As shoppers look for ways to save money, you might be wondering ‘is frozen food cheaper than fresh?’ And ‘Which is better, fresh or frozen?’ This article reveals what researchers think.
Frozen fruit and veg can be cheaper, healthier and tastier than fresh food, according to consumer group, Which? In addition, produce fresh from the farm is not necessarily better for you, and may not even contain as many nutrients, vitamins and minerals as the frozen versions, researchers explained.
Fresh or frozen vegetables: So which is better? Frozen fruit and vegetables can be just as good, and in some cases even better for you than fresh. As soon as fruit and vegetables are picked, they start to lose nutrients. It can take some time for them to be transported to shops, plus time in the shop and then in your kitchen before you eat them. Frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen shortly after they’ve been harvested, and this helps to preserve the nutrients until you eat them.
The added convenience of Frozen. A recent study conducted by the Frozen Food Foundation found people who buy frozen fruits and veggies consume more produce overall than those who don't. Freezers stocked with frozen produce, are much more likely consumer from. Also, Frozen produce is usually prewashed and pre-cut, making heating them in the microwave or cook quickly and easily.
Frozen produce can be cheaper than fresh too, making it accessible to more people. Frozen organic spinach costs about 50p less than fresh organic spinach, for twice the volume, Similarly, a 10-ounce bag of frozen organic raspberries is the same price as 6 ounces of the fresh fruit.
Finally, Frozen vegetables can be used far longer than their fresh counterparts. So instead of replenishing fresh produce supply every few days, shoppers can stretch out the shopping trips.
Frozen veg are also a great alternative to canned ones, which are usually packed with salt to preserve them. Frozen vegetables, for the most part, are cooked to a very high temperature before being quickly frozen for flavor and color conservation, so salt and preservatives aren't necessary.
A study by experts at Manchester Metropolitan University has revealed that British families reduce their waste by nearly half (47.5%) by eating frozen food.
In a two-week long experiment, researchers asked 20 families to eat one week of meals made from fresh ingredients, and then the same meals the following week from frozen ingredients to compare waste, costs, and taste.
The study, commissioned by British supermarket chain Iceland Foods Ltd, found that cooking from frozen food was significantly better value and there was considerably less waste, with many families agreeing that their frozen meals were as good as, or better than fresh.
The study found that 17 out of 20 families said they wasted less when it came to frozen week. On average, including the three families who had more frozen wastage, there was a 47.48% reduction in waste in the frozen week.
When it came to cost, the study revealed that 18 out of 20 families found frozen to be almost 30% better value than fresh, and across the study there was a total saving of £752.43 when using frozen (£1,764.01 compared to £2,516.44), with the average cost saving per family being £37.62.
In terms of taste, items such as frozen pastries, fruit, vegetables, mashed potato and fries - especially the sweet potato fries - were very popular. While fresh food scored better than frozen by just seven points (150.7 versus 144) families generally agreed that they found the taste of frozen as good as fresh and that they would buy more frozen items in the future, particularly as they now knew more about frozen food.
Commenting on the study, Iceland said: “The results of this independent study are really promising with many newcomers to frozen particularly impressed by the huge waste reduction, range and quality of food available, as well as the cost, convenience and taste.
“This reflects what we’re seeing across the country as shoppers turn to their freezers to provide speedy nutritional meals and help them keep tighter control of their household budget. And with our society becoming ever more conscientious about waste, substituting some fresh items for frozen will keep lots more food out of landfill.”
In summary, frozen fruit and veg can be cheaper, healthier and tastier than fresh food. In addition, frozen fruit and vegetables can be just as good, and in some cases even better for you than fresh. And frozen vegetables can be used far longer than their fresh counterparts.
When it came to a direct comparison between shopping for and consuming fresh vs. Frozen, researchers concluded that cooking from frozen food was significantly better value and there was considerably less waste, with many families agreeing that their frozen meals were as good as, or better than fresh.
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