Frozen veggies: mustachian alternative or for consumerist suckas?

[intellectsucks]

I’m terrible at meal planning, so I’ve been using frozen veggies for a long time.  It makes adding high quality nutrients to any meal really easy, especially packed lunches.  Basically just throw a cooked starch, meat (if you eat meat) and your favorite mix of veggies into a microwavable storage container and you have an instant healthy lunch.  You can also throw them into cooked dishes like stews, soups and stir frys, or just microwave them as a side.  You can usually buy them cut into whatever size you like, so you save a bunch of time cutting and cleaning.
Since they also last basically forever, you don’t have to worry about planning meals around what’s going bad.  This is also great because it lets you really load up when they’re on sale, especially if you have a chest freezer. 
I find that most of the veggies I eat on a regular basis (carrots, green beans, spinach, zucchini) are about the same price or cheaper.  For whatever reason broccoli, which I eat a ton of, is about double the price of fresh broccoli, but I would probably end up throwing out a bunch of fresh broccoli when it went bad.  I suspect with some time and effort I could find quality, fresh veggies for a cheaper at farmers markets or other sources, but I doubt the savings would be worth the extra time, work and travel.
Finally, frozen veggies in a lot of cases are even healthier than “fresh” veggies, which are often picked early, then lose nutrients due to shipping storage and time.  https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/nutrition/are-frozen-vegetables-healthy/

[ketchup]

I use lazy steam-in-the-bag vegetables at work multiple times a week to go with my lunch.  They're great for all the reasons you mentioned and far more reasonably priced than I initially assumed.

[tarheeldan]

I'm with you. I'm single, so buying frozen veggies means fewer grocery store trips and no spoilage.

I avoid the steam-in-a-bag because of the price, and rather buy the large bags that have a low price/lb. My grocery store, and also WalMart carry huge bags of broccoli and also big bags of stir fry mix. For the  broccoli, consider how much of the stem you would cut off from the fresh kind. For spinach, I've found the little boxes are much higher quality than the bags, ymmv.

[I'm a red panda]

In many cases the frozen veggies are much cheaper than fresh.

I don't buy mixes very often, occasionally large bags of stir fry mixes, and no "steam in bag" or small number of serving bags.

[R62]

Awesome recipe for frozen spinach:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/spinach-gratin-recipe .

I cut the recipe in half, and it still makes enough for about 6 people (generous side dish).   Leftovers make yummy omelettes.

[LZZ]

it takes time but i freeze my own broccoli.  This is the quickest method:
1. cut in to florets. rinse. 
2. cook in microwave (the water from rinsing is enough to cook it) in 1 min intervals until crisp - don't over cook.  normally 2 mins enough but depends on quantity.  drain.
3. put on a sheet pan or tray and freeze without them touching each other.  putting it on parchment paper helps it not stick to the tray. 
4. thrown in to a container or ziploc bag.

i use this container to steam my veges in the microwave.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/sistema-reg-nonstick-microwave-steamer-in-red/3274561?skuId=44695675&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenelectrics_&product_id=44695675&adpos=1o2&creative=43742642989&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAiAz4XFBRCW87vj6-28uFMSJAAHeGZbrPc3dICVNCGqBs5Xu_zSU8yQuaOEbwDqimRI6bR32hoCl2Lw_wcB

[FireHiker]

it may be cheaper to get fresh on sale and freeze your own, but frozen veggies convenient on hand help us to eat healthier at home when time is an issue. It may not be AS cheap as getting fresh broccoli on sale and freezing it, but it's healthier and cheaper than grabbing fries with some fast food. Like anything else, I would keep an eye on pricing.

[Gimesalot]

In my area, I can get most frozen veggies for around $1 per pound.  This includes broccoli, shelled peas, okra, spinach, collards, etc.  I haven't been able to find better deals even when fresh because there is always a lot of waste.

[Lookilu]

Awesome recipe for frozen spinach:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/spinach-gratin-recipe .

I cut the recipe in half, and it still makes enough for about 6 people (generous side dish).   Leftovers make yummy omelettes.

This looks fabulous. Thanks for posting!

I do prefer fresh vegetables most of the time, but I almost always have frozen spinach and/or other greens on hand. They're usually less expensive than the fresh and there's no waste, so I think they're a win.

[Zikoris]

I keep some around for situations like getting home from vacation in the middle of the night, starving, with no fresh food available. Frozen vegetables, rice, and frozen veggie meat has been our go-to many times for that exact scenario. But otherwise, it's always been way cheaper for me to just buy whatever vegetables are on sale, and meal plan around that.

