If you have a big pantry and a knack for sterilizing jars—praise to you. For the rest of us, freezing is a splendid way to take advantage of the lovely fruit, vegetables and herbs that are abundant now. The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients, and although the texture might not translate exactly the same after thawing—the flavor of farm stand strawberries in the middle of winter is a thing of beauty. By preserving local products you cut down on imported produce off-season. This means that you are doing more to support your local economy and importantly, cutting down on your food miles—the number of miles that food travels from the farm to consumer.