Are Fresh Vegetables Healthier Than Frozen?

By Andrea D’Ambrosio

With a plethora of food options, how do we know what to choose? It’s common to wonder if a certain type of food is better than the next. In fact, an extremely typical inquiry is: Are frozen vegetables as healthy as fresh? Today, we’ll answer that question with a resounding yes and highlight in detail what we need to consider.

1. Just as Nutritious

Don’t worry that by opting for frozen veggies instead of fresh, you’re losing nutrition. Freezing does NOT decrease the number of vitamins or minerals in a vegetable. In fact, frozen vegetables and fruit can sometimes be more nutritious than fresh. Why? Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at peak freshness and flash frozen before travelling to grocery store or market. Flash freezing freezes in all those good vitamins and minerals before they start to degrade over time.
Consuming frozen vegetables is another avenue to boost your veggie intake. There are numerous health benefits associated with vegetable consumption, like reducing the risk of heart disease, helping with weight management and preventing development of certain types of cancer.

2. Super Convenient!

Frozen fruits and vegetables are a convenient addition to meals. Adding them to meals helps boost intake. Similarly, they require no prep and minimal time to heat and enjoy.

Try adding frozen peas to stir fries or risotto or add frozen peppers to pizzas and sauces. Additionally, by taking advantage of frozen fruit and veggies, you can reduce food waste because you have ready-to-eat options when you need them. You can also use only what you need for that meal.

Adding frozen fruits and vegetables to your favourite meals is a simple and easy way to boost your daily intake.

Stock your freezer with your favourite fruit and veggies to add to meals. Frozen vegetables are pre-cut and pre-washed and therefore, ready to be added to your meals. I always keep frozen strawberries and cherries to add to oatmeal and frozen edamame for stir fries and snacks. I also have chopped peppers and onions in my freezer for adding to sauces, wraps, tacos, chili, pizzas, etc. Additionally, I like to keep frozen broccoli to use in quiches.

More Freezer Tips: Click here for 3 Steps to a Successful Freezer Inventory
Want more easy meal ideas? : Click here if you are looking for meal inspiration to view my 15 Favourite Meal Themes.

3. No Additional Ingredients

Fruits and veggies are not only a convenient meal addition, but they also contain minimal additives (if you choose the right ones). Choose vegetables and fruit that are frozen without any additional ingredients on the label. Aim to avoid veggies with added salt, fat or preservatives.

Additionally, freeze fresh veggies and store for later. This helps reduce food waste if you do not have time to use them up. For example, before going away on vacation, I chopped carrots, celery and onions and put them into large freezer bags. When I returned home, I had these ready to add to meals like soups, sauces and stir fries.

Tip: Meal prepping results in easier, quicker meals. Click here to learn how to meal prep like a pro!

4. Save Money

With rising food prices, choosing frozen fruits or veggies can save you tons of money. You can use the app Flipp and the search tool for frozen vegetables or fruit to find the lowest price. You can then price match at stores like FreshCo and Real Canadian Superstore.

Tip: Click here to read 7 Ways to Save on Groceries and Still Eat Healthy.

5. Broad Selection

In Canada, we have an abundance of fresh produce available year-round. However, there are growing seasons (see here for what’s in season). Therefore, by utilizing freezing as a preservation method, you can freeze local produce to enjoy later when it’s out-of-season. You can also save money instead of buying expensive imported, out-of-season food.

Buying frozen fruits and vegetables allows you to easily enjoy your favourite produce during the off-season months.
Dietitian Tip: Aim to choose locally grown foods in your province or Canada, when possible. Let’s support our amazing farmers to continue to produce safe, nutritious and affordable food.

How Long Do Frozen Vegetables Last?

Frozen fruit and vegetables last up to 8 to 10 months in the freezer. Keep the bag sealed tightly for maximum freshness. We also don’t want frosty or icy-looking produce. Be sure to take out what you need for cooking and put back into the freezer immediately to avoid thawing and re-freezing.

Fun fact! Frozen fruit and vegetables can last up to 8 to 10 months in the freezer. Keep the bag sealed tightly for maximum freshness.

Bottom Line:

At the end of the day, frozen fruits and veggies are just as nutritious as fresh. Furthermore, most Canadians do not consume enough of them, in which case choosing frozen alternatives may boost consumption and help to decrease risk of heart disease, cancer and aid in weight management.

Take a freezer inventory and stock up on appealing and versatile options. Frozen produce consumption can boost nutrition, often with minimal added ingredients, and it is super convenient.  Furthermore, frozen produce is cost-effective, and even allows us to enjoy out-of-season produce for a fraction of the cost.

Tip: Click here to learn how to take a freezer inventory like a pro!

Dietitian Tip:

Looking for more tips to increase your fruit and vegetable intake? If you’re not hitting your fruit and veggie targets (like most) click here for my Top 7 Tips to Boost Veggie Intake! Additionally, including a serving of fruit with breakfast, for snack and as a salad or yogurt topper are good ways to incorporate more fruit into your diet.

DYK: One serving of veggies qualifies as about ½ cup raw or cooked veg or 1 cup of leafy greens. A fruit serving is usually about ½ cup or a medium sized apple or half large banana.

Now it’s your turn! Do you take advantage of frozen produce? How do you include them in your diet? Any favourites items and meal inspiration to share?