Fresh or Frozen?... That is the Question - Big Y® World Class Market®

Confused? Don't be. You Should Enjoy Both!
written by Carrie Taylor, Big Y’s Dietitian

Fresh gives you the luxury to prepare food in any form you like. Whereas frozen typically requires some form of cooking or reheating.

For items like fruits and vegetables, fresh options may offer a greater variety of sensory stimulation — such as being crispy or crunchy.

Some individuals believe the nutrient content of fresh foods is much higher than in frozen foods. This isn’t necessarily true. It all depends on how a food is handled and how quickly it is consumed. When it comes to frozen fruits and vegetables, they are traditionally picked at the peak of harvest and flash frozen immediately. This process allows for very little nutrient loss due to aging or storage. For fresh fruits and vegetables on the other hand, the longer the time between harvest and table, and whether or not storage in between is adequate, the nutrient loss could be significant.

Once a food is ready to be consumed, how it is prepared can affect the fate of its nutrients. Boiling or overheating fruits and vegetables can breakdown antioxidants and water-soluble nutrients quickly. Therefore, give attention to how your food is prepared, doing your part to keep nutrients intact as much as possible.

The amount of processing a food has undergone should be considered. Fresh foods typically offer items in their most basic state. Whereas frozen foods may have salts, sauces, sugars, spices and herbs added for flavor. This doesn’t mean you should pass on a frozen item like fish. Rather, be diligent about reading ingredients, as well as comparing nutrition facts labels. With a large amount of both processed and unprocessed frozen foods on the market, you can find items to meet both your nutrition goals and culinary needs.

Quality and shelf life are important, too. Freezing food may lead to “drying out,” which can create a tough and crumbly product. To counteract this from happening, manufacturers may add preservatives or fat. You must decide if the convenience of using a frozen version of an item over the course of weeks or months is worth a few extra ingredients, or if you would rather shop more frequently for fewer ingredients.

Frozen foods can be penny savers as well. If a large portion of fresh groceries has to be thrown away at the end of the week because they spoiled before you could finish them, start purchasing a mixture of fresh and frozen foods.

We all need to eat a healthful balanced diet. Luckily, this doesn’t bind us to eating strictly fresh or frozen. Enjoying a variety of fresh and frozen foods will help both your health and your wallet.