Fresh vs Frozen Vegetables? Whats better?

Question

I have no doubt that fresh straight out of the garden or off the farm has the most nutritional value. But living in a city the fruit and vegetables that we call fresh are generally far from it. They have generally been picked/harvested and travelled via distribution centre to the supermarket and are at best days and sometimes months old, especially if imported.

Frozen vegetables are snap frozen shortly after being freshly picked, supposedly locking in the nutritional value. Added to this as they are to be frozen shortly after picking/harvesting they can be picked when ripe, whereas 'fresh' produce is picked earlier before it ripens so it will last longer.

So the question is: Is the nutritional value of frozen vegetables better than "fresh" or Viceversa?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I've always been more partial to "fresh", but it takes a lot more work and a little bit more money if you're looking to make something like Stir Fry, which you can just get a pack of Stir Fry frozen veggies at Walmart for like 80 cents. 

I've heard that frozen veggies don't have any less nutritional value, but I may have heard wrong. The thing is just what kind you get in a pack, because frozen veggies usually come in variety packs. So you might even get more value out of a frozen variety pack than just eating a couple carrots and tomatoes.

It's up to you, fresh undoubtedly has the better taste when cooled and/or prepared correctly but takes more work. Frozen is good for when you're on the go and need a quick cup or two of your daily veggie needs.

? · Answer

Frozen Vegetables Healthier Than Fresh

Anonymous · Answer

The fresher the better. As you said, the frozen are flash frozen after being picked. They say that almost all vitamin content is intact.
Determining how fresh the fresh vegetables are becomes an unanswerable question. Supposedly they will not lose vitamin content til after a week.
It's kinda like Russian roulette. Unless you grew it yourself, you really don't know.

HB♥ · Answer

Fresh vegetables are definitely better and they have more nutritional value in them. Because when food is frozen for a long time, it looses its nutritional values, same as when u cook food at very high temp for a long time.
Fresh veggies dont last for months, they last a week or a bit more max.
but other than that i say stick with fresh..

Tia · Answer

fresh vegetables and frozen are both good no change in nutrition the deal is that frozen can last weeks while fresh can last a week or so its only time that makes the difference and how you cook it

Anonymous · Answer

my dad cooks fresh veggies and my mom always uses frozen because she doesn't have time.
in my opinion, i'm not sure about the nutritional value, but i feel like the "fresh" vegetables are better for you.
they taste a lot better as well. i won't eat cooked frozen veggies if i don't have to.
frozen vegetables are more rubbery when you chew them, vs. getting fresh veggies as crisp or soft as you like.

B · Answer

The nutritional value is the same but you can't beat the taste of fresh veggies.  Plus, the texture and consistency is somewhat altered when veggies are frozen, as opposed to using fresh veggies.

merv_dt · Answer

It really depends on how they are cooked, because, obviously if you munch on some raw fresh salad, it'll be healthier than the frozen stuff which has to be cooked, and therefore less nutritious.

geekville · Answer

According to me Fresh is better in taste and I suppose it is healthier...
and I've never tried Frozen before, but you could always yahoo this or google this....

sweetie · Answer

to sum it all up for you fresh is always better for you but frozen is just as good.  i would any of the two any day compared to tin canned veggies.

Fresh vs Frozen Vegetables? Whats better?

16 Answers