From leafy greens to ready meals, the freezer is your friend when it comes to fast, affordable and healthy food.
Long gone are the days when frozen foods were considered the poor cousin of all things fresh.
Now, not only are some frozen varieties of popular foods much cheaper than fresh produce, the latest science shows they can be more nutritious.
So next time you go grocery shopping, don’t skip the frozen aisle, for the sake of your hip pocket – and your health.
Leafy greens
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage are some of the most nutrient-rich foods out there.
Ideally, we need at least two serves a day to reap the vast number of health benefits.
While they’re loaded with vitamins B, K and C and powerful antioxidants known for their anti-cancer benefits, these nutrients are relatively unstable, which means they lose much of their vitamin content after being picked.
Take fresh spinach, for example. Its leaves are thin and vulnerable to oxidative damage, so it can lose all of its vitamin C content within seven days of being stored at room temperature.
Frozen spinach, on the other hand, has been snap-frozen straight after harvest, so it will keep its vitamin content until cooked.
If you think about how long it might take for fresh greens to travel from the farm to your plate, the difference in vitamin content between fresh and frozen spinach is likely significant.
This is why frozen vegies (leafy greens in particular) are a smart supermarket choice.
Vegetables from your freezer are so much easier and convenient to cook with, so you’re more likely to actually eat them.
And it’s not just because they’re frozen as soon as they’re picked. Vegetables from your freezer are so much easier and more convenient to cook with, so you’re more likely to actually eat them, rather than finding them weeks later wilting at the back of the fridge.
Plus, frozen ingredients are far less likely to be affected by seasonal price swings.
That’s why a packet of frozen spinach or kale is often as cheap as $1 each or $4 a kilogram, compared with $17 a kilogram or more for fresh leafy greens, which can lose their vibrancy within days.
Frozen greens are incredibly versatile, too – they’re on hand, ready to add to stir-fries, soups, casseroles and even smoothies for an easy nutrient boost.
Vegie rice
Not so long ago, zucchini noodles and cauliflower rice were on the lips of every low-carb devotee. Since then, they’ve found a fan base beyond the paleo set thanks to their rich nutrient content.
Replacing starchy carbs with a vegetable base such as frozen “rice” made from cauliflower, broccoli or carrots (or all three) is a smart way to boost your vitamins and minerals.
Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli are a particularly good choice due to the powerful molecule sulforaphane, known for its anti-cancer properties.
This molecule isn’t activated in frozen form, but having been blanched and frozen immediately after harvest, the vegetables deliver loads of other nutrients such as vitamin C.
Then, to help activate the sulforaphane within the frozen ingredients, all you need to do is add a fresh source of cabbage or broccoli to the dish.
Frozen vegie rice is especially convenient for busy weeknights, and can be dressed up in minutes with a tin of tuna or other odds and ends from your pantry or fridge.
Seafood
Many of us could benefit from eating a lot more seafood. Rich in essential nutrients such as zinc, iodine, omega-3 fat and protein, seafood not only tastes fantastic but is also incredibly good for you.
Unfortunately, the high cost and limited availability of fresh seafood mean we often end up skipping fish, prawns or mussels for dinner in favour of chicken or red meat.
That’s why frozen shellfish and fish are so handy. Not only are they cheaper than fresh, they’re also easier to transport, store and prepare.
Having a ready supply of seafood in the freezer means you’ll always have something delicious on hand for baking, grilling or adding to mixed dishes for an extra protein boost.
Frozen meals
Frozen meals sometimes get a bad rap but when it comes to easy and affordable options, it’s hard to beat a dinner that just needs a quick zap in the microwave.
Quality and prices vary, of course, but the number of tasty options is steadily growing. Many meals work out as little as $4 or $5 a serve, which few of us could achieve when making a similar dinner from scratch.
What some people may not realise is that many microwave dinners are surprisingly nutritious, thanks to the snap-frozen ingredients.
And contrary to popular belief, microwaving food does not destroy the nutrients in the same way that boiling for long periods can.
So don’t fret if life gets busy or you’re too tired to cook – from both a cost and health perspective, it’s much better if you reach for a frozen dinner rather than ordering in fried or fast food.
The key thing to keep in mind is the meals should contain at least two to three different vegetables and a minimum of 20 grams of protein per serve.
In general, the combinations of meat or chicken with vegetables rather than pasta and rice-based dishes are better options nutrition-wise.
Berries
The variety of fruits available in supermarket freezer aisles is now greater than ever. And for berries in particular, plucking some from the freezer is one of the most nutritious ways to eat them, short of picking them yourself.
All berries, including raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, are rich sources of vitamin C and a number of phytochemicals known for their anti-cancer properties.
Some of these phytochemicals are especially vulnerable to damage and degradation over time, but are preserved when berries are frozen shortly after harvest.
Frozen berries are also roughly half the price of the fresh varieties, which often sit in storage or on supermarket shelves for days.
So next time you’re making a smoothie, a bowl of cereal or a baked treat, throw in a few berries from your frozen stash to boost your intake of antioxidants.
Herbs and spices
Ever found yourself short of fresh herbs in the middle of cooking and had to rush out to buy some?
Then, a few weeks later, discovered the wilted leftovers at the back of your fridge? You’re not alone.
One way to solve this issue is to keep a supply of herbs and even spices in the freezer, so you’re never caught short or wasting ingredients again.
The best ways to freeze herbs - including parsley, dill, basil, chives and mint - is to cut the stems off, finely chop and store in an airlock bag, or place into freezer trays and freeze with a little extra virgin olive oil or water.
Then you can add them freely to casseroles, oven bakes and drinks – anything really – whenever you need.
Susie Burrell is an accredited practising dietitian and nutritionist and holds a master’s in coaching psychology.
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