Freeze Waste

It’s official. When a New York Times piece advocates using frozen instead of fresh vegetables, you know we’re in a recession. When the Dining section does the same you can call it a Depression.

The engrossing Health section piece about eating nutritiously for less, suggested using frozen veggies for a few reasons. The nutritional benefit was new to me:

Not only do canned and frozen versions usually cost less and require less preparation, but nutrient value is as good or better and less food is wasted. Fresh produce is often harvested before it is fully ripe and so comes to the consumer with fewer than optimal nutrients. But fruits and vegetables that are canned or frozen are picked at the peak of ripeness.

photo by gregoryjameswalsh via Creative CommonsPresumably you waste fewer vegetables because you only use what you need while leaving the rest frozen. And because it’s much less perishable.

I still contend that buying fresh vegetables and doing so with a purpose in mind is the best plan. That way, you don’t have a freezer full of forasaken, half-used packages that get freezer burn. Then again, dividing foods into usable portions can help. It’s all about finding what works best for you.

I’m curious–how has the economy affected how you buy or view food, if at all?

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