Fresh veggies versus frozen

Going the frozen option can actually help a kitchen’s budget – with the veggies being able to be stored for longer, meaning less wastage – and seasonality can be ignored.

Think veggies, plucked fresh from the farm and delivered straight to your door, are best? Not always.

Most vegetables in frozen and canned form are just as nutritious as fresh produce – in fact, in some cases, they provide even more nutrients…which is good news for the kitchen, being so convenient!

Fresh veggies can actually be exposed to conditions, which can cause changes in quality – for example, the length of time and the temperature during transport and storage, affecting nutrient content. Fresh produce usually spends about three to seven days in storage before being dished up. And, of course, the longer it’s stored, the more vitamins the produce loses.

Alternatively, frozen veggies are harvested at their peak – snap frozen and stored within hours, meaning their nutrients are “locked in” and further losses are minimised.

Susan Anderson, the national director of Healthy Weight at the Heart Foundation, gives frozen veggies the big tick. “Frozen vegetables are a terrific choice and we’re very happy to recommend them. They’re just as nutritious as fresh – in some cases, more so, since the freezing process takes place soon after harvesting.”

Anderson continues: “Frozen vegetables are popular with home cooks and chefs, because they’re so convenient and there’s no wastage.  The preparation is done and you only use what you need.” All pluses!

Of course, before freezing though, veggies do undergo blanching – or scalding – which does lead to some nutrient loss, particularly Vitamin C and folate. Though, in general, these losses are no greater than during cooking. Plus, some nutrients, like carotene (a compound converted to vitamin A in the body), may actually be better preserved when frozen, because packaging protects the veggies from the light.

In a study by Heinz Wattie’s Australasia, Frozen Vegetables – Do They Count?, the Vitamin C content of fresh and frozen spinach, green beans and brussels sprouts was measured at consumption stage. In each case, the Vitamin C levels were found to be highest in the cooked, frozen vegetables. This was said to be due to more uniform maturity of the veggies, minimum time from harvest to freezing, and the shorter time required to cook them, compared to when fresh.

Another recent study by the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research showed that three-month-old frozen peas contained twice as much Vitamin C as three-day-old fresh peas. Wow!

As well, consumer group Choice says supermarket produce may not be as fresh as customers think, with technological advances making it possible for growers and distributors to keep veggies looking good for up to a few weeks.

There’s also the kitchen storage issue – and the impact on the hip pocket for venues. Choice Australia last year found that many frozen vegetables retained most of their nutritional value for up to a year in a freezer at -18 C, while fresh produce stored in the fridge at 4 ⁰C for one week lost nutritional value in such a time – particularly green veggies, like broccoli, beans and spinach.

Not all are convinced though that frozen is the way to go. Fresh fruit and veg marketer Perfection Fresh Australia still firmly believes “fresh is best”, according to their spokesperson. “Because it is cooked straight from the field and delivered to wholesalers and supermarkets within 24 hours. We process thousands of pallets each day, so we are motivated to get the produce to its destination as fast as possible.”

The spokesperson continues: “We specialise in broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and other leaf products, where presentation is essential and freshness is clear to see. So, there is an urgency to get the product on shelves as fast as possible. The perception that produce just lays around for days is absolute nonsense!”

It seems there are arguments for both frozen and fresh produce. But, there are some advantages to frozen produce, in some instances, that chefs should consider – such as, that most veggies are seasonal and the only way to provide certain produce year-round is to either buy expensive imports or use more affordable, frozen alternatives.

As well, using frozen produce means you are limiting your reliance on suppliers – particularly of benefit if you are operating your restaurant or hotel in a more geographically isolated part of Australia.

As for the taste test though in fresh versus frozen? The jury’s still out!

General thawing tips

• Some frozen foods are better thawed before cooking, while others can be cooked straightaway – just make sure you follow manufacturers’ instructions if using commercially frozen fare.
• Where possible, thaw food in the fridge. It allows the ice crystals to break down slowly and, thus, won’t affect the food’s texture.
• Food that has been thawed in the fridge may be re-frozen, so long as this occurs within 48 hours. Still, if any food appears discoloured or has a whiffy odour, discard it immediately. It may contain harmful bacteria.

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