The seeds I planted in salvaged takeout containers back in mid-February are about a half an inch tall now. Lined up along the south-facing wall of my garage, the verdant little lettuce and cabbage seedlings serve as a harbinger of good meals to come. Yet even with such a head start on nature, it will be weeks before I’m getting any significant quantity of produce from my garden. The weather may be warming, but I’m still looking to my freezer to satisfy the bulk of my family’s veggie needs for a little while longer.
It’s commonly understood that consuming more fresh produce has positive benefits for our health, no matter which dietary approach one takes. And while the old adage of “fresh is best” has a nice ring to it, it’s not always accurate, especially in the middle of winter in the Midwest. Frozen produce can be a great option, not only because of its affordability and convenience but because frozen fruits and vegetables are often of better quality than what’s available “fresh” at the grocery store.
The majority of frozen produce is picked at peak ripeness before being transported to the processing facility where it’s washed and sorted, blanched and flash frozen. All this occurs within hours of harvest, as opposed to many fresh produce items which can spend days or weeks in transit and cold storage before they even make it to a supermarket shelf. Once harvested, fresh fruits and vegetables begin to undergo chemical changes that cause them to degrade and deteriorate as they sit. Blanching vegetables prior to freezing halts the enzyme actions that cause vegetables to lose color and texture, while the process of flash freezing can actually help retain nutrients in many fruits and vegetables. Modern rapid-freezing technology causes the temperature of a food to drop to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just moments, resulting in smaller ice crystal formation, which helps maintain the food’s cellular integrity.
While it’s true that frozen produce can be a great asset in building scratch-made meals, not all frozen veggies are created equal. Items with added seasonings and sauces can wreck a recipe’s nutritional profile, so be sure to look for products with no additional ingredients or additives. Furthermore, frozen veggies don’t always work in the same applications as fresh vegetables, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a place on the table. I’ve outlined some of my frozen veggie MVPs from the supermarket that help me get nutritious, colorful meals on the table in a flash.
Peas
Thanks to a process known as individual quick freezing, or IQF, frozen peas are easy to portion out and add to a range of recipes from savory beef stew to chicken pot pie or even added to salads. They maintain their texture and flavor incredibly well and make for an easy simple side dish when serving an old-fashioned meat-and-three type of meal. I serve them often, simply microwaved in a glass dish with a splash of water and a pat of butter. My youngest can be a picky eater but she loves buttered peas, so I know if they’re on the table at least she’ll get a hearty serving of plant-based protein. I don’t recommend frozen snap or snow peas as they don’t maintain their texture as well.
Corn kernels
Similar to peas, IQF sweet corn is a great substitute for fresh corn kernels in a range of recipes from salads to chowders.
Edamame
Whether added to stir-fries or noodle salads or served in the pod as a savory snack, frozen edamame is another excellent source of plant-based protein. Kids will enjoy popping steamed pods (again this works fine in the microwave), sprinkled with a touch of sea salt.
Green beans
Look for green beans labeled “Fine Green Beans” as they are smaller and more tender than those labeled “Cut Green Beans.” We often have these as part of a sheet pan dinner of chicken thighs or pork tenderloin, added to the pan in the last 15 minutes of roasting time and tossed with the pan juices for seasoning. A favorite addition to my favorite weeknight Thai coconut curry, I’ve found the fine cut green beans are also acceptable sauteed in a skillet with bacon and onion.
Greens (spinach, kale, etc)
Sautéed spinach, whether prepared in a creamy steakhouse style or a zippy lemon-garlic interpretation, has long been a family favorite. However, a big box of fresh spinach wilts down significantly, yielding a limited number of servings. I’ve found that using half-frozen spinach that’s been allowed to thaw in the refrigerator overnight extends the recipe nicely, reducing cost without sacrificing the bright fresh flavor of fresh spinach. Beyond a simple sauté, frozen spinach regularly finds its way into my morning eggs, vegetable lasagna and richly spiced lamb keema.
Broccoli
Like spinach, frozen broccoli isn’t interchangeable with fresh broccoli, but it does have its uses. While I wouldn’t use frozen broccoli in a salad, stir-fry or sheet pan preparation, it does work well in baked casseroles or soups such as broccoli cheese or even instant ramen.
This article appears in The future of electric vehicles.
