Orange juice is super nutritious.
It’s full of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, iron, folate, and fiber.
But as delicious and healthy as this drink is, it has a relatively high sugar content. Therefore, you might not want to drink it all in one go.
So now you’re wondering: is it possible to freeze orange juice?
The short answer is yes. You can freeze orange juice.
In this article, we’ll take you through exactly how to store orange juice in the freezer, how long you can expect your frozen orange juice to last, plus the other storage methods, so you know you’re picking the right one.
Here’s the lowdown: You won’t be able to tell the difference between thawed orange juice and normal orange juice. The best bit? Orange juice keeps for up to a year in the freezer!
Should I Freeze My Orange Juice?
First thing first: you should never refreeze your orange juice.
Doing so runs the risk of bacteria multiplying and the orange juice going bad.
Other than that, it’s simple! Orange juice that’s been frozen and thawed will be exactly the same as its non-frozen counterpart.
How To Freeze Orange Juice
You’ve got a few options regarding how to freeze your orange juice. First up, you can always just freeze it in the carton.
To be on the safe side, open your carton (even if it hasn’t been opened yet) and pour out a bit of orange juice. The aim is to have at least 1.5 inches of empty space at the top.
Otherwise, your orange juice will expand once frozen, and your carton could explode if it doesn’t have enough space.
If you’ve got a flimsy carton, or your bottle doesn’t fit well in your freezer, then feel free to transfer the orange juice to an airtight container. Just pop that container in the freezer, and you’re done!
The last option is to use an ice cube tray. Give your bottle of orange juice a good mix or shake beforehand, then pour it into an ice cube tray.
Be sure to leave a bit of space at the top to allow the orange juice to expand. Then, pop that tray in an airtight container or cover it with aluminum foil to stop the cold freezer air from hitting your juice.
After the flash freezing process is over (about 2 hours), transfer the orange juice ice cubes to an airtight container, seal them, and put that in the freezer.
This ice cube method is great if you only drink a bit of orange juice at a time, so you don’t want to defrost a whole solid chunk!
How Long Frozen Orange Juice Lasts
Now to the good part.
Store-bought orange juice that’s stored in the freezer lasts for 8-12 months.
If you’ve bought freshly-squeezed orange juice or squeezed your own juice, then expect it to last 3-4 months in your freezer.
Once you’ve thawed your orange juice, try to consume it within a week. To enjoy it at its best, drinking it within 2-3 days is a good idea.
Since orange juice goes off quite quickly after it’s been thawed, the ice cube tray method is an awesome way to make portioning easier, so you only defrost what you need!
Other Ways To Store Orange Juice
Is freezing the right option for you? Let’s run through the other storage alternatives.
Orange juice that is shelf stable and sold unrefrigerated will last 7-10 days in the refrigerator once opened.
Just be sure to always close the cap tightly, and try not to store your orange juice in the refrigerator door, where you might usually keep it. That’s actually the warmest part of the refrigerator and most prone to temperature fluctuations.
Before you’ve opened shelf-stable orange juice, feel free to leave it in a cool, dark, dry place. Think pantry or kitchen cupboard that’s away from any heat sources, like the oven or stove.
For orange juice sold refrigerated, as long as you store it in the refrigerator as soon as you get home from the grocery store, it should last 3-5 days after its use-by date.
As for refrigerated orange juice that you’ve already opened, expect it to last up to seven days in the refrigerator.
Obviously, use your common sense here. If you opened your orange juice a day after the use-by date, don’t expect it to last a full week.
If you’ve gone through the effort of making fresh orange juice or bought the expensive stuff from the store, then freezing is a good option. Fresh orange juice only lasts 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
If you do choose the refrigerator option for your fresh juice, make sure you store it in an airtight, sealed container and not in the refrigerator door.
Freezing Orange Juice: The Need To Know
In case you need to refer back, here’s a quick summary of freezing orange juice:
- If you have an unopened, shelf-stable bottle of orange juice, it will last for months in your cupboard, so you probably don’t need to freeze it!
- Orange juice will last 8-12 months in the freezer.
- Orange juice that’s sold refrigerated will only last about a week once opened. Make sure you store it in the refrigerator!
- For easy portioning, flash-freeze your orange juice in ice cube trays before transferring it to a larger airtight container.
