Maybe when I have more time and graphics skills, I'll turn this into an infographic, but I promised a few weeks ago that I would talk to you about frozen veggies (and maybe also some fruits), and what you absolutely should not buy frozen.
First and foremost, the big thing with frozen produce is how you're going to prepare it -- frozen produce is often boiled or steamed, because it helps with the de-frozening (yes, I know it's defrosting, but I like mine better), which means that it may not work well for veggies that get bitter when boiled, like asparagus or brussels sprouts! Otherwise, if you're planning on working with them frozen (like frozen fruit for a smoothie), this may not be an issue, and the freezing process actually seals in some of the sweetness.
There's also some chemical/food sciencey things to keep in mind when deciding the fresh or frozen question. Is this produce in season? Often, frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen at the peak of their season to maintain the perfect ripeness. Out of season, good corn can be really hard to find, and a frozen variety is a great way to go. Some people actually think that, out of season, frozen peas are really preferable to their fresh counterparts, because the freezing process keeps them nice and sweet. This rule, however, does not apply to tomatoes -- out of season, these should be bought canned, not frozen, because while out of season tomatoes lack their perfect sweetness, exposure to cold can cut that sweetness even more.
As for CHOOSING your fresh produce, the How to Adult team has this handy guide to selecting fresh produce:
Hope this helps with future produce-buying needs.
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