If you're terrible at meal planing, maybe it would be a good idea to address that directly rather than look for workarounds?

[Cranky]

Frozen peas are terrific, because fresh peas are so seasonal.

Frozen broccoli, IMO, is never all that great - it's pretty rubbery. Ditto, brussels sprouts.

I buy peas, and green beans in the winter, and the frozen leeks that Trader Joe's sells. I think we eat more raw vegetables than cooked, though.

I don't find that broccoli at the farmer's market is very cheap, but I had a surprisingly good crop of broccoli in my garden last year.

[cats]

I keep some around for situations like getting home from vacation in the middle of the night, starving, with no fresh food available. Frozen vegetables, rice, and frozen veggie meat has been our go-to many times for that exact scenario. But otherwise, it's always been way cheaper for me to just buy whatever vegetables are on sale, and meal plan around that.

If you're terrible at meal planing, maybe it would be a good idea to address that directly rather than look for workarounds?

This is us also. We can get most fresh produce quite cheaply (rarely pay more than $1/lb, in many cases more like 50-70 cents/lb).  You can get some frozen veg at that price, but not much (peas, corn, low quality mixes that are mostly carrots/onions, "broccoli cuts" but not florets).  I also find that some frozen veg is just kind of blech when reheated.  Zucchini and carrots turn to mush, broccoli cuts are tough and woody, etc.

Peas are usually quite tasty from frozen, and we really like roasting frozen brussels sprouts--they are different from fresh, but in a very tasty way.  I did recently discover that you can get a pound of frozen brussels at TJ's for $1 and I am absolutely sold on that as a backup for when you've run out of fresh veg before the next scheduled grocery run, or for weeks when there just isn't much going on in the way of produce specials.

I'd consider frozen veg to be an improvement over going out to eat, but in my area it's definitely more economical (and, I think tastier) to use fresh vegetables and do meal some planning for the majority of meals.  If you are a single person, you can always make a batch of something vegetable-y and use that freezer space to freeze some of it so you don't have to worry so much about spoilage, or blanch some plain vegetables yourself and freeze them.  And meal planning does not have to be overly complicated or laborious.

From the responses on this thread, it sounds like there may be a lot of geographic variability in the price of fresh vs. frozen.  If I could get a good range of frozen vegetables for $1/lb I would view them much more favorably as a regular menu item.

[mm1970]

I keep some around for situations like getting home from vacation in the middle of the night, starving, with no fresh food available. Frozen vegetables, rice, and frozen veggie meat has been our go-to many times for that exact scenario. But otherwise, it's always been way cheaper for me to just buy whatever vegetables are on sale, and meal plan around that.

If you're terrible at meal planing, maybe it would be a good idea to address that directly rather than look for workarounds?

Pretty much this.  We get a produce box ($40 a week) from the farmer's market (delivered).  On top of that, I usually buy a fruit or two and a vegetable or two or three.

Still, with a family of four who eats a lot of produce, we run out by Weds or Thursday each week.

I buy frozen veg for this reason - for when we run out, or for when we are short on time.  The 99 cent store has 1-lb bags for $1.  I'm mostly a fan of the Asian blend and Italian blend.  But will also occasionally buy mixed corn/peas/carrots or edamame. 

I also buy frozen green beans, peas, corn to add to fried rice or soup.  Occasionally get the 5.5 lb bags from Costco, which work out to $1.25 a pound. 

I figure it's not bad.  Often frozen is cheaper per pound, and that doesn't even factor in the waste.  When I chop broccoli and peel the stalks, you are losing some there.

[FIRE Artist]

I had the frozen vegetables epiphany a year ago (during the great Canadian cauliflower inflation of 2015) that for any fruits and vegetables I intend to cook or blend, that frozen is the most economical option with zero waste. 

I live alone, and frequently found myself throwing out items that I could not eat in time.  Now the only fresh veggies or fruit I buy are for salads and straight eating like apples and bananas, and local things in season - because support local.  I live pretty far north so there is a very short window of fresh local fruits and veggies, the rest of the year we rely on imports and frozen from Costco and store brands seems to be the most economical.  I like the mixed frozen veggies, I would less inclined to purchase 5 different vegetables for a stir fry or fried rice, and the asian mix from Costco does the trick quite well. 

[MustacheExplorer]

Along with other frozen veggies I like to keep a bag of frozen chopped spinach in my freezer.  I'll throw a handful into soups or add some to scrambled eggs to soup them up a bit.

