What’s so Fabulous about Frozen Food?
There’s nothing better than a fresh, hot meal. But cooking one doesn’t mean you should exclude frozen food items. In fact, using frozen food can help you save money, consume more nutrients and keep you stocked up on food longer.
Fabulous about Frozen Food: Fresher, Longer
A common misconception about frozen food is that it is less healthy than its fresh counterparts. However, this is not the case. Flash freezing occurs at the food’s peak freshness, preserving it. Fresh food, on the other hand, does not always reach the store in peak condition. It also gradually loses its nutritional value as it ages, even when refrigerated. When the nutrients contained in similar frozen and fresh foods were compared on the first day, their levels were the same. But by the fifth day the fresh food’s nutrients had declined dramatically. In fact, frozen foods retain their nutrients for about three months. So on top of always having peak nutritional value, you don’t have to run the risk of watching your food turn bad.
Save Your Wallet, Fill the Freezer
Frozen foods often contain several serving sizes in one package, and can be stored for much longer periods of time—making them a huge cost saver. Buy large packages of plain fruit, veggies and meat. This way you can portion out how much of each you want while customizing it to whatever meal you want. It can be tempting to just grab a frozen dinner, but these are often more expensive and much heavier in calories due to added sugar and salt. So instead of reaching for that frozen meal or seasoned veggies, grab a few of your individually packaged favorites and create your own combinations. It’s just as simple, much cheaper and allows you to mix and match while avoiding excess calories.
Happy National Frozen Food Month! Now that you have the facts, get out there and stock up on your frozen favorites. Stay tuned later this month on tips and recipes from IBI Healthcare Institute.
