8 Frozen Fruits & Veggies That Are Just As Healthy As Fresh

Frozen fruits and vegetables get a bad rap, as people will tell you that fresh produce will always be better for you. While fresh produce is nearly always preferable, there are some fruits and vegetables that are just as good and good for you when frozen as they are at the farmer's market.

Corn

Corn in its many refined forms is being called detrimental to health, but natural sweet corn is a fantastic healthy vegetable. Fortunately, fresh corn freezes really well. Corn begins to lose its sweetness as soon as an hour following picking. Flash freezing not only preserves the corn’s freshness, but the wonderful sweetness that it possesses.

Broccoli Florets

Dark green vegetables are teaming with dozens of nutrients, but iron is a mineral that is lacking in some diets, especially in the winter. Steamed broccoli florets are an excellent source of that necessary nutrient. Steamed frozen or steamed fresh, there is little difference in flavor or texture.

Peas/Beans

English or green peas are almost never available fresh. It has not taken away from the fact that they grace many entrees and side dishes. Legumes are added to soups and casseroles and are a staple in vegetarian and vegan diets because of their excellence as a protein source.

Carrots

Carrots are a part of all healthy diets. They are snacks and vegetables. They also freeze well. In most applications that are not eaten raw, therefore, fresh flash frozen carrots are a constant in freezers alone or as part of prepared vegetables and soup mixes. Frozen is also an excellent way to have them year around for carrot cake.

Peaches

Peaches are one of the few fruits that freeze well. Often, frozen fruits are made into a topping or are added to pies. Peaches are excellent this way, but as a frozen summer treat they really excel. They are equally great when frozen fresh at home or flash frozen and in your grocer’s freezer.

Berries

Frozen berries are available in all varieties. Frozen berries do not have the textural quality of fresh fruits, but they excel in all other aspects. The fresh fruit on shelves in stores can be weeks old, but fruit is frozen fresh at the apex of ripeness. They are packaged whole and in varietal mixes. Sautéed with a minute amount of brown sugar, and they become the most excellent topping to any ice cream.

Spinach

Fresh spinach is available year around as a component to many healthy green salads. They are excellent frozen, and like peas, they are used in many dishes and dips in their frozen, packaged iteration. Simply thaw, drain, and spinach is ready for that awesome spinach and artichoke dip.

Grapes

Table grapes are almost exclusively enjoyed naturally year around, but as frozen fruit, they are gaining in popularity. It is like giving kids an awesome edible, frozen puzzle. They become healthy candy because kids suck, chew and then conquer it by cracking through to the succulent interior. The beauty of that is that was the first one.