The frozen foods some consider to be healthier than fresh, from Saga, 2026 04 09

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

Interesting! I up to now, have used frozen foods but not extensively.

I agree with most of this article, I find berries tend to go soft when
defrosted and never taste the same a day or two after defrosting in the
fridge.

Generally, I have no problems with frozen vegetables.

Are we overlooking the nutritional benefits of frozen foods? Experts explain
their benefits and reveal which ones are actually healthier than fresh.
By Emma Lazenby | Published - 7 Apr 2026

Supermarket freezer items are often considered a 'second-best' addition to
our at-home menus. But dietary specialists say it's time to give some of our
frozen foods more credit for being 'fresher' and more nutrient-dense than
their 'fresh' counterparts.

Nutritionist, author and broadcaster Amanda Ursell believes the supermarket
freezer aisles may remain tarnished by the 'convenience food' uprising of
the 1970s, when microwave meals and Findus Crispy Pancakes made their mark.

"Memories of crinkle-cut frozen vegetables and the first ready meals
probably don't help the image of frozen foods," says Ursell. "Combined with
the idea frozen also equals 'processed', I do feel some parts of this
supermarket offer could do with a positive PR make-over."

The benefits of frozen food

1. Convenient and budget friendly

When it comes to thrifty cooking and convenience, some of us have already
cottoned on to certain perks of the freezer aisle.

Ocado reported an 18% surge in frozen-food sales last year, with 47% of
shoppers claiming to have upped their freezer buys, citing easier
meal-planning and time-saving as their main drivers. Higher quality, more
choice, less food waste and greater attempts to up our fruit and vegetable
intake have also played a part. Frozen herbs and garlic, in particular, have
seen a steep rise to freezer fame in the last couple of years, according to
Ocado.

Having the freezer stocked up with key ingredients can be a real
game-changer if you're cooking for one, says nutrition consultant and author
of Navigating Nutrition in Later Life, Mary Merheim. "So many recipes only
require a small amount of some ingredients and are often sold in quantities
too large for one meal when buying fresh. You may not want a whole bunch or
plant of a particular herb, a whole onion or even a whole pepper.

"I always have frozen chopped herbs, garlic, onions, mushrooms and peppers,
so I can just use a handful at a time."

Having portions of frozen herbs and other chopped vegetables to hand is
underrated

2. Less food waste and shopping trips

Ursell prasies the underrated convenience of a well-stocked freezer to save
you from the dreaded food waste whickoften comes with fresh produce, no
matter how good our intentions.

She says we all have days when we just don't feel like shopping: "Being able
to 'decant' the exact portion size to suit your needs offers a huge
advantage to frozen foods in my view. This is true of packets of frozen
vegetables as well as portions of a fish pie mix.

"They make a nutritious stand-by as well, if on some days we may not feel
physically or emotionally up to venturing to the shops.

"The healthier ranges of ready meals can also be a realistic option if you
simply don't feel like cooking. OK, they may not taste quite like home
cooking, but they are certainly better than skipping meals or relying on a
piece of toast to get by on."

3. Fresh isn't always best

It's easy to forget the perilous journey our fresh supermarket fruit and
vegetables have been on before they hit our plates. Harvesting often occurs
before fruits such as bananas and tomatoes are fully ripe, to increase their
transportation survival chances. But this often means less flavour and fewer
nutrients than fully vine-ripened produce.

Then there's the sorting and packing process, where the less attractive
harvest can be cast aside or treated with wax coatings to improve its
appearance and shelf life. Prolonged cold storage often follows, before
lengthy transportation times to the supermarket aisles.

However, our local independent greengrocers offer superiority in the
'freshness' stakes, with most sourcing their produce from nearby farms or
wholesale markets, meaning less time in storage and transport.

4. Locking in nutrients

Ursell explains how the freezing process of fruit and vegetables can help
with the all-important vitamin and mineral retention: "The levels of certain
nutrients, like vitamin C, folate and some B vitamins, which are vulnerable
to the effects of light and oxidation, start to fall as soon as fruits and
vegetables are harvested.

"Some can lose up to half within days and then more during storage,
transportation and sitting around at home before we use them."

Meanwhile, most fruit and vegetables in our shop freezers have been frozen
within a few hours of harvesting at peak ripeness.

A study which compared the nutritional value of fresh and frozen sweetcorn,
carrots, broccoli, spinach, peas, green beans, strawberries and blueberries
found the freezer produce to be either equal or higher in most experiments.
The only exception was carrots, which were susceptible to lower
beta-carotene levels when frozen.

Scientists found fruit and vegetables use their own nutrients when picked,
breaking them down in order to keep their cells alive and often resulting in
fewer vitamins and minerals in our meals.

Fruit and vegetables found in supermarket freezers have often been frozen at
peak ripeness

The frozen food which is better than fresh

The best frozen greens

Merheim believes certain greens pack more of a nutritional punch when bought
frozen: "Peas, spinach, green beans and broccoli are all great frozen
options for maximum vitamin C content.

