Frozen Vegetables vs. Fresh: Which Is Healthier?

But when it comes to nutrition, how do frozen vegetables compare to fresh? Short answer: Neither is healthier per se, but each has its own set of distinct advantages that may lead you to choose one type over the other.

We asked diet and nutrition experts for the lowdown on the health benefits of frozen vegetables vs. fresh, the best ways to use each, and techniques for freezing your own vegetables at home.

Vegetables, fresh and frozen, are rich in a variety of nutrients, including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• B vitamins
• Fiber
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Iron
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E

In some cases, certain techniques used to process vegetables for freezing may affect the nutrients; if, for example, the vegetables are heated, it may lead to a slight loss of vitamin C and the