Purchasing Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

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Do you ever walk into the grocery store and find yourself mourning the loss of your favorite fresh organic fruits and veggies? Seasons come and go, and so do the edible treasures that they produce. Hungry for strawberries but the only fresh ones in the store are conventionally grown, and the organic ones have mold in the container? In that case, I head for the freezer aisle. More and more these days, you can find organic fruits and veggies in the freezer section of the store.

If I were to walk into a store and see two displays of strawberries next to each other; one being conventionally grown and the other organically grown, I will choose to look at the organic ones. Strawberries (any berry in fact) are on the top Dirty Dozen list. Their test study showed that on one strawberry the sample contained an astounding 22 pesticide residues. BUT, let&#;s say that the organic berries look shriveled (sign of lost nutrients) or I can detect some mold amongst them, I wouldn&#;t buy from either display. Mold can be lurking whether you quickly spot it or not and if you do see some, there is usually more hiding.

Before I throw in the towel and bag the idea of going home with some strawberries, I would go to the frozen section of the store to see if they had organic frozen options. Of course, they won&#;t be as perky looking, and I have to take my recipe into account when making these types of decisions, but this was a great example of how to make wise choices when it comes to the fruits and veggies that we eat.

Before we dive into this topic, let me say that it is always best to buy fruits and vegetables that are ripe and in season. Veering off into the frozen food section is just another option that we have when it comes to enjoying a whole food diet.

Better Nutrients?

Is it possible that frozen fruits and veggies are just as good as fresh? It is, let me point out a few reasons. A bonus of eating frozen fruits and vegetables is that fresh produce often spends days or even weeks in transit from a farm to a store then to your refrigerator. Because of this, produce is often picked before it&#;s fully ripened, cutting short the time these vegetables and fruits need to fully mature and develop all the nutritional goodies they have to offer. If you have a garden and can pick them straight from the garden, ALL the better as they will be bursting with nutrients.

Frozen produce is usually picked at the height of their ripeness when they&#;re bursting with vitamins and minerals. From there they are then flash-frozen, locking in nutrients at their finest hour. Think of it this way, freezing, in essence, is nature&#;s pause button. (1, 2, 3)

Save Money

• If you are on a budget (tight or not) using or freezing foods can help reduce costs.
• Buy your favorite fruits and vegetables in the frozen form, no matter the season or freeze your own.
• Frozen (out of season) fruits and vegetables are usually cheaper than fresh.
• Single-serve pouches make it easy to thaw what you need, reducing spoilage and food waste to save money.

Dress warm&#;you will have some label reading to do! (that&#;s me up above haha)

How to Shop for Frozen Foods

The frozen food section in your supermarket can be packed with nutrient-positive foods. You will want to use the same principles as though you were purchasing fresh.

• Look for organic.
• Read the label. It&#;s not uncommon for some manufacturers to add other ingredients to your veggies. Look for brands that contain only one ingredient.
• Choose packages marked with a USDA &#;U.S. Fancy&#; shield, which designates produce of the best size, shape, and color; vegetables of this standard also tend to be more nutrient-rich than the lower grades &#;U.S. No. 1&#; or &#;U.S. No. 2.&#;
• Make sure the vegetables haven&#;t frozen into a lump, this is a sign that they have been thawed and refrozen.

Storing Frozen Fruits & Veggies

• Store your frozen goodies in the freezer cavity, not in the door. Foods that are kept in the freezer door are more susceptible to freezer burn, especially if you open and close your freezer often.
• When you place foods in freezer bags, seal and lay them flat in your freezer until the contents harden entirely, making them easy to stack.

How to Thaw Frozen Fruits & Veggies

• Place the package in a resealable plastic bag, and submerge in cold water until thawed. Avoid warm or hot water. Gently press the packaging with your fingers and thumbs to feel for the change in the texture of the vegetables from frozen solid to thawed.
  • Open the packaging and place the vegetables in a colander before using to remove any melted water.
  • To prevent the growth of bacteria, avoid thawing produce at room temperature.
• If you plan to cook the veggies, skip the thawing process altogether and go straight to the cooking step to avoid rubbery, mushy, or slimy results.
• If you have frozen greens, you can break off a section of them and toss them into the blender to add to your smoothies.

Using Frozen Fruits & Veggies

• Frozen foods can start to lose nutrients the longer it sits in the freezer so be sure to rotate your purchases and use them within three months.
• If you plan on cooking some of your frozen veggies (even if using fresh), use cooking methods that lock in most of the nutrients. Steaming or stir-frying are the two top choices.
• Avoid boiling vegetables because the nutrients leach out into the water and get drained away. If using in soups, you will be ok since you will be enjoying the broth as well.
• Frozen fruits and some veggies are perfect for smoothies. By adding them frozen, it will help to thicken and chill your creative masterpiece.
• Veggies can have a mushy texture after defrosting because ice crystals damage the vegetable cell walls. Keep this in mind when it comes to adding them to recipes.

