4 Ways Frozen Food is More Efficient - Performance Kitchen

What matters to you most during meal planning? Is it the ease of preparation, the affordability, the flavor, or the nutrition density? When it comes to planning the most efficient meals that check off all these boxes, frozen foods come to the rescue.

Whether you’re planning a recipe using frozen ingredients or preparing a quick pre-made meal on the go, frozen meal planning can help ensure you’re getting the most vitamins and nutrients for your buck.

How can frozen foods make your meal prep more efficient? Let’s take a look.

1. Frozen food saves you time.

Frozen foods are ready when you are. There’s no need to worry about food spoilage in the back of your fridge. Frozen meals are easy to grab on the go for a portable work lunch or a fast dinner on a busy day. With a microwave on hand, meals can be ready and on the table in minutes.

The time-saving benefits of frozen food don’t just stop there. Frozen fruits and veggies can also make for more efficient meal preparation. Many frozen produce options come pre-cut in bite-size chunks, saving time on washing and cutting. If you prefer to purchase produce raw, chopping it all at once and freezing it into recipe-sized portions can make throwing dinner together a breeze. Freezing produce locks in the nutrients at peak freshness, so you’ll be gaining the same nutritional benefits as if you bought that carrot on your commute home.

2. Freezing food helps reduce food waste.

A recent study by the US Department of Agriculture reported that while healthier diets (comprised of more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and less refined carbohydrates, animal products, and added sugar and sodium) have a lower environmental impact, they are also guiltiest of creating the most food waste. Why is that? In spite of their balanced diet, the healthiest Americans are more wasteful because the consumption of fresh produce and meat creates the largest amount of food spoilage and waste.

That’s not to say you should turn to a diet of refined carbs and sodium-heavy snacks! Freezing your produce and meat prevents them from spoiling in your fridge, reducing your overall food waste. Properly labeling your frozen supply is a great way to ensure you’re using everything in your frozen stash when they’re still at peak freshness.

TIP: Freeze meat in portion sizes that suit your family. This prevents thawing too much and helps guide portion sizes for the calorie-conscious.

Looking for more tips to reduce food waste in your home? Head over to the Harvard School of Public Health for more.

3. Freezer meals are more affordable.

Dining out can be an exciting treat, but relying on restaurants and take-out can quickly eat through your food budget. When you’re staring at an empty refrigerator, the temptation to pick up take-out is real. Making sure that your home is regularly stocked with nutritious frozen meals and produce is a great way to resist the urge and save money.

Frozen Food Aisle

Finding your fruit and vegetables in the frozen aisle can also be more affordable than buying fresh. Because frozen fruit and veggies produce less food waste, retailers are able to sell it for lower prices than their raw counterparts.

Because frozen food lasts for so much longer, buying in bulk is an efficient, cost-effective way to reduce your grocery budget. Performance Kitchen® frozen meals are available in a variety of bundles, making it easy to stock up on meals for the week.

4. There are more healthy frozen meal options than you imagined.

As the popularity of frozen foods increases, the options at your local grocery store are increasing exponentially. Today’s frozen food section looks nothing like the salty TV dinners of yesteryear. Nearly every dietary need is accounted for, whether you’re sourcing gluten-free options, vegetarian and vegan diets, keto-friendly options, or health-conscious, low-sodium dinners.  

At Performance Kitchen, it’s our mission to create delicious, nutritionally balanced meals that fit a wide variety of lifestyles, diets, and tastes. Our fresh produce is picked at peak ripeness and vitamin density, then flash-frozen, resulting in the optimal preservation of nutrients. Rather than relying on excess sodium and sugar to flavor our favorite foods, we use premium ingredients, herbs and spices to create our globally-inspired recipes.

Feeling inspired? We are! With the right grocery shopping habits and meal prep skills, frozen meals will always be ready whenever you are—now that’s efficient. What’s your favorite frozen food efficiency tip? Let us know in the comment section.


© Amanda Rose and PerformanceKitchen.com, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Amanda Rose and PerformanceKitchen.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.



 

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