Are the carrots in the freezer aisle as good for you as the bag of baby carrots in the produce aisle? Should you spring for the fresh raspberries or go with frozen? The answer depends on several things – when you’ll use the product, how you’ll use it, and your budget.
See the comparison of frozen versus fresh below, then read on to find out which you should choose.
Frozen: Pros
- Frozen fruits and vegetables are usually picked, processed, and frozen when they’re ripe so they retain their flavor. Freezing preserves nutrients, so frozen foods generally have the same minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins as their fresh equivalents.
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Frozen foods are often more affordable than fresh foods.
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Convenience is a big plus of frozen foods because you can stock up and you’ll have them when you need them without worry of spoilage which leads to food waste.
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You can find a full range of frozen foods at most grocery stores well beyond your standard vegetables and fruits. And you can often find specialty items like tropical fruits in the frozen section when they’re not in season in the produce aisle.
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Frozen produce is especially convenient for cooking and making all-popular smoothies.
Fresh: Pros
- Fresh produce – particularly when it’s in season – often has better flavor and texture than frozen produce.
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Usually, you’ll have more seasonal produce choices when you shop fresh.
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You have more control over the amount of fresh produce you buy because you can purchase it by the piece or the pound, versus having to a buy a whole bag of the frozen product.
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If buying local and organic is important to you, that’s easier to do when you’re shopping in the fresh produce aisle.
Still wondering if you should go with fresh or frozen? The answer is both! There are benefits to fresh and frozen produce, so take advantage of them to support the ultimate goal: getting enough fruits and vegetables in your daily diet to stay healthy and feel great.
Mom’s MealsÒ offers a variety of fruits and vegetables in our entrees and are highly rated by our customers for taste. We deliver refrigerated meals to support common health conditions to any address nationwide. Just heat, eat and enjoy! Here’s how it works.
Sources:
https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/smart-shopping/frozen-foods-convenient-and-nutritious