Fresh Foods Compared to Frozen Foods

When you run by the grocery store for a weeknight meal, chances are you'll grab a prepared frozen meal or at least frozen produce at some point. Frozen fruits and vegetables tend to cost less than their fresh counterparts, and though prepared frozen meals aren't actually cheaper per serving, popping them in the microwave for several minutes may seem easier than preparing and cooking a fresh meal. There are several differences to consider before making the choice to go to the produce or frozen section.

Safety

• Fresh fruits may typically contain bacteria - both harmful and helpful. Most of the bacteria can be washed off. Fresh vegetables typically present more sanitation issues than fruits since they are raised in soil and, thus, more likely to be contaminated. Knowing how a fruit or vegetable is grown is also important, because the growing soil may be contaminated. However, bacteria can remain in frozen foods as well, and most foods have little time before spoiling after thawing.

Nutritional Value

• Fresh vegetables and fruits have a slightly higher nutrient content than their frozen counterparts. Produce loses a small amount of nutrients like Vitamin C and B because manufacturers blanch the product in hot water or steam to kill bacteria before freezing. Frozen and canned foods may also have salt added. Boiling both frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables for long periods of time reduces their nutritional content as well. Some frozen vegetables and fruits also have additional ingredients, such as butter, sugar and preservatives or dyes if the produce is packed in a sauce.

Frozen Packaged Food vs. Fresh Food

• In a study released by the Silent Spring Institute and Breast Cancer Fund, researchers found a 60 percent drop in BPA levels in persons who ate fresh food instead of canned or plastic-packaged food. The families ate food prepared in the home with organic ingredients stored in glass containers. When families returned to their normal diets, BPA levels rose again. Prepare food from fresh ingredients when possible to minimize you and your family's exposure to BPA. Opting for fresh foods also gives you fresher-tasting meals and is more eco-friendly since fresh foods use less packaging - or none at all - than frozen or packaged products.

Keeping Things Local and Small

• Manufacturing frozen and packaged, processed foods is much more resource-intensive than growing and selling fresh, locally grown foods. Frozen foods typically come from different parts of the country, so it takes fuel and resources to transport, package and freeze the food. When you purchase fresh food - locally grown fresh food, in particular, you put money directly into the hands of farmers and growers in your own community, nourishing the local economy and eliminating extra steps involved in freezing and distributing foods.