If you’re like me, then you probably go berry picking in the summer and come home with more berries than you know what to do with.
And if you’re like me, then you juice most of them because they’re just too good to eat whole.
But what do you do with all that leftover blueberry juice?
Here are a few ideas.
Freeze it
Pour the juice into ice cube trays and once they’re frozen, store them in a freezer bag.
Then, when you want a little sweet treat, pop one or two cubes into your mouth.
And if you make ice cream, add some of the juice to the custard base; it’ll give it a nice purple color and delicious flavor.
Make jelly
If you pick your berries at a commercial orchard, chances are that they’ve already been sprayed with pesticides.
But if you pick them yourself (in other words, you’re eating organic), make jelly out of the leftover juice.
It’s easy to do and it makes for a tasty spread on toast or biscuits in the morning.
You just need to add 3/4 cup of sugar to each cup of juice.
Heat over medium-high heat in a large saucepan, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved, then bring it up to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes or so until it attains a nice jelly-like consistency.
Let cool and pour into mason jars (or any glass jars you have around), then store in the pantry until ready to use.
Add it to plain yogurt
Pour some leftover blueberry juice into a jar of plain yogurt and there you have it: Blueberry flavored yogurt.
You can also add fresh or frozen blueberries and blend them into the mix for an extra fruity treat. (source)
Add blueberry juice to your smoothie
Pour in a bit of leftover blueberry juice into your smoothie for an additional antioxidant kick.
Add some fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, and/or ice cubes to the mix before blending.
Use it as a base for pancakes or waffles
You can use your leftover blueberry juice as a base for pancakes or waffles by simply adding a few tablespoons of juice to your pancake or waffle batter.
It’ll add a hint of flavor and color, so you don’t have to worry about loading your batter up with artificial colors and flavors.
Make a savory dish
Forget the blueberries.
Leftover blueberry juice can also be used as a base for a delicious fruity barbecue sauce or as the primary ingredient in a salad dressing.
If you do use it as a marinade, though, be sure to boil it first so that any harmful microorganisms are killed off.
Mix it with sparkling water and lime juice
Pour two ounces of your leftover blueberry juice into a tall glass.
Add one ounce of fresh lime juice and top off the glass with sparkling water.
Enjoy. (source)
Make syrup that can be used on pancakes or ice cream
Simmer 3/4 cup of sugar in 1/2 cup of water over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Add in six ounces of your leftover blueberry juice and stir well.
Continue cooking for five minutes or so, then remove from heat and let cool.
Pour into a mason jar or any other kind of glass container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Combine with other fruit juices
As long as you boil the mixture for several minutes, you can mix and match your leftover blueberry juice with any other fruit juices and make a delicious drink.
For example:
Apple Juice + Blueberry Juice = Apple-Blueberry Drink
Orange Juice + Blueberry Juice = Blueberry-Orange Drink
Apple Juice + Mango Juice = Apple-Mango Drink
Make homemade ice cream
It may sound strange, but adding some leftover blueberry juice to vanilla yogurt makes for a delicious and healthy homemade ice cream.
Simply place the yogurt in your freezer for about an hour before you start churning it into ice cream as your machine requires.
That way, it won’t freeze too hard and will be ready after you’ve finished churning the ice cream.
Make popsicles
Pour some of your leftover blueberry juice into a popsicle mold and freeze.
It’s that simple.
You can also mix things up by adding some fresh fruit slices to the mixture before freezing them.
Blueberries, peaches, strawberries, and mangos work especially well. (source)
Use it to make sangria
If you’re wondering what to do with leftover blueberry juice that’s about to go bad, consider turning it into a delicious fruity sangria.
It’s surprisingly easy to do – just simmer some sugar in water until dissolved, then add the mixture to a large pitcher along with some wine, chopped fruit (like oranges or apples), and about 6 ounces of leftover blueberry juice.
Refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Make your own soda
Leftover blueberry juice can be used to make your own homemade soda without all the artificial ingredients that come with storebought varieties.
To do so, simply mix two to three parts seltzer water and one part blueberry juice and serve over ice.
Variations include:
Blueberry-Lime Soda: Add a splash of fresh lime juice to your mixture before serving.
Blueberry-Peach Soda: Add in some fresh chopped peaches and lemon juice to your mixture before serving.
Blueberry-Mint Soda: Blend in some fresh mint leaves with the blueberry juice and add a splash of lemon or lime juice to cut the sweetness slightly.
Use it as an ice pack
If you have any leftover blueberry juice that’s about to go bad, consider using it as a cold pack.
Simply pour the juice into a freezer bag and tie the end closed until you’re ready to use it.
It’ll come in handy for things like soothing bruises or swelling muscles after exercising or hard workouts.
Use it as an additive in plain yogurt
One of the easiest ways to use up any leftover juice that’s about to go bad is by stirring it into plain yogurt.
You can sweeten the mixture with some granulated sugar or honey if desired.
What fruits can be blended with blueberry juice to make a healthy drink?
As long as you heat the mixture for several minutes, you can combine just about any fruit with leftover blueberry juice to make your own homemade drink.
Some examples include:
- Apple-blueberry
- Apple-mango
- Apple-strawberry
- Grape-blueberry
- Grapefruit-blueberry
How can I make a blueberry smoothie?
Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth for an easy blueberry smoothie.
Assemble your ingredients from scratch or use frozen fruit to save time when making homemade blueberry smoothies. (source)
Where do I buy canned blueberry juice?
Canned blueberry juice can be purchased on Amazon.com or from specialty grocery stores that sell a variety of fruit juices and purees.
Where does the fruit come from for canned blueberries?
Preserving the fruit and juice in order to sell it later requires a long process.
The blueberries must be grown during the summer season before being harvested, then canned and packaged for distribution.
Is the black seed oil in canned blueberries bad for you?
Canned blueberries are packed with antioxidants, but the negative health effects of black seed oil don’t outweigh them.
The oil is generally safe when consumed in moderation.
Do I need to wash my berries before using them as ingredients in recipes that call for fresh ones?
No, you only need to wash fresh fruits and vegetables before using them in recipes that call for uncooked produce.
Any pesticides or dirt can be removed with water and a clean cloth or paper towel.
Conclusion
In this guide, I’ve provided a number of different ways to use up any leftover blueberry juice that’s about to go bad.
From making homemade ice cream or popsicles to using it as an additive in plain yogurt, there are lots of great ideas for how you can save your favorite drink from going stale and turn it into something delicious.
Try them and you will see.