[dreams_and_discoveries]

I'm very pro-frozen veggies.

They are fresher (frozen at farm, rather than taking days coming farm > store > my fridge > dinner ), usually cheaper, create less waste and allow much more flexible menu planning - don't feel like broccoli tonight, don't worry it will keep.

As a single person, they allow me to not eat the same veg for days on end.

[Mr Mark]

I'm also a big fan of frozen veggies. They are cheap because they can be collected in bulk at peak season at source (rather than importing from Chile or Mexico off season), transported at leisure. Freezing technology also means little loss in nutritional values.

I really like frozen leeks and mushrooms for soups, stir fry and stews as they always seem expensive when fresh here. Frozen fruit for smoothies.

I also avoid anything coming from China. I don't trust their food system at all.

[alleykat]

Recently, I finally accepted the fact that I throw more out than I eat of fresh produce, I now am sticking with frozen.  Enough food wasted.   ...and money.  Plus, I like the fact I can grab a vegetable I want for the meal. 

[lizzzi]

Single person here, FIRE and cooking only for myself at the moment. With lunch, I routinely have 12 pieces of cut up fresh vegetables. I know what I like, and it doesn't go to waste: carrots, peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, olives. (Celery tends to stick in my teeth, and also is too hard to use up.) For supper, I always have a side serving of frozen vegetables: usually broccoli, mixed vegetables, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or anything else that may be available at Aldi, where I do most of my grocery shopping. I keep a few canned vegetables in the cupboard just for, hey, whatever...or maybe for power outages. Prices at Aldi are cheap, and I make sure I eat everything up, so I don't worry about the cost...and figure it's healthy, anyway.

[MayDay]

In my area frozen is cheaper.

In the summer we eat garden veggies. Man! You have to wash that shit, and pick the bugs off, and cut off bad spots, and chop it up! So much work.  Worth it for the taste but meal prep takes a lot longer.

Winter frozen veggies are like a vacation.

[Guesl982374]

The frozen veggies I've seen add sugar so I decided to pass. I'll take another look though.

[JoJo]

The the Seattle area, about the cheapest I can find is $1 a pound.  My faves right now - Grocery Outlet has a 2 pound bag mix of carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, and edamame for $1.99.  I've also seen 2 pound bags of lima beans or edamame for $1.49.

These make really easy microwave meals to take to work - grill a boneless chicken breast & put a couple handfuls of frozen veg in a pyrex bowl with some spice (the curry spice I bought in Sri Lanka is my favorite, but it goes well with mexican spice too).

[markpst]

The frozen veggies I've seen add sugar so I decided to pass. I'll take another look though.

That seems strange to me......I wonder if it is possible you are looking at the 'Nutrition Facts', which would include naturally occurring sugars versus the ingredient list.

I think frozen vegetables are great for the convenience and cost. I rarely eat canned vegetables, but do really like the no salt added beets.

[lizzzi]

The frozen veggies I've seen add sugar so I decided to pass. I'll take another look though.

That seems odd. I just brought home a bag of frozen broccoli florets from Aldi. Ingredients are listed as "broccoli." I checked my California Mix from Aldi...broccoli, cauliflower, carrots. The ingredients are listed as "broccoli, cauliflower, carrots."

Maybe you are buying seasoned vegetable mixes with sauces?

[Guesl982374]

The frozen veggies I've seen add sugar so I decided to pass. I'll take another look though.

That seems odd. I just brought home a bag of frozen broccoli florets from Aldi. Ingredients are listed as "broccoli." I checked my California Mix from Aldi...broccoli, cauliflower, carrots. The ingredients are listed as "broccoli, cauliflower, carrots."

Maybe you are buying seasoned vegetable mixes with sauces?

I haven't purchased any. Just recalling a casual glance a few years ago. It probably was seasoned mixed vegetables.

[Retire-Canada]

We use fresh vegetables primarily, but we also keep enough frozen vegetables around as well as frozen meat that we can come up with a meal anytime without going to the store. There is nothing different about frozen produce as far as nutrition goes, but fresh does taste better.

[katstache92]

I use frozen.  If I don't keep frozen veggies around, I don't eat veggies.  Not good.

So I keep frozen veggies around.  Well, I guess I keep fresh baby carrots around, but I think that's it.

Someday I'll do my own veggie prep.  But I'm not there yet.