"We often think 'frozen' means nutrients are effectively deadened, but it's
just not the case. Green vegetables in the freezer have all their nutrients
locked in, rather than steadily losing them over time.&rdquo

1. Peas

Ursell is a keen supporter of the humble frozen pea: "The level of vitamin C
(which aids iron absorption, helps to reduce cholesterol levels and protects
against free radicals) in green peas tumbles to half within two days of
harvesting.

"High-tech freezing techniques promptly after picking can help to halt these
losses in their tracks, so they're a very worthy addition to our freezers
with their convenience, versatility and high vitamin C content."

2. Spinach

Sadly, fresh spinach suffers a rapid, steep decline in folate, which is
beneficial for brain function, heart health and cell production,
post-harvest, according to a study. The data found after eight days at
fridge temperature, the leafy green only retained 53% of its folate.

Interestingly, the research also highlighted a "freshness paradox" with
spinach, it preserves its green, just-picked appearance, when in reality our
fresh leaves may already be several days old when we grab a bag at the
supermarket.

"The probability is those fresh spinach leaves in our fridge drawers are
already well on their way to losing over half of their nutrients," explains
Merheim. "So it makes sense to opt for frozen spinach over fresh."

3. Broccoli

Research has shown fresh florets suffer a drop in vitamin C levels
surprisingly quickly; well before they start to lose their green hues. After
one week in the fridge, they lose around half of their vitamin C content.

"Along with a quick decline in its vitamin C levels, broccoli also starts to
lose its valuable antioxidants if not eaten within a few days of harvest,"
says Merheim. "So, again, frozen broccoli can be a better nutritional
choice.

"Unfortunately, broccoli is susceptible to becoming much softer after being
frozen, so is often seen as inferior. But this texture factor doesn't affect
its nutrient density, contrary to what people might think.";

4. Green beans

While green beans are a little more robust, they can also lose around a
third of their vitamin C following a week in the fridge. For all green
vegetables, this decline in nutritional content is far quicker at room
temperature.

"Buying frozen green beans is a great way to make sure you're getting the
most of the all-important vitamin C," says Ursell.

"However, we do need to be careful to get these foods back home as quickly
as possible after buying them and then storing them as the packaging
directs, to help lock these nutrients in."

Frozen fruit tends to be picked at key ripeness, increasing its nutritional
value

The best frozen fruits

Although we're all fond of our fruit bowls, could we be missing out on a
wealth of nourishment within certain frozen fruits? Most definitely, says
Merheim: "Frozen fruit tends to be picked at a more ripe stage than fresh
fruit, especially berries, mangoes and pineapples.

"This means they have had more time to convert sunshine into natural sugars,
antioxidants and vitamin C. And we also avoid that disappointment of finding
a squidgy, brown banana at the bottom of the fruit bowl."

1. Berries

Frozen strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries have been
proven to contain higher levels of polyphenols and vitamin C than their
fresh equivalents after just three days in storage.

Only when picked and eaten within one to two days do fresh berries match
their frozen versions' nutrient levels, according to researchers. This is,
again, down to the rapid post-harvest freezing process at the fruits'
optimum vine-ripened stage.

"The delicate, perishable nature of fresh berries and their rapid loss of
essential nutrients, mean frozen just makes more sense," says Merheim. "Less
waste and locked-in vitamins and polyphenols; frozen berries are a win-win."

2. Mangoes and pineapples

The same goes for fresh mangoes and pineapples, which are often picked
unripe for transport and also decline in the vitamin C, folate and
antioxidant stakes in as little as three days.

So those bags of frozen smoothie mixes are well worth grabbing. "It can be
impractical to buy a whole, fresh pineapple or mango if you're living
alone," says Merheim. "And those pricey, pre-chopped packs can perish very
quickly.

"When bought frozen, they often have a better flavour, texture and colour
(from their ripened state) and they're often far richer in vitamin C and
antioxidants."

The best frozen fish

The omega-3 levels in salmon, mackerel and sardines can start to lower in
just three days after filleting, dropping to 75% in the fridge. These fatty
acids offer a wealth of benefits to heart and brain health and
flash-freezing at sea locks them in.

"Again, it's really important to get these kinds of frozen foods back from
the shops and into your own home freezer as soon as possible and to then
store and defrost such frozen fish as the packaging directs," advises
Ursell.

Written by: Emma Lazenby

Emma Lazenby is entering her third decade in journalism, after starting her
reporting career on the Yorkshire Evening Post as a teenager.
She's loved every minute, with contributions to the Sun, Daily Telegraph and
women's magazines, between stints as a Lifestyle Editor for the Press
Association and TV Producer for GMTV and Steph's Packed Lunch.
Emma has covered mental and physical health, charity campaigns, fashion and
beauty, travel, food and parenting with celebrity and inspirational
real-life interviews featuring heavily.


Colin Howard, living in Southern England.