3 reasons to buy frozen produce instead of fresh (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 benefits of buying frozen foods? ›

Because frozen foods fit modern lifestyles, they offer incomparable value in several ways: dollar savings, nutrition and quality, time savings, and energy-saving.

Freezing keeps food safe by slowing the movement of molecules, causing microbes to enter a dormant stage. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness.

Frozen vegetables have a similar nutrition profile to fresh ones. Due to their lower cost, longer shelf life, and year-round accessibility, frozen vegetables can be a great choice. If you're buying frozen veggies, make sure to check the labels for added ingredients.

“The truth about fresh versus frozen is that both have the same nutrients, unless frozen produce has sauces or sugars added,” says Beal. If your favorite vegetable or fruit is out of season or is more affordable frozen, frozen is often the better choice.

Frozen produce may have more nutrients than fresh, as it is typically picked at peak ripeness. However, some nutrients are lost during processing, and nutrients in both degrade with longer storage. Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods you can eat.

Nutrients. Freezing has been shown to decrease the nutrient value of a meal. Frozen meals also generally provide small quantities of vegetables and fruits. Because vegetables and fruits provide many of the vitamins and minerals that are essential to our health, we want to guarantee we consume enough of them.

Freezing preservation retains the quality of agricultural products over long storage periods. As a method of long-term preservation for fruits and vegetables, freezing is generally regarded as superior to canning and dehydration, with respect to retention in sensory attributes and nutritive properties (Fennema, 1977).

According to Dr. Surampudi, canning requires a lot more processing, and is likely to have less nutritional value than frozen foods. The process of canning is different for different types of food, but typically it involves three major steps that keep the food safe to eat for long periods of time.

Season generously

Acidic ingredients like lemon or vinegar, fats like butter and olive oil, spicy condiments like chile flakes or hot sauce, savory ingredients like cheese, bacon and nuts and fresh and dried herbs are all your friends when it comes to frozen vegetables.

Is frozen produce cheaper than fresh? ›

Frozen fruit is usually picked when it's ripe and is immediately frozen to maintain its nutritional benefits, frozen fruits and veggies are economical because they last many months after their harvest than the fresh ones that get spoilt after some time.

Studies have found some frozen fruits and vegetables contain more of certain nutrients than those stored at room temperature or in the fridge for several days. One study found spinach, loses 100% of its vitamin C if stored at room temperature for a week, 75% if refrigerated but just 30% if frozen.

“While there's no reason to be worried about using frozen or canned food, there's a preference for frozen because of the amount of added salt [in canned], and some canned fruits have added sugar,” says Hachem. Still, canning also can improve the safety of foods, particularly those prone to harbouring pathogens.

Convenience foods offer many advantages, including less time spent planning meals, grocery shopping, and prepar- ing food, as well as fewer leftovers (with single-portion foods) and easier cleanup.

Generates less waste

Also, as frozen food generally has an extended shelf life, often of 12 months or more, you can store your ready meals and other frozen foods and enjoy them at your convenience, without compromising on quality or being faced with throwing away food which has passed its expiration date.

Freezing stops the growth of microorganisms; however, it does not sterilize foods or destroy the organisms that cause spoilage. A few organisms may die, but once thawed to warmer temperatures, these organisms can quickly multiply. Chemical changes affect quality or cause spoilage in frozen foods.