Frozen Foods to the Rescue for Quick, Affordable Meals

Frozen Foods to the Rescue for Quick, Affordable Meals

What’s In My Freezer?

Kasia’s Perogies, Trader Joe’s Traditional Latkes, Morningstar Farms Original Chik’N Patties, Trident Seafood’s Ultimate Fish Sticks, and Yakisoba’s Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles with Veggies.

I enjoy cooking, but like many of us, I also appreciate shortcuts that help me get a nutritious meal on the table without a lot of time and fuss. Frozen foods are one of my favorite tools for assembling quick, affordable dinners, especially when I want to explore global cuisines at home. Before I share how I use these frozen foods, let’s clear up a few common misconceptions about them.

Myth: Frozen veggies and fruits are less nutritious than fresh.

Reality: They are just as nutritious and sometimes more so. Produce is picked at peak quality and quickly frozen, which helps to preserve vitamins and minerals. Research shows that people who use frozen fruits and vegetables actually consume more total produce, including more fiber, potassium, and calcium. (Click here and here for supporting research).

Myth: Frozen entrees are higher in calories and fat than homemade versions.

Reality: A recent analysis comparing popular frozen entrees (cheese and pepperoni pizzas, lasagna, macaroni & cheese, and broccoli & cheese) found their nutrient profiles were quite similar. “Specifically, the average percent of the daily value (DV) for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, fiber, protein, calcium, iron and potassium found in frozen foods are within 5% of the percent DV for homemade recipes that were evaluated.” (Click here for the analysis). You can feel confident feeding your family frozen entrees without guilt even if meal wasn’t made from scratch.

Myth: People eat fewer fresh foods when using frozen foods.

Reality: For most of us, including about 75% of consumers, it’s not either/or, it is frozen and fresh. Frozen foods complement fresh ingredients and make it easier to prepare balanced meals.

Myth: Frozen foods are full of preservatives.

Reality. Freezing is nature’s pause button. No additives or preservatives needed. Check the ingredients in the bag of frozen peas or blueberries in your freezer to see that nothing is added.

Why Frozen Foods Deserve a Place in Your Kitchen

• Convenience and cost. Food preparation takes time and sometimes we don’t have the extra 40 or 60 minutes to prepare a meal from scratch. Frozen meals can reduce time spent in the kitchen. Not only does a frozen meal cost about the same as if it were made from scratch, but because of modern freezing technology, frozen foods also have a long shelf life leading to…..

• Less food wasted. We waste a lot of food, by most estimates about 40% of food goes uneaten. Food waste is also wasted money. Frozen food is wasted less frequently than fresh foods, both at home and in the grocery store. Frozen fruit is wasted ten times less than fresh, and frozen vegetables four times less. Many of us throw fresh food away because it went bad before we could use it. (I’ll bet you’ve got a slimy vegetable or a piece of mushy fruit in your fridge right now.)

How I Turn My Favorite Frozen Foods into Easy Meals

• Kasia’s Perogies. As someone with Ukrainian roots, my sister taught me how to make our grandmother’s perogies, but it is an all-day affair. I make them on occasion (maybe once a year!) but these are pretty darn close to the homemade ones. I pan-fry them in a little butter and olive oil, serve with turkey sausage and Greek yogurt or sour cream, and add a green salad or coleslaw.
• Trader Joe’s Traditional Latkes. My husband grew up with potato latkes or pancakes; fun to eat and challenging to make. (Scraping knuckles while grating potatoes is not fun). I crisp these in the air fryer and serve them with unsweetened applesauce.
• Morning Star Farms Original Chik’N Patties. This soy protein version of fried chicken patty is a family favorite for a quick lunch or served over pasta with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese for vegetarian “chicken” Parmesan.
• Trident Seafood’s Ultimate Fish Sticks. Made with wild caught Alaskan pollock, these bake beautifully in the oven or air fryer. I pair them with homemade tartar sauce and oven roasted veggies or tuck them into tortillas for fast fish tacos topped with slaw and salsa. (There is always a Costco-sized bag in my freezer!)
• Yakisoba’s Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles with Veggies. Another Costo find that makes a wok-fried meal super easy. Add tofu for a vegetarian stir-fry or chicken or beef for the meat eaters.

Key Take Aways:

• Frozen foods are convenient, affordable, and nutritious.
• Use frozen foods as a base for creative, delicious meals on busy nights.
• Reduce food waste by using frozen fruits and veggies.
• Enjoy global flavors without traveling and expense of eating out by trying frozen options.
• And while March is #NationalFrozenFoodMonth, frozen foods are a smart choice year-round.

I’m Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD (Registered Dietitian) and nutrition professor emerita (a fancy word for retired) at Georgia State University in Atlanta. I am also a 51-year member of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I love to read and write and share the fascinating world of nutrition with (older) adults. I co-authored Food & Fitness After 50 (with Bob Murray) and the second edition is with the publisher (more to come on that). I am 74 years old and believe aging is a privilege, so I don’t whine about getting older.

Disclosure: I have no financial relationship with any of the brands mentioned in this post (or with Costco), I just am sharing my favorites. I did attend a sponsored travel conference where the American Frozen Food Institute sponsored a session spotlighting global flavors, but I was not asked nor compensated to write this post.