The $5 Freezer Staple I Stock up on for the Holidays (It’s a Must-Have)

In my household, my husband and I like to entertain each other by playing the game, “what’s your least favorite household chore.” Yes, I know, we lead such exciting lives. Often, at the top of my list is emptying the dishwasher and emptying lunch boxes. They are both thankless and time-consuming jobs that unfortunately last all year.

However, if we play a round of this rather pointless game during the holidays, my very least favorite kitchen task is deseeding a pomegranate. I’ve tried every trick in the book: hitting it with a wooden spoon, cracking it open underwater, scoring along the natural segments of the fruit. They all lead to the same outcome—a crime scene of magenta pomegranate juice all over my kitchen and clothing, and only one cup of fruit to show for it. 

A logical person might just skip the torture altogether, but when it comes to the holidays, I can’t live without the bright, vibrant, and beautiful gem-toned arils. I use them in cocktails, to garnish my turkey platter, to liven up salads, and even to coat cheese balls. In the past, I’ve purchased the packs of arils that are already prepped but have been disappointed with the quality. They always seem to have a slightly fermented flavor and a slimy, unappealing consistency. 

Why I Love Frozen Pomegranate Seeds

All of my holiday wishes came true when I discovered that you can purchase frozen pomegranate arils for about $5 a bag. Each bag has about eight ounces of arils inside, or roughly two cups of fruit. You can use them frozen straight from the bag for cocktails, or let them thaw and use them as you would the fresh variety. 

I am fond of the Woodstock Organic version which I find locally in Connecticut at Stop & Shop, but many grocers offer a store brand option, too. I always keep a bag or two on hand, especially during the holidays.

One of my favorite ways to use them is to make festive holiday ice cubes for cocktails and mocktails. Simply drop a few arils in each section of a standard ice cube tray. Add rosemary or sage, if desired, then fill with water and freeze. These are essential to my holiday Aperol spritzes, but they work nicely with any specialty cocktail. Any arils that don’t make their way to the holiday table wind up in my daily smoothie!