect addition to any holiday treat. 

Why Buy Frozen?

Unlike cultivated blueberries (which take 15+ days to be delivered to your home once picked before they’re ripe), wild blueberries are flash-frozen within 24 hours of harvest, locking in essential nutrients and preserving taste. Wild blueberries are delicious, convenient, and healthy. According to a UC Davis study, frozen fruits and vegetables have the same or greater nutritional value as fresh. Think of flash-freezing nature’s way of pressing the pause button. Still need some convincing? Here are some frozen food facts:

• Flash freezing fruit locks in fresh taste and nutrition.
• Research shows frozen fruit is often nutritionally superior to its fresh counterpart.
• Frozen food can help reduce the food waste epidemic in the US.
• 40% of all food produced in the US is not eaten. That’s $162 billion in wasted food each year.
• Frozen food generates 47% less food waste than ambient and chilled food in the home.

Finding Wild Blueberries in Stores

While grocery shopping, look for frozen wild blueberries from Maine, which are available in the frozen fruit section of your super market all year round. Here are some things you can look for to make sure you’re getting authentic wild blueberries:

• Look for the word “wild” on the package
• Check the list of ingredients on the back of the package for the word “wild”
• Feel the berries in the bag – if they are small and pea-sized, chances are you’ve got the wild ones!

Holiday Recipe Inspiration

Now that you’ve picked up some frozen wild blueberries from your local grocery store, we wanted to offer some *wild* inspiration to help you start your holiday season off right. Whether you’re attending a holiday party, or simply hosting a small get together at home, here are some of our favorite festive appetizers, baked goods, and drink recipes.

• Wild Blueberry Pecan Baked Brie with Holiday Spices: Nothing screams the holidays like melted cheese and delectable holiday spices. This Wild Blueberry Pecan Baked Brie appetizer will be the perfect start to your dinner lineup, preparing your families’ tummies for the numerous courses ahead. 

• Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Coins Wild Blueberry Goat Cheese: The name of this dish might be a mouthful, but so is the dish itself! Try these Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Coins topped with Wild Blueberries and Goat Cheese, the combo of sweet and tangy is absolutely delightful, and a unique treat to get the night started off right. 

• Wild Blueberry EggNog: As soon as the holiday season comes around, so does the seasonal supply of grocery store eggnog. This season, try putting a spin on your classic cup of eggnog with this Wild Blueberry EggNog – thick and creamy with the perfect hint of wild! 

• Spiced Wild Blueberry Cider: This recipe may sound complicated, but it’s not because you don’t have to ferment your own fruit! Just simmer some apple cider with some wild blueberries, and you’ll soon have some warm, Spiced Wild Blueberry Cider to snuggle up with by the fire.

• Wild Blueberry Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies: To help end the night right, break out these Wild Blueberry Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies, which contain the perfect amount of ginger, molasses, and white chocolate – YUM!

Looking for some more holiday recipe inspiration to spice up your table spread? Check out our last blog post for some flavorful holiday sides and dessert recipes, guaranteed to help you earn extra brownie points at any gathering you attend. From everyone here at Wild Blueberries, thank you for the continuous love and support we see from you all year round. We wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season. May your days be filled with love, laughs, and a whole lot of *wild*.