Fresh is not always best: 4 surprising benefits of frozen food
“Fresh food is better,” you have heard. But, is it?
Your goal is to buy fresh fruits and vegetables to get the most nutrition, and that makes sense. Of course, fresh right out of the backyard garden is best, but most of us don’t have the time or want to put in the effort needed to grow a garden. But, did you know research demonstrates frozen food can be healthier than fresh food?
This March, we celebrate National Frozen Food Month to bring awareness to the abundance of plant-based food options. Here are four benefits of choosing frozen plant-based food over fresh:
Frozen food is convenient
Strapped for time these days or hate cooking? Why not make your life easier by grabbing a nutritious, delicious meal from the freezer instead of cooking from scratch?
On average, Americans take 37 minutes to 1 hour in meal preparation and cleanup. This does not include time eating. Frozen food is your best option if you are strapped for time because grabbing a nutritious meal from the freezer and cooking it saves time and energy. It’s also easier, faster, and makes for a shorter grocery list. And, we will see that frozen foods can be healthier than fresh. But first, let’s talk about money.
Frozen food is economical
Let’s face it, restaurants can be expensive these days.
According to the Bureau Labor of Statistics, Americans spend on average $3008.00 per year dining out. That is about $58.00 per week and is only the average. These days, $58.00 might cover only two people, depending on type of restaurant and drinks ordered. It is more economical to purchase frozen meals. The more you order per month, the less expensive per meal! With Veestro, if you order 30 meals for the month, you only pay $9.90 per meal. You get 100% plant-based, organic, fully-prepared, chef-crafted meals with no prep work, cooking, or clean-up. View our full a la carte or weight loss menu.
Frozen food can be low in sodium, fat, and processed sugar
Gone are the days when all frozen foods were unhealthy with too much fat, sodium, and sugar. Of course, you will still find lots of unhealthy frozen foods with high fat or sugar content at grocery stores, but more companies are now providing healthy choices. Your best bet is to order from a reputable company whose mission is to create healthy, tasty, fully-prepared meals like Veestro.
Frozen foods retain their vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients
There is a misconception that frozen food is not as nutritious as fresh. Studies indicate frozen food is highly nutritious. In a study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, researchers found that in some cases, frozen produce is more nutritious than fresh vegetables and fruit that has been stored for five days. You might be wondering how.
Immediately after harvesting, produce begins to lose its nutritional value. To overcome this problem, fresh fruits and vegetables are blanched, then submerged in ice water so they don’t begin to cook. This process deactivates living enzymes and allows for the produce to retain its enzymes and nutrients. Since fresh produce is known to sit on grocery store shelves for sometimes five to seven days, it makes sense that frozen foods are more nutritious.
But, not all frozen food is created alike. Veestro creates healthy, plant-based frozen food made with fresh ingredients and put through the above process so the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are preserved. Learn more about frozen versus fresh vegetables.
What should you do when selecting frozen foods?
Choose plant-based frozen food that is lower in fats, sugars, and sodium and high in vitamins and minerals. Always look at labels for the ingredients list and buy from a reputable company whose goal is to provide high-quality, organic, non-GMO, plant-based food.
Veestro’s got you covered. Below are three of our favorite, fully-prepared, nutritional meals. Give them a try!
Golden Chickpea Stew. Delicious flavors and plenty of protein.
Kale and Quinoa Salad. For the best in phytonutrient health.
Tortilla Chili. Comfort food that beats meat-based chili every time.