Fresh or Frozen – What’s Best for Your Health?

Contributions by: Emily Fish, RDN, CD

After a long day of work, cooking dinner may seem like a chore at times – especially in the winter. Instead, you open the freezer and throw in the first thing you see into the oven and submerge yourself under several blankets on the couch, patiently waiting for your food to be ready. As fast and convenient as that may seem, is what you’re putting into your body healthy? Some people tend to shy away from frozen foods because they’re worried about if they’re as nutritious, have more sodium or preservatives or will not taste as good as fresh foods.

These concerns are all common misconceptions about frozen foods, which can unfortunately lead people to have fewer produce options available. As winter progresses, the options at the store dwindle and those available decrease in quality, while the price of produce rises due to increased travel time. These challenges can lead individuals to purchase fewer fruits and vegetables because they become bored or dissatisfied with the limited options or decreased quality.

Having the inconvenience of trying to find fresh foods and vegetables during the winter makes it more difficult for people to reach their daily fruit and vegetable goals. Which leads to ask – how can you maintain your fruit and vegetable intake throughout the winter? Are frozen fruits and vegetables or frozen meals healthy options?

As we dive into busting these frozen food myths, ATI’s nutrition expert Emily Fish provides some helpful insight for choosing the best frozen produce this winter.

Frozen food is just as nutritious as fresh

In 2015, the Department of Food Science and Technology (FST) examined the nutrition content of eight fruits and vegetables – corn, carrots, broccoli, spinach, peas, green beans, strawberries and blueberries. The mineral and fiber content between the fresh and frozen foods showed no significant difference. The FST also found similar results in the same fruits and vegetables, this time looking at vitamins. Each of the frozen foods maintained comparable levels of vitamins to their fresh counterparts and a few were even better. Although beta carotene deteriorated more in some of the frozen items, Vitamin C was retained better in several of the frozen foods than in the fresh ones.

Frozen food doesn’t always have too much salt or other preservatives added

While many pre-made frozen meals can be extremely high in sodium, fat and calories, there are now healthier options available. Compare a pre-made lasagna at 390 calories, 15g of fat and 1150mg of sodium to a pre-made ravioli with 230 calories, 7g of fat and just 310mg of sodium. While you should still prepare most of your food yourself, these types of meals can offer a nutritious and well-deserved break from cooking in a balanced diet.

Additionally, frozen produce can be a healthy, convenient way to keep fruits and vegetables on the menu during the winter months. Frozen produce offers a convenience factor, and in many cases, the produce is already washed and chopped making meal time quick and easy. There are plenty of plain frozen vegetable options that can be quickly seasoned and cooked to perfection.

Frozen food can taste good when it’s done right

Frozen vegetables prepared the wrong way can taste as bad as boiled Brussels sprouts. For the next time you’re out buying groceries, here are a few frozen vegetables to avoid putting in your shopping cart:

• Brussels sprouts: When prepared from frozen, these little guys turn straight to mush. Brussels sprouts already get a bad rap, so go the extra mile to give them the chance they deserve. Purchase them fresh and sauté or roast with garlic or a drizzle of maple syrup instead of trying them frozen. 
• Zoodles: With their high water content, these noodle alternatives fall apart when heated. Instead of frozen, you can purchase these in many grocery stores pre-cut in the salad section. There are also spiral vegetable slicers available so you can create your own zoodles.
• Cauliflower mashed potatoes: With the Keto diet all the rage these days, riced cauliflower, cauliflower mashed potatoes and even cauliflower pizza crusts have become increasingly popular. While these options seem enticing, the frozen versions of cauliflower mashed potatoes and riced cauliflower don’t compare to those prepared from fresh.

Choosing the best frozen produce

While determining which frozen foods are nutritious, taste great and stay fresh is never easy, consider these tips for choosing the best frozen produce:

• Choose items that don’t have sauces, salt or sugar added. These add up the sodium, calories and fat that traditionally give frozen foods a bad name. Instead, season it yourself. Some flavorings to consider include minced (and powdered) garlic, minced ginger, low sodium soy sauce, an Italian spice blend, chili sauce and a pepper mill.
• Produce that is firmer to begin with holds up better when cooked frozen. For example, broccoli will maintain its texture better than bell peppers. Choose firmer vegetables for dishes that you want to have more of a crisp-tender consistency.
• Feel the bag just like you would feel fresh produce to check for ripeness. If the food is stuck together in one clump, it means it wasn’t frozen correctly or it has thawed and refroze in the process of transportation. You should be able to feel individual pieces in the package.

For your next trip to the grocery store, don’t hesitate while passing the frozen foods aisle. You can prepare and consume frozen foods with confidence, as long as they’re the right foods.

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From tips to eating healthy on the run, to smart food shopping and home preparation, meeting with a ‘personal nutritionist’ will help you create a healthy and well-balanced nutrition lifestyle without giving up taste, convenience or the fun of eating! Feel free to contact us today for more info on nutritionist services.