Where else can you look for top-notch fruit when fresh is in short supply?

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We're talking about the freezer, of course.

Dipping into the frozen-fruit case has perks galore, especially if you love berries. For starters, the fruit is usually frozen at its peak of ripeness.

And talk about cheap. Why drop $5 on a small container of ho-hum raspberries when you can snag a frozen bagful for half the price per ounce?

You can’t beat bite-size pieces of already-washed fruit waiting patiently until you’re ready for it. Food waste? Minimal.

Yes, they lose some of that fresh-fruit texture. Ice forms as fruit freezes, and that breaks down its cell structure. So the morsels get softer and more liquidy as they thaw. Solution: Toss them into some yogurt, a smoothie, or your next bowl of oatmeal or cold cereal.

A standout: Wyman’s Wild Blueberries. While wild berries are often pricier, their flavor is intense. And with smaller berries, less pulp, and more skin, wild blues stay a bit firmer as they thaw.

Bonus: The six grams of fiber (more than 20 percent of a day’s worth) in every 80-calorie cup makes the payoff even sweeter.

Trader Joe’s is another good frozen-fruit bet. Try Joe’s Fancy Berry Medley or Very Cherry Berry Blend. (Many other grocers sell similar blends, too.)

“Frozen is fresher,” says Wyman’s. Sometimes, it is.

Photo: Wyman's.