So you have blueberries at home. Get excited! Blueberries bring big flavor and an unmistakable pop of color to any snack or meal. Here are some tips and ideas for snacking, baking, healthy swaps, and even getting kids into blueberries.
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Calling All Bakers!
Find blueberry recipes for every level of baking experience.
If you’ve ever baked with blueberries, you probably know they can sink to the bottom of the pan. It creates a tasty blueberry burst, but sometimes you just want that even distribution throughout! Here are a few simple ways to get blueberries evenly distributed.
Avoid over blending during the first stage of mixing, which can lead to thinner batter and sinking berries.
Coat blueberries with flour or cornstarch before stirring them into the batter.
Spread half of your batter in the pan, then add half the blueberries. Spread the remaining batter on top, then top it all off with the remaining blueberries.
Try substituting dried blueberries for a different approach – they stay in place, maintain a more structured texture and are less likely to burst when hot.
Add Blueberries, Not Blue Coloring
When you’re baking with blueberries, you know you’ll get something delicious—but blueberries act and look different from dish to dish. These techniques can help achieve your desired color for your batters and baked goods.
Minimize streaking by gently folding blueberries into your batter at the end of the mix cycle.
Stop color leeching and streaking by adding frozen blueberries to your batter before they have a chance to thaw, then baking your dish immediately.
Prevent your batter and baked goods from turning a purple-blue hue by rinsing frozen blueberries several times in cold water until the water becomes lighter in color. Then pat them dry on a paper towel and fold into your batter gently.
Brighten your overall blueberry hue (if you want to bring out the blue tones) by adding a little lemon juice to your mixture.
Blueberry Baking Chemistry
The secret to beautifully colored berries in baked goods or smoothies? Believe it or not, it’s the pH scale. Here’s what that means for your recipes.
Blueberries turn reddish when exposed to acids, such as lemon juice and vinegar.
Blueberries turn greenish-blue in a batter that has too much baking soda (or grey in a smoothie with a lot of dairy), which creates an alkaline environment.
Pro Tip
Mixing a little lemon juice into your batter or smoothie will give you a more vibrant color
Blueberry Pairing 101
This small fruit goes big when it comes to versatility. Blueberries pair well with a variety of flavors, cuisines and meals. As you make a shopping list or ponder your next snack, keep these pairings in mind.
Classic Blueberry Flavor Combos
Lemon
At the very top of the list is sweet-tart blueberries and sharp lemon, an almost unbeatable combination. (But don’t sleep on blueberries + other citrus flavors, including lime, orange and even grapefruit.)
Blueberries are the ultimate complement to cheesecake in any form. Whether the blueberries act as a simple topping or one of a complex swirl of ingredients, you almost can’t have cheesecake without this fruit!
Blueberries and bananas go hand in hand, eaten on their own or blended up into one of an almost infinite number of smoothie recipes. Bananas bring the creaminess; blueberries bring the pop of color and flavor.
Blueberries work equally well in savory snacks and dishes, bringing a burst of sweet-tart that counters and complements zesty or aromatic flavors. Here are a few must-try ideas.
Balsamic vinegar and blueberries
These two make a powerhouse pair for salad dressings and vinaigrettes, sauces and glazes for poultry, meat and vegetables. You can even use them for a blueberry compote to top sweet treats like pound cake.
This combo is almost cheating, as blueberries make a delicious partner for savory and sweet cheeses alike. They add a fresh, juicy pop to feta and other salty cheeses in salads and grain bowls. Mascarpone shows up in many blueberry recipes as well, serving equally well in savory crostini as a sweet bread pudding.
Charcuterie boards will never be the same! Blueberries bring just the right sweet, juicy balance to the smoky flavors of bacon, salami, prosciutto and other cured meats. Pair them up on your favorite boards, in salads and on sandwiches.
Healthy, delicious blueberries are a good source of fiber and Vitamin C and provide various vitamins and minerals. Add a boost of blue to the usual ingredients or make a healthy swap – a simple, no-stress choice you can feel good about, inside and out.
Breakfast and Baking
Try a new topping:Instead of drizzling syrup on homemade pancakes or waffles, try adding defrosted frozen blueberries for a delicious, naturally sweet flavor.
Choose plain or vanilla yogurt:Top with blueberries for more nutrition and less sugar than the flavored options.
Elevate your post-workout smoothie:Replace the ice with a handful of frozen blueberries for sweetness and an extra-creamy consistency.
Add to baked goods:Next time you’re making chocolate chip cookies or muffins, use fresh blueberries instead of chocolate chips for some natural sweetness with no added sugar!
Snacks and Refreshers
Rev up your trail mix:Make your own homemade trail mix, but skip the candy and use unsweetened, dried blueberries instead. We love the combination of dried blueberries, nuts, dark chocolate and coconut flakes.
Skip the plain ice cubes and sugary drinks:Rather than turning to sugary beverages or sodas, drop some frozen blueberries in a glass and top with unsweetened sparkling water for a super-refreshing treat!
Spice up your summer spritzer:Add a few blueberries into your drink or swap simple syrup for muddled blueberries.
Brighten up frozen yogurt or ice cream:Swap out the candies and sugary syrups and top your chilly treats with fresh or frozen blueberries!
Whip up blueberry “nice” cream:Make this simple dessert with frozen blueberries on nights when you want something just as delicious and refreshing as the real thing.
Savory-Sweet Treats
Upgrade your salad:Many salad recipes call for sweetened dried fruit or other toppings high in sugar. Try adding some fresh or (unsweetened) dried blueberries instead.
Crunch on this:Add freeze-dried blueberries on top of a salad in place of croutons for a crunchy and nutritious addition.
Smush up your PBJ:Next time you’re making a classic PB&J, let your blueberries be the” jelly.” Just mash up some fresh blueberries and spread them alongside your peanut butter!
Grocery Store Switch-Ups
Next time you’re buying groceries, consider changing up some items on your list for healthier options, or a homemade version.
Salad dressings:Try making your own homemade version! Mix pureed blueberries with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a tangy dressing you’ll love.
Fruit snacks:If your kids are craving fruit snacks, reach for unsweetened dried blueberries to get that hint of sweetness with less added sugar.
Baby food:Skip the store-bought options and puree your own blueberries to boost infant/toddler fruit intake.
Sweeten up your entree:Swap out your typical BBQ sauce for blueberry preserves next time you’re making pork chops
Breakfast cereal:Ditch those sugary cereals and reach for one that offers more whole grains. Then add fresh blueberries for a hint of sweetness.
Here are a few of our favorite tips from parents that help kids develop an interest and sense of ownership in snack and mealtimes.
Celebrate the science
Baking is a science you can only master over time. For older kids and teens, you have an opportunity to work side by side, showing them how it all works — and maybe even teaching a little about patience and persistence along the way. And you can’t beat the time spent together doing something fun and productive.
Demonstrate cause and effect
Cooking and baking allows kids to follow a process from start to finish, going from raw ingredients to an assembled mixture to the final product. Let them see, smell, taste and touch along the way where possible.
Build math skills
Following a recipe can help kids build their math skills, from measuring to calculating what you need to double or cut a recipe in half. Or, blueberries are so easy and fun, just give the kids a handful and have them count them before eating.
Get them on your level
Whether you’re rinsing blueberries at the sink or prepping at the kitchen counter or table, make sure kids have chairs or stools that allow them to be part of the action. They’ll enjoy helping when they can – and watching what you do, too.
Go right to the source
Take trips to local farms as well as the farmer’s market. Let kids see where and how their food grows and talk to the passionate people who grow them.
