It is true what they say! Frozen fruit, veg, meat & fish can be just as, if not more nutritious as fresh!
Many of the fruit and vegetables we eat in the UK come from overseas. To maximise the time we can take to eat the products in our own homes, fruit and veg is often picked before it’s had time to fully ripen. As the food travels the world and makes its way towards us, they might start to lose their nutrients. However, if the products are frozen whilst they are at their ripest and before they are transported over to us, the nutrients are better stored. Try and use frozen vegetables within 9 months and fruit within 6 months to maintain their quality.
Freezing fresh meat & fish is more complex as they could be dangerous if not handled within the right time frame or at the incorrect temperature. If they are frozen quickly they are a great freezer staple! Consume these products within 6 months for best results.
A great benefit to using products from your freezer is that you can use the portion size you require and so is ideal for reducing food waste. Just make sure you keep the packaging information! The freezer acts like a pause button, which allows us some time between each portion. When storing a large pack or punnet of fruit or veg in the fridge, it can quickly expire and be past it’s best.
When you go shopping in the supermarkets there’s always so many multi-buy deals! Get more for your money by taking advantage of these deals and store some of your buys in your cupboards or fridge, and the rest in your freezer.
Batch-cooking is another way to stretch every penny, plus it saves time. It’s a lovely feeling when you’ve all enjoyed a home-cooked recipe, and even the leftovers can be reworked into another meal which will be enjoyed that same week.
Having food in the freezer provides comfort, so you’ve got a back-up plan if you’re running low on fresh items. It’s much more convenient to avoid having to head out to the shops when you’re in the middle of preparing a meal.
The WRAP website is a great place to check the best way to store foods, to keep them fresher for longer and prevent us throwing them in the bin. They have an A-Z Food Storage guide which means you can look up items individually, find out if they can be frozen and there’s also recipe inspiration to make use out of food that has passed its best.