Most people associate March with St. Patrick’s Day. But did you know it’s also National Frozen Foods month? I just found that out myself.
Most people I know use frozen foods of some kind throughout the week. My family uses frozen veggies and frozen fruits to make smoothies. Like most people we also have meats, fish, poultry, ice cream and other frozen foods in our freezer.
I thought my readers might be interested in some frozen food tips from Supermarket Guru and ConAgra Foods Spokesperson, Phil Lempert. His tips were designed to help shoppers navigate the frozen food aisle and uncover the best finds for their grocery cart.
The frozen foods case is stocked with the most convenient and least time-consuming array of foods. Did you know that the average American cooks and eats a frozen meal about six times each month and collectively we spend almost $6 billion on these easy-to-prepare dinners.
These tips are provided to help you make the best frozen food choices for your family while staying on budget.
Phil Lempert’s Frozen Foods Tips
Check the Packaging: An advantage of frozen produce items is that they will actually taste better and have more nutrients when the variety is out of season because they were packed at the peak of their freshness. However, if you feel or hear ice crystals, it probably means the contents inside were thawed and refrozen. Avoid them and reach way in the back of the freezer to get a package that is solid as ice.
Compare Price: In nearly 100% of the cases, buying frozen vs. the fresh counterpart will save you time and money. Just about every fruit and vegetable are available at about half the cost in the frozen section, and just think about the cost and time savings of something like one Marie Callender’s® Dutch Apple Pie made with fresh Fuji apples compared to all the ingredients needed to make an apple pie from scratch. Don’t forget to stock up on frozen foods when they’re on sale!
Read Labels: Review the signs next to the fish at the seafood counter. You’ll likely see “previously frozen,” so head to the freezer case and buy fish that was only frozen once. You’ll save at least 40 percent on prime cuts of salmon, tilapia, flounder, sole and shrimp. Be sure to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before preparing.
Juice Concentrates: Juice concentrates from the freezer aisle are the way to go year-round. Look carefully at the other jars or cartons and you’ll see the words, “made from concentrate” on most of them. Don’t pay more for water! Add your own and home and you’ll save 30-50 percent, and your shopping bag will be a lot lighter!
Steaming Entrées: When buying frozen entrées or dinners, look for those that “steam” in the microwave for the best flavor and texture. Try new Healthy Choice® Top Chef Inspired Café Steamers, a line of great-tasting dishes with roasted garlic, asparagus and grilled eggplant. The unique packaging separates the sauce from the rest of the entrée and steams the meal in the microwave, giving consumers crisp vegetables, tender meats and al dente pastas.
Compare Ingredients: If you’re looking for the right ingredients to fit your diet, don’t turn away from the frozen aisle too quickly. You’d be surprised at all the solutions you can find. Some dinners are now organic, made with whole grains, low-fat, low carbohydrate and low sodium.
Proper Storage: Shop for your frozen foods last and make sure as the weather warms up that you don’t leave these foods in a hot car, or allow them to defrost –this will affect taste, texture and may affect cooking time. For non-vacuum sealed packages, put unopened foods in a plastic freezer bag to create a barrier to avoid freezer burn and condensation forming in the package. Make sure you mark the date of your purchase on the outside of the bag. Try to avoid putting food on the freezer door because it’s the warmest part of the freezer’s space.
I like the tip about listening for ice crystals. I didn’t know that was a sign that something was frozen, defrosted, then re-frozen again. That is great to know. Sometimes I buy frozen veggies that have ice crystals in the bag. Now I know to avoid those.
I also like the tip about buying juice concentrate from the freeze section compared to other juice. I never thought about paying all that money for water, rather than make it myself at home.
These are great tips.
Do you have any special tips when it comes to buying frozen food products? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this information for the benefit of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own.
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