I love cooking frozen vegetables. They’re always in season, already washed and trimmed, usually more affordable than fresh yet just as nutritious–in fact, sometimes even more so.
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis had one goal: To clarify whether fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen. The findings were good news for anyone who values convenience and savings. So, all of us:
“There is a misconception out there that if you freeze [produce], you are losing the nutrients, the vitamins, and the minerals,” says Ron Pegg, who designed the study. “And that fresh is much better than the frozen. That is not the case at all.”
And sometimes frozen vegetables — like English green peas and green beans — actually offer higher levels of nutrients than their fresh counterparts stored in the fridge. That’s because frozen vegetables are picked at peak ripeness and frozen before they have a chance to wither, losing moisture and with it, nutrients.
Score one for frozen vegetables everywhere!
3 delicious recipes for cooking frozen vegetables
- Frozen Cauliflower: From frozen to knock-your-socks-off roasted in 30 minutes.
2. Frozen Broccoli: Start with a bag of frozen broccoli and end up with the simple broccoli soup our kids love!
3. Frozen Spinach: Nothing is as easy as emptying a bag of spinach into a pan–and nothing adds more flavor than sausage. This 15-minute dinner combines both in a family favorite.
That’s not all! We’ve got more kid-tested, simple recipes where these came from:
Pin these ideas for later!
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