[LindseyC]

As other single person households have mentioned in this thread sometimes frozen is easier to avoid waste. I also live in Canada so local veggies are seasonal and imported stuff can sometimes be expensive in the winter. I eat a TON of veggies at every meal and snack, so frozen saves my budget a lot of times. Basically if I am going to put it in a slow cooker, casserole, blender, or soup/stew/chilli I will use frozen. Fresh veggies I save for raw snacking, omelettes, stir frys and salads.

In season veggies that are local and readily available for cheap prices I will buy from the local farmers and feast on while I can. If they work well frozen, I stock the freezer up.

Occasionally I will even used canned veggies but typically only tomatoes (no sodium) for soups and chilli.

[FIRE me]

I like the Normandy style mixed frozen vegetables at Costco. 5.5 pounds of excellent quality broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Zero broccoli or cauliflower stems, so zero waste for me (I hate the stems and they give me gas anyway).

[Mr Mark]

I love Costco

[AZDude]

Depends on the vegetable and where you are shopping, etc... We eat fresh mostly, but stuff like frozen corn on the cobb or frozen peas last forever and can be a quick substitute for those days where time is of the essence and you are tempted to get take out. I also WFH, so having frozen veggies means I can eat at my desk at home since most of my co-workers work east coast hours and schedule meetings from 11 to 2 ALL THE TIME.

[Dezrah]

I personally love having frozen fruit on hand as well.

I keep a bag of blueberries on hand to throw in with my yogurt, cereal, shakes, etc.  They thaw very quickly and taste amazing.

My favorite drink right now is a spritzer made with white wine, carbonated water, and frozen raspberry/blackberry/cherry mix.  The berries keep the drink nice and chilled while adding a sweet touch.

[Hotstreak]

I prefer fresh vegetables and fruits, because of the texture change that occurs when freezing.  So they're no good for salads or sauté, in my opinion.  I do use them, though!
-  long-cook time soups and stews, where the texture is approaching "mush" anyways
-  Quick convenience meals (like others have mentioned - leftover or canned meat + frozen veg + microwave)
-  Protein shakes that I won't be drinking for a while (frozen fruit helps keep it cold).

One issue I have with frozen vegetables is finding packages with only the veg I want.  I rarely see chopped carrots by themselves for instance, they usually come with peas and/or corn.

Tip:  Buy frozen vegetables from restaurant supply stores, they have HUGE bags (must be 10lbs?), and use a bag clip to keep them from frosting too much.

[Khaetra]

I buy frozen 95% of the time.  I buy fresh if I plan on using them that night but buying frozen gives me more variety for a cheaper price.

[FiftyIsTheNewTwenty]

Another vote for Costco.  I buy the Normandy mix, frozen peas, and sometimes other mixes for about the same price as fresh-on-sale around here.   

Smaller quantities, or heaven forbid, single serving packages are way more expensive.

Walmart and the usual grocery stores' quality is noticeably worse than Costco.  I find Costco's frozen quality better than what I can usually get fresh.

[Gunny]

Frozen peas are terrific, because fresh peas are so seasonal.

Frozen broccoli, IMO, is never all that great - it's pretty rubbery. Ditto, brussels sprouts.

I buy peas, and green beans in the winter, and the frozen leeks that Trader Joe's sells. I think we eat more raw vegetables than cooked, though.

I don't find that broccoli at the farmer's market is very cheap, but I had a surprisingly good crop of broccoli in my garden last year.

We use a lot of frozen veggies.  My wife either puts them in soups/stews or she steams them.  Steaming makes them tender and they taste fresher.  She steam frozen broccoli spears last night and they came out very tender.

[Rural]

 Mostly frozen here. Most frozen veggies are cheaper than fresh even in season, and unlike fresh vegetables from the Aldi or the save a lot nearest us (neither is near), the frozen vegetables are not rotten when I buy them.


Exceptions are onions and cabbage, which are cheaper fresh.  Those I buy fresh, and then often freeze the excess for later. Other things I buy fresh are potatoes, which root cellar well and are generally foul if frozen. Oh, and carrots (whole, not baby unless the baby ones are the same or less per pound) because of cheapness and long keeping.

[hoping2retire35]

Cheaper and last longer(so even more cheap). Not sure how that is not mustachian!

[koshtra]

Nah, what's consumerist sucka is having to have enchanting gourmet perfectly fresh veggies all the time. Frozen veggies are perfectly good food: freezing is not the sort of processing we should turn up our noses at. (I like tender fresh vegetables as much as the next person, but unless you're right in season & on location, the transport & storage of fresh vegetables is often considerably less Moustachian than frozen.)