Frozen Fruit/Veg/Chicken

Fiona_Cami89
Fiona_Cami89 Posts: 42 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay, so this is going to sound terribly naive of me but are frozen fruit/vegetables/chicken breast just as good for you as the fresh variety, or no?

I've only ever bought fresh stuff to date, but I think buying certain things from frozen, such as raspberries or broccoli, would save money in the long run and cut down on food wastage (I don't always eat the fresh stuff fast enough).

Thanks for any feedback, I know it might seem a stupid question to some, but I'm not very wise when it comes to food...in fact, I'm not brilliant in the kitchen at all, which is perhaps half the reason for my weight problems in the first place. Ha!

Replies

  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Fruit and Vegetables, yes............the frozen chicken I personally wouldn't be able to eat due to the factory farming. yuck.

    We only eat free range chicken straight from the farmer.
  • steibar
    steibar Posts: 1
    Fruits and vegetables are frozen right after they are picked at prime freshness. My nutritionist says they are fine. Frozen chicken - I try to stay away from the frozen stuff.
  • metalvegan
    metalvegan Posts: 133 Member
    Sometimes the frozen varieties have BETTER nutrients than the fresh ones because the nutrients don't break down as fast in the freezer. Cheaper and better for you :)

    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/reasons-buy-frozen-fruits-veggies/story?id=20683879#
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    I eat frozen veg almost every day. It's cheap, nutritious and convenient. Perfect trifecta for me.
  • Fiona_Cami89
    Fiona_Cami89 Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks so much guys! It just makes more sense for me personally if I can take what I need and not worry about the rest going off as quickly. I'll definitely have a look tomorrow when I go food shopping :) x
  • Dalker
    Dalker Posts: 44 Member
    Frozen veg is now the only way I can eat veg without ending up chucking loads of mouldy stuff away every week. I use the canned stuff too and frozen/canned fruit too (although a lot of the canned stuff does have added sugar so be careful).
  • Amanda_Gx6
    Amanda_Gx6 Posts: 320 Member
    I used to work in a produce department. Frozen fruit/veggies contain more vitamins and nutrients because they are frozen as soon as they are harvested. The fruits/veggies that are in the produce department slowly lose nutrients via exposure to the lights in the store and the time it takes to harvest, package, ship, unpackage, stock, buy, & use. However as long as your store is honest about how "fresh" the produce is there shouldn't be a significant difference.

    If I were to buy frozen chicken, which I honestly don't, I would look for an organic or a very reputable brand name. Frozen chicken once thawed can vary in quality.
  • ratchet2
    ratchet2 Posts: 87 Member
    I buy all frozen. If you are iffy on buying frozen meat, you can buy it fresh and then freeze it yourself. I find it much cheaper to buy frozen, especiall when it goes on sale.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Yes, but be cautious, read nutrition labels and check ingredients.

    Many times frozen meats have added sodium to help with preservation. Personally I prefer to buy fresh, break the packet up into whatever portions fit my meal plan and freeze them myself.

    With fruits, you have to check for added sugars. With veggies, avoid those with sauces as it will add sodium, calories and fat.
  • Platform_Heels
    Platform_Heels Posts: 388 Member
    We only eat free range chicken straight from the farmer.

    I used to have a farm where I got fresh, free range chickens from and since we were buying a lot of them we put them in the freezer. Nothing wrong with freezing them. It doesn't suddenly make them unhealthy.
  • Fiona_Cami89
    Fiona_Cami89 Posts: 42 Member
    Well, I've done my weekly shop (give or take a couple items) and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by the total! For example, I bought a 1kg of fresh frozen broccoli for £1! That'll do me, considering a bouquet of fresh broccoli, not sure if it's called a bouquet but it looks like one haha, costs about the same.

    Thanks again for all your advice! :) x
  • writergeek313
    writergeek313 Posts: 390 Member
    Most of the time, I cook only for myself, so frozen whole ingredients (fruit with no sugar added, veggies without sauce, etc.) are staples in my diet that help me avoid wasting food. I really like frozen, individually portioned fish fillets, because otherwise I have to cook fish the day I buy it, and frozen fruits are great in the winter when a lot of fruits aren't in season and are expensive.
  • rachaelgifford
    rachaelgifford Posts: 320 Member
    I am going for all frozen this month. I like to have fresh, but I just can't afford it.

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