Frozen food - what am I missing?

[Peterpetrole]

Normally I've brought chilled meat - chicken, steak, burgers, sausages etc.

For convenience (due to travelling a lot) I started swapping in a few more of the frozen equivalents - and so far I either can't tell much difference, or the frozen tastes better. And often cheaper.

This is mainly Tesco at the moment.

Basically is frozen ok, why should I buy chilled?

[Slow.Patrol]

After watching a TV programme a few years ago I always buy frozen fish as it is considered to be fresher.

Most veg is better fresh, although I do tend to have butternut squash, peas, sweetcorn and spinach in the freezer. Mostly due to convenience.

Some meat seems to get a bit tough from being frozen. But beef mince, etc seems OK.

[The jiffle king]

Frozen keeps the nutrients in e.g. peas are frozen in just a few hours so retain their freshness
Also less food waste than fresh

[Granadier]

Peas are an odd one because I've only ever seen them sold frozen (or tinned, I suppose) in supermarkets, never fresh. Frozen are fine with me anyway

[grumbledoak]

Frozen is cheaper because there is less waste while the supermarket owns it. Shelf life is everything in groceries.

Frozen food isn't as good for nutrients as truly fresh food but, as pointed out, you cannot just walk outside your door and fish in the middle of the Atlantic, or pull a vegetable from a field in Peru.

[Aunty Pasty]

It is a bit weird. We buy fruit and veg frozen and fresh but meat we always buy fresh even if we just stick it in the freezer straight away.

I suspect most people do the same but I can't really say why. Maybe people like to see the meat and pick the one they like the most?

[Jimjimhim]

grumbledoak said:

Frozen is cheaper because there is less waste while the supermarket owns it. Shelf life is everything in groceries.

Frozen food isn't as good for nutrients as truly fresh food but, as pointed out, you cannot just walk outside your door and fish in the middle of the Atlantic, or pull a vegetable from a field in Peru.

Frozen and fresh that you can buy are generally very similar nutrients wise, but this can vary depending on the item

[Vasco]

Peterpetrole said:

Normally I've brought chilled meat - chicken, steak, burgers, sausages etc.

For convenience (due to travelling a lot) I started swapping in a few more of the frozen equivalents - and so far I either can't tell much difference, or the frozen tastes better. And often cheaper.

This is mainly Tesco at the moment.

Basically is frozen ok, why should I buy chilled?

Been buying frozen for many years, it's usually much better and fresher.

[brake fader]

i find fish tends to be mushy after its been frozen , much prefer fresh.

[Mobile Chicane]

Here's an example. I'm going to be putting them in smoothies / porridge, or generally cooking them anyway, so why pay 3 x for fresh?

[theplayingmantis]

Mobile Chicane said:

Here's an example. I'm going to be putting them in smoothies / porridge, or generally cooking them anyway, so why pay 3 x for fresh?

same reason why people find supermarket cheese or those wrapped in plastic depressing, to quote another thread, because people are taken in by what they have been taught to think.

'fresh' fish has already been frozen in lots of cases unless proven day boat. the only issue with some frozen fruit and veg is texture which certainly can be an issue (some fruit/veg things do mildly taint to a sensitive palate when frozen but not many), but not if going to be blitzed as your blueberries are. nutrionally likely to be better frozen, and in many cases unless its tip top fresh frozen is just as good if not better pointless to buy fresh peas unless you can PYO, similar for some beans, sweetcorn (often).

[Peterpetrole]

Good replies ITT cheers all, I shall carry on in the frozen section.

[wyson]

Got to be careful with frozen meat.

https://www.iceland.co.uk/p/iceland-chicken-breast...

Chicken Breast Fillet (82%), Water, Maltodextrin, Salt, Citrus Fibre, Acidity Regulator: Sodium Carbonates

https://www.iceland.co.uk/p/iceland-luxury-crackli...

Pork Loin (90%), Water, Salt, Modified Maize Starch, Sugar, Potato Starch, Antioxidant: Sodium Ascorbate

I only buy frozen fish, frozen wild prawns, which are frozen as they are caught on factory ships and don’t have anything added apart from water. Frozen cod can’t compare to fresh cod landed in a dayboat, brought from a proper fish monger, although that will be 3x the price. ‘Fresh’ cod in the supermarket is thawed.

I also buy frozen vegetables. Freshly shelled peas are delicious, better than frozen if in peak season, but A its a massive faff and B frozen is available all year round.

[Quattr04.]

Stick with a good shop and you can’t go wrong

One of my regulars is, M&S chicken breast, they sell a pack of 950g individual wrapped breasts in the chilled section for £12.50

In the frozen, they sell 1kg of individually wrapped, chicken breast £9

So 36p per 100g cheaper for the exact same Product.

[Sebring440]

Peterpetrole said:

Normally I've brought chilled meat - chicken, steak, burgers, sausages etc.

This is mainly Tesco at the moment.

Yes, I've brought chilled meat but I've also brought frozen meat from Iceland, etc.

I've brought them home, but of course that's after I bought them at the aforementioned stores.

[Super Sonic]

Sebring440 said:

Yes, I've brought chilled meat but I've also brought frozen meat from Iceland, etc.

I've brought them home, but of course that's after I bought them at the aforementioned stores.

Get to the spelling thread!

[Gren]

Mobile Chicane said:

Here's an example. I'm going to be putting them in smoothies / porridge, or generally cooking them anyway, so why pay 3 x for fresh?

I buy one of each every week as the fresh ones don't last a whole week. Frozen blueberries taste like a different fruit compared to the fresh ones though. Not better or worse but they do taste more like blueberry sweets do - i.e. artificial

Regarding other stuff.... peas and sweetcorn are fine, some other stuff is okay but carrots... what the hell. Just a watery mess

[dickymint]

Gren said:

I buy one of each every week as the fresh ones don't last a whole week. Frozen blueberries taste like a different fruit compared to the fresh ones though. Not better or worse but they do taste more like blueberry sweets do - i.e. artificial

Regarding other stuff.... peas and sweetcorn are fine, some other stuff is okay but carrots... what the hell. Just a watery mess

For carrots - buy them fresh and unpeeled and store them in damp sand somewhere cold like in the garage and they'll keep for months.

[bigpriest]

Granadier said:

Peas are an odd one because I've only ever seen them sold frozen (or tinned, I suppose) in supermarkets, never fresh. Frozen are fine with me anyway

Shelled peas in a bag - Sainsbury's

[ambuletz]

frozen berries - great for yoghurt. I microwave them for 1min to thaw, some juices come out which is even better as i mix it into greek yoghurt
frozen mince - great for making individual portions, cook fast. i use with baked beans for a lazy 'chili'
frozen garlic/ginger- always useful to have. look in the world food section
frozen pearl onions - amazing for stews. I only have found this at farmfoods though.
frozen burger buns (iceland) - handy. thaw rather quick. some 'fresh' ones are suitable for freezing and don't take long to thaw.
frozen samosas - can be fried in oil from frozen. don't take long. found in the world food section. better than the boring ones in the ready meal isle, have some kick to them too.
frozen spinach - hugely cheaper than the fresh stuff.

'fresh' fish from the supermarket/fish mongers counter will have been frozen previously. just buy frozen.