Buying frozen vegetables

[Caribbean girl]

There was a time not so long ago, when I would sometimes buy and use frozen vegetables. These frozen vegetables used to come in very handy when I was in a hurry to cook a meal, since it saved time in having to soak and cut up other vegetables. I could usually get a package of these with a variety of vegetables in them, like broccoli, carrots, beans, corn etc. Sometimes I would defrost them and throw them in rice and make a vegetable rice. I have found, however, that although they were a source of convenience when it came to cooking vegetables, that the fresh vegetables which I had to dice, were tastier than the frozen ones.

Do you ever buy frozen vegetables, and how do they compare with fresh vegetables, in your opinion? Would you use the frozen ones for convenience?

 

[winterybella]

I buy frozen particularly for a stir frying or something like that but I prefer fresh over frozen most times. I just think some dishes work better with frozen and others with fresh so it is safe to say I alternate.

 

[Morning Glory]

As all chefs know the best frozen vegetable is peas. In fact, its rare to find fresh peas used in a professional kitchen. Sweetcorn doesn't fare too badly and broad beans are O.K. I've recently been using frozen baby soya beans and they are O.K. too (and I certainly wouldn't be able to buy them fresh here). But, I'd never use frozen carrots. Something strange happens to carrots when frozen!

 

[cupcakechef]

I think any veggie that is fairly water heavy to start with can be kind of bleh when it's frozen and re-done...one that springs to mind for me are frozen peppers (capsicum)...they just never, ever have the same consistency frozen as they do fresh. Ultimately I'll always go for fresh unless I can't obtain it, or unless the price for fresh is sky high and out of my budget.

 

[Corzhens]

First off, frozen vegetables are very expensive here because most are imported. Second, why would I buy frozen vegetable when fresh vegetables are available? Even with frozen fruits like strawberry, we also have the fresh version so we rely on the fresh version when we cook pastries. But in hotels, someone told me that they use frozen vegetables particularly the carrots and peas. Maybe there is a difference in taste because I understand that hotel food is of high quality.

 

[L_B]

I do buy frozen vegetables on occasion but for the most part I buy fresh. Brussel Sprouts on are one of the vegetables that I prefer frozen over fresh but for the most past fresh is so much better. Frozen vegetables do come in handy though when you are in a hurry and they are convenience since there is really no preparation, just toss them in the pot.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

The only frozen veg I use are frozen peas (categorically much better than supermarket fresh peas, but not better than your own from the garden), fresh mixed beans and peas (same as before), fresh sweetcorn (or supermarket no longer stocks the extra sweet sweetcorn (not better than fresh corn on the cob but it's season is very short), and frozen spinach (which simply takes up a lot less room in frozen chopped form).
Even chips are made from handcut potatoes.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

I think the only frozen veg we buy is peas, and occasionally broad beans. From what I understand, peas (and beans too probably) are better frozen because the sugars turn to starch very quickly after picking so the fresh ones from the shop will never be as sweet as frozen.

 

[OhioTom76]

I buy lots of frozen vegetables, and in some cases actually prefer the frozen variety to the fresh variety. The one thing I categorically cannot stand are canned vegetables - I'll take fresh or frozen over canned any day of the week. The only exception to that would be something like canned tomatoes, but that's about it.

Frozen artichoke hearts are a great example of being better frozen in most cases than going for the fresh variety. First off, the fresh artichokes in our grocery stores are often not fresh at all, plus they cost quite a bit. I would be spending way more if I bought the equivalent amount of fresh artichokes to equal what I could get in a bag of frozen artichoke hearts, which is only around $4 a bag. Then you have to take into consideration all the work it takes to clean and cut up an artichoke. If you're not good at prepping them, you can end up wasting most of the artichoke heart. On top of that, you still have to cook them a bit, and hope they don't oxidize on you and turn brown in the process. No thanks, I'll just stick with frozen.

Frozen french fries are pretty much a staple in my freezer too. Not only are they much healthier than deep fried french fries, they last forever in the freezer and bake up in about 30 minutes along with whatever else you're cooking.

I'm surprised some people mentioned they didn't like frozen carrots. I actually prefer those frozen in most instances as well, since a raw carrot can take some time to tenderize, but the frozen ones are already par cooked. Same goes for broccoli and cauliflower. If I were to buy them fresh I would end up blanching them anyhow, so the end result is not much different from what I would get from using their frozen counterparts.

Frozen spinach is way more cost effective than buying it fresh.

There are, however some things I still prefer to buy fresh, such as onions, celery, and peppers.

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm surprised some people mentioned they didn't like frozen carrots. I actually prefer those frozen in most instances as well, since a raw carrot can take some time to tenderize, but the frozen ones are already par cooked. Same goes for broccoli and cauliflower. If I were to buy them fresh I would end up blanching them anyhow, so the end result is not much different from what I would get from using their frozen counterparts.

Well, perhaps your frozen veg is different from that in the UK. Here, frozen carrots have very little sweetness and are strangely waterlogged yet solid. I don't know how else to explain it! Carrots can't really be overcooked - so I bung mine in boiling water and let them simmer for half an hour. More won't hurt.