We all want to eat healthy food, but there are so many things that can get in the way. You’re busy. Menu planning, shopping and cooking take so much time. And it can seem so much easier to just order in when your stomach is growling.
Enter frozen foods — the answer to your good intentions and packed schedule. Here are four reasons you should be eating frozen foods. 
Frozen Food Is Convenient
When you need dinner for four on the table, stat, there’s not a lot of time for chopping and dicing. Here’s where opening a bag of frozen greens or bell peppers can make a world of difference. Also, who else has looked at a butternut squash with knife in hand wondering if this is the time you’re going to slice off a finger? Frozen, pre-cut and cubed butternut squash is so drama-free!
Frozen Food Is Nutritious
I’m not the only one who finds wilted produce in the fridge days after grocery shopping, right? Once bright and firm fruits and veggies can lose a lot of their nutritional punch as they age. And, if they were transported to your grocery store from afar, they probably were picked before they were fully ripe. That all means decreased nutrients. But vegetables destined for the freezer are allowed to fully ripen and are flash-frozen in the field so they start off with higher nutrient levels and maintain those levels and better taste.
Frozen Food Is Economical
If you calculate all the food you end up throwing away because it has spoiled, fresh produce can be quite pricey. If you choose organic produce, this can make up a major chunk of your weekly grocery bill. Meanwhile, frozen fruit can be incredibly affordable, especially when you’re looking at a $5 package of imported strawberries in March.
Don’t forget that you can freeze your own produce, too! If you realize that those bananas are going to turn brown before you get to use them, freeze them to use in a smoothie later. Or, freeze that kale before it goes bad!
Frozen Food Can Be Delicious
This Freezer Green Smoothie uses nothing but frozen ingredients (but you can use a mixture of fresh and frozen, if you prefer). It takes a minute to whirl in a blender, and will leave you with a quick, delicious and oh-so-nutritious breakfast.
Freezer Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1½ cups water
- 2 to 3 handfuls frozen spinach
- 1 cup frozen grapes
- 1 small or ½ large frozen banana, peeled and broken into chunks
- 1 frozen lime (peel included), roughly chopped
Directions
- Add water and spinach to a blender. Blend for 15 seconds or until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend for an additional 30 to 45 seconds until smooth. Serves 1.
