12 Ways to Use Up and Preserve Fresh Peaches

Peaches are one of those blink and you’ll miss them sort of foods.  They are only in season for such a short time, so really making the most out of the season is crucial {if you’re a peach fan, that is}.  Sure, you can find them in non-peak season, but you’ll pay an arm and a leg, and they just don’t taste the same.  So, stock up now while the gettin’ is good.

Preserving

1. Can them.  Canning peaches is easy, and they make for a quick fruit option for any winter meal.  They are also pretty darn delicious with cottage cheese or in peach cobbler.
2. Freeze them.  Freezing peaches for smoothies or other dessert recipes works great–especially when you have a craving in the dead of winter and want them to taste like they are in peak season.
3. Dehydrate them in the form of fruit leathers.  Homemade fruit leathers are way easier to make than you might think.
4. Turn them into jam.  Peach jam tastes delish on toast and freezer jam will take you hardly any time to make.  Regular jam works too, if you don’t have the freezer space.

Ways to Enjoy Them Fresh

1. Add them to any summer fruit salad.  Basically just slice and toss them with a bunch of seasonal fruit–always a hit at BBQ’s.
2. Grill them.  This is easily one of the best ways to eat peaches, and that is not just my opinion, it’s widely accepted as fact. 🙂
3. Make a peach salsa.  If you like your sweet with a little kick, this stuff is for you.  It’s inspired by mango salsa, but the day I decided to whip it up, I only had peaches.   Turns out, not having mangoes on hand was a happy little turn of events.
4. Throw them into smoothies.  Pretty much any combination goes, but The Girl’s strawberry peach smoothie is a great place to start.

Desserts

1. Desserts are basically where peaches shine.  Peach Crisp is awesome because you can make it with fresh or frozen peaches, plus it makes a great freezer dessert, so you can enjoy one now and a put a couple more in the freezer for later.
2. Ginger Peach Freezer Pops are like adult Popsicles.  They are sweet with a hint of grown up.
3. There is nothing more summer-time than a good cobbler.  I personally like blueberry peach cobbler.  It’s a taste explosion.
4. I’ve never met a fruit pie I didn’t like.  Honestly, all pies have my heart, fruit or not.  Peach pie is no exception.

What’s your favorite way to eat peaches?

~Mavis