The primary battle we have with ourselves when we're shopping for fresh produce is whether we should go for organic or regular fruits and vegetables. But you might want to start considering buying frozen vegetables as well, because they hold just as much nutrition as the fresh stuff.
The University of Georgia conducted research for two years (full disclosure: it was funded by the Frozen Food Foundation) that studied the nutritional value of standard produce in three different stages: fresh, in the fridge for five days, and frozen. The verdict? All three pretty much had the same amount of nutrition. In fact, in some cases, the frozen veggies were more nutritious than the fresh veggies that were in the fridge. This was especially true with green beans and green peas.
How on earth is this possible? When veggies and fruits are frozen, they're often frozen at their peak level of ripeness, which means they have their highest amount of nutrition. And that nutrition stays firmly put while it's in the freezer, so you don't have to worry about it going anywhere.
There are some vegetables that are better to buy fresh, though, because they keep certain phytochemicals and antioxidants when they're not frozen. Cabbage, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are best when they're bought straight from the produce aisle. But a lot of the other veggies you find in the freezer aisle are probably just as good for you - spinach, green beans, carrots, etc.
The best part is, frozen vegetables are a fraction of the price! You might save yourself a hefty amount of cash by opting in for the frozen stuff. Another bonus is that you don't have to hurry up and cook with them for fear that they'll go bad. It's a win-win-win.
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