I hope I have put your mind at ease and have added another option to your grocery shopping.  As I always say, &#;Do your best with what you have before you.&#;

© AmieSue.com

Tags: Ingredient Shopping Basics

Welcome to Thrifty. A weekly column where associate nutrition editor and registered dietitian Jessica Ball keeps it real on how to grocery shop on a budget, make healthy meals for one or two and make earth-friendly choices without overhauling your entire life.

Even though I live alone, my freezer is always packed full. I am on a budget, so I take advantage of how long things will last in the freezer to help me cut down on food waste. Not only is this better for the environment, but also it helps me save money. The average American throws away around $1,300 per year from wasted food. That's more than Americans' average annual spending on vehicle gasoline, apparel, household heating or property taxes. Needless to say, being mindful about how you store your food can save you some serious cash.

Getty Images / Westend61 / Frank Bean / Siri Stafford

There are many frozen foods that I always buy, sometimes to save money and sometimes to have a treat on hand (who doesn't love ice cream?). These are things I almost always choose to buy frozen because they cost a fraction of the price of fresh. Plus, most of these foods have a very short shelf-life in the fridge, but last several months when frozen. Here are six foods you should always buy frozen to save money.

1. Berries

I love fresh, in-season berries as much as the next person. But here in Vermont, the season for that is very short, so for the majority of the year, I buy frozen berries instead of fresh. Frozen berries are picked at peak ripeness and flash-frozen, whereas many fresh berries that aren't locally sourced are picked before they are ripe and ripened during the transportation process. Frozen berries are super versatile, too. In most cases, they can easily replace fresh in a recipe, whether it's for overnight oats, smoothies or even in most baked goods. They are a fraction of the price at the store and usually come in larger quantities so you don't have to splurge on several fresh pints if you need a lot. Plus, they can be stored in the freezer for several months.

Link to Fortune Foods

2. Spinach

You have probably heard that it's a good idea to eat more dark, leafy greens. Greens like spinach are packed with nutrients and potential health benefits like improved blood pressure, more radiant skin and better exercise recovery. While they're a super-healthy choice, fresh greens can be pricy and go bad very quickly in the fridge. Instead, I always have a few packs of frozen spinach on hand. It makes it easy to add greens to everything, from stews to smoothies, and I get all of the nutrition with none of the waste. Sure, you can't use frozen spinach for, say, a salad. But most often I buy frozen and then get fresh when I have a specific recipe in mind and know that I'll be able to use the whole package.

3. Peas and Edamame

Looking for a plant-based way to add protein and fiber to your meal that won't break the bank? Look no further. Green peas and edamame boast an impressive 4 and 9 grams of protein, respectively, per half-cup serving. Plus, each has 4 grams of fiber per serving. This protein and fiber combo helps make peas and edamame super-filling, affordable foods. While canned peas can last a long time as well, I choose frozen peas because they usually contain less added sodium than their canned counterparts. They cook quickly and help you up your veg intake in stews, soups, pasta, casseroles and more. I am always finding new dishes to add them to.

4. Meat

To help me save money on meat, I usually buy it in large portions at Costco for the discounted per-pound price. Since I usually only cook for one or two, I'll portion it out and store it in my freezer. This makes dinner planning a breeze because I can plan around the proteins I already have. Not to mention, my weekly grocery shops are way cheaper. It does take a little planning ahead to thaw frozen meat (see our guide on how to freeze and thaw meat safely), but pre-portioning what I buy allows me to only use what I need when I need it. I don't eat meat every day, so this helps me avoid fresh meat going bad and being wasted.

5. Bread

A few years ago, I started making my own homemade sourdough bread. It takes some time, but it's a process I love. That said, fresh bread (or any bread, for that matter) doesn't last long on the counter. Instead, after I bake or buy a loaf of bread, I'll slice it and throw it in the freezer. Since it's presliced, I can easily grab as many pieces as I need to. And I never have to worry about opening a bag to find mold on my beloved bread. This also helps me justify buying fresh whole-wheat bread when I don't make my own. Even though it's a few dollars more than typical store-bought sliced bread, I know it will last me longer and not go to waste if I keep it frozen.

6. Fish

Fish has a notoriously short shelf life, only about one to two days in the fridge. Plus, it's one of the more pricy proteins at the grocery store, so it's especially sad to have to throw it away unused. Fish is super healthy, and there are ways that you can eat more of it when you're on a budget. One way is by keeping fish frozen until you are ready to use it. Similar to meat, I will buy a larger cut of fish, cut it into individual portions for cooking and put it in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. As a bonus, it typically thaws much faster than poultry or red meat.

Bottom Line

While there are several other foods you will find in my freezer (hello, cookie dough), these are foods you should always buy frozen if you are trying to save money. These foods have notoriously short shelf lives, so are common sources of food waste. Storing them in the freezer helps you cut down on waste and, in turn, save money. Plus, they are super healthy and can be cheaper to buy on the front end if they are frozen or bought in bulk to portion and freeze. For more on how I use them, check out these make-ahead meals I swear by for busy weeks.

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