Did I feel horrible for feeding my kids more FROZEN veggies than FRESH veggies this weekend?<\/p>\n
Heck no!<\/p>\n
Let me let you in on a little secret. \u00a0Frozen veggies aren’t the bad guy. \u00a0In fact, they are in some cases BETTER than fresh. \u00a0Whaaaat?<\/p>\n
![\"fresh](\"http:\/\/www.daniellebinns.com\/stagingsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/frozen-veggies.png\")
<\/p>\n
<\/h2>\nThe Perks of Frozen Vegetables:<\/span><\/h2>\nAccording to Science Nordic<\/a>, frozen vegetables are harvested at maturity, then blanched to inactivate the enzymes and frozen soon after picking<\/strong>. For instance: it’s within 3 hours for peas, 6 hours for beans and 24 hours for other vegetables (which is shorter than the lifespan of a veggie on grocery store shelves).<\/p>\nIn a study by the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis,<\/a>\u00a0they examined the nutrient lost between fresh and frozen product. \u00a0In the end, the\u00a0frozen produce outperformed \u201cfresh-stored\u201d<\/strong> more frequently than \u201cfresh-stored\u201d outperformed frozen.<\/p>\n\n\n- \n
Consumers\u2019 assumption that fresh produce has much more nutritional value<\/a> than frozen is incorrect.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/blockquote>\nSome nutrients are higher in frozen veggies vs. fresh. \u00a0As an example, Vitamin C, lutein, and beta-carotene were higher<\/strong> in frozen broccoli and carrots compared with their fresh varieties.<\/p>\nFrom an environmental perspective, frozen vegetables are best because they are typically transported by sea (vs. plan). \u00a0Air transportation of out of season fresh produce from other countries, and in-home preparation waste of fresh produce increases the carbon footprint<\/strong> significantly<\/strong> compared with frozen vegetables.<\/p>\nThat said, the\u00a0processing and storage of frozen vegetables may have a greater environmental impact<\/strong>. Yet “decreasing in-home waste dramatically reduces the carbon footprint compared with fresh vegetables”.<\/p>\nCooking tips:<\/span><\/h2>\nRegardless of which you choose, the real nutrient loss\/differences occur in the cooking process.<\/p>\n
To retain the water soluble nutrients in your product opt for steaming versus boiling <\/strong>(because water\u00a0soluble vitamins are lost in the water).<\/p>\nAccording to the Institute of Food Science & Technology<\/a>, “refrigeration and protective wrapping<\/strong> is recommended for most vegetables (except tomatoes and onions), as it helps maintain moisture content, reduces respiration rates, and improves vitamin retention”.<\/p>\n![\"frozen](\"http:\/\/www.daniellebinns.com\/stagingsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/qtq80-jqPNYI-1024x676.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
My go-to frozen vegetables:<\/span><\/h2>\nMy freezer is always stocked with a few bags of frozen product for emergencies (like parenting solo on Mother’s Day weekend). My go-tos are:<\/p>\n
\n- Frozen cauliflower<\/strong> – an easy way to boost the nutrition of your smoothies and even muffins!<\/li>\n
- Frozen broccoli –<\/strong> I’ve also been known to add broccoli to my smoothies. \u00a0Otherwise just baking or steaming makes for a quick side dish.<\/li>\n
- Frozen mixed veggies<\/strong> – one with peppers, onions, snap peas, etc is awesome for making stirfries.<\/li>\n
- Frozen green peas<\/strong> – a great food for picky eaters as I mentioned here (Your child won’t eat veggies – until now!)<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- Frozen brussel sprouts<\/strong> – much more tender and easier to eat for my littlest one (who’s 18 months).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/h2>\nPreparing frozen vegetables:<\/span><\/h2>\nAnd finally some tips to get the most out of your frozen veggies. \u00a0This article by The Kitchn<\/a> gives you some helpful tricks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The Bottom Line:<\/span><\/h2>\n\n- Any veggie is better than no veggie!<\/li>\n
- Choose frozen veggies when out of season to reduce your carbon footprint.<\/li>\n
- Choose fresh veggies when in season, and opt for locally sourced (farmers markets are your friend!)<\/li>\n
- Steam vs. boil fresh or frozen vs. boiling to retain nutrition.<\/li>\n
- Properly store and seal produce with something like these food saver sheets<\/a>\u00a0or these bees wax wraps<\/a>.<\/li>\n
- Only purchase what you need (one third of the world’s total food production goes to waste!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
According to Science Nordic<\/a>, frozen vegetables are harvested at maturity, then blanched to inactivate the enzymes and frozen soon after picking<\/strong>. For instance: it’s within 3 hours for peas, 6 hours for beans and 24 hours for other vegetables (which is shorter than the lifespan of a veggie on grocery store shelves).<\/p>\n In a study by the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis,<\/a>\u00a0they examined the nutrient lost between fresh and frozen product. \u00a0In the end, the\u00a0frozen produce outperformed \u201cfresh-stored\u201d<\/strong> more frequently than \u201cfresh-stored\u201d outperformed frozen.<\/p>\n Consumers\u2019 assumption that fresh produce has much more nutritional value<\/a> than frozen is incorrect.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/blockquote>\n Some nutrients are higher in frozen veggies vs. fresh. \u00a0As an example, Vitamin C, lutein, and beta-carotene were higher<\/strong> in frozen broccoli and carrots compared with their fresh varieties.<\/p>\n From an environmental perspective, frozen vegetables are best because they are typically transported by sea (vs. plan). \u00a0Air transportation of out of season fresh produce from other countries, and in-home preparation waste of fresh produce increases the carbon footprint<\/strong> significantly<\/strong> compared with frozen vegetables.<\/p>\n That said, the\u00a0processing and storage of frozen vegetables may have a greater environmental impact<\/strong>. Yet “decreasing in-home waste dramatically reduces the carbon footprint compared with fresh vegetables”.<\/p>\n Regardless of which you choose, the real nutrient loss\/differences occur in the cooking process.<\/p>\n To retain the water soluble nutrients in your product opt for steaming versus boiling <\/strong>(because water\u00a0soluble vitamins are lost in the water).<\/p>\n According to the Institute of Food Science & Technology<\/a>, “refrigeration and protective wrapping<\/strong> is recommended for most vegetables (except tomatoes and onions), as it helps maintain moisture content, reduces respiration rates, and improves vitamin retention”.<\/p>\n My freezer is always stocked with a few bags of frozen product for emergencies (like parenting solo on Mother’s Day weekend). My go-tos are:<\/p>\n And finally some tips to get the most out of your frozen veggies. \u00a0This article by The Kitchn<\/a> gives you some helpful tricks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
\n
Cooking tips:<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nMy go-to frozen vegetables:<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/h2>\n
Preparing frozen vegetables:<\/span><\/h2>\n
The Bottom Line:<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.daniellebinns.com\/stagingsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/How-to-health-ify-mealtimes.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n