It's Sunday, and it's time to go to the grocery store. All the summer fruits are out, and they look so colorful, bright and enticing. You look around while you are perusing the produce aisle, thinking that you'll buy so much fruit and be that healthy person this week. But a week later, you find all that beautiful produce, and all those good intentions, in a less-than-stellar condition. Before you throw away perfectly good fruit, see if your produce is good enough to freeze. Not only will you be cutting down on your average food waste, but some fruits are even better frozen. Here are some fruits to freeze and some fantastic recipes to use all year round. 

1. Bananas

banana, pasture, vegetable, yellow summer squash, Fruit, Market
Amelia Hitchens

Bananas go bad quickly on your counter in just a few days if you didn't buy them green. After a certain point, mushy bananas just aren't as appetizing. Frozen bananas, on the other hand, are one of the best fruits to freeze. Try them in Antoni's Coffee Banana smoothies, Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins or Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Pops. Don't forget to save the banana peels for some DIY beauty hacks.

2. Mango

mango, Fruit, mangoes, fruits, Healthy
Jocelyn Hsu

I have a tough time eating mangoes once they have softened, and no amount of Tajín can save a soft mango for me. Freezing them is way better than throwing away perfectly good fruit in the trash. Not to mention, it's awesome to have some tropical, sweet fruit on hand during the winter months. Try this aesthetic Raspberry Mango smoothie or these Pineapple Orange Banana Popsicles.

3. Strawberries

red berry, red fruit, Fruit, strawberry, berry, pasture, sweet
Amelia Hitchens

I have a habit of buying a ton of strawberries at Costco and never eating all of them. So I usually chop off the tops and save them for another day in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. Frozen strawberries are versatile so you can go beyond just adding them to smoothies. Blend them with frozen Greek yogurt to make Healthy Strawberry Milkshakes, add them to Chocolate and Yogurt Fruit Bites, or make Strawberry Piña Colada Pops.

4. Grapes

grape, grapes, Fruit, fruits, Farmers market, farmer's market
Dea Uy

Frozen grapes are not only great as an easy summer snack, but they can also be a way to keep your white wine cold without watering it down. A drink and a mini snack all in one? Yes, please. 

5. Watermelon

watermelon, melon
Tess Wei

I'm not a huge fan of fresh watermelon, but I'm all about frozen watermelon. It's refreshingly sweet and perfect for hot summer days. Make Frozen Watermelon Margaritas or Frozen Margarita Alcoholic Balls for your next summer cookout. 

6. Pineapple

pineapple, juice, tropical, Fruit
Sam Jesner

Pineapples are the sugar cubes of the fruit world; they instantly make anything wonderfully sweet while adding their signature tropical flavor. In their fresh state, they are a staple ingredient in most smoothie recipes and fruit trays, but they can do so much more in their frozen state. Blend them with lemonade to make a slushie version of this Pineapple Lemonade or use some of the other fruits on this list to make these colorful smoothie recipes.

7. Raspberries

raspberry, berry, sweet
Holly Park

All berries are great frozen, but raspberries are my personal favorite. They are slightly tangy, sweet, and add great color. You can use them in these Instagram-worthy smoothie bowls, chia seed marmalade, or as visually appealing additions to these frozen flavored ice cubes.

There are so many other fresh fruits that can be frozen and used at different times of the year. These just happen to be some of my personal favorites to buy fresh during summers in California. Either way, you won't have to buy frozen fruit if you start freezing the fresh stuff during the summer. It saves money, reduces food waste, and keeps you cool for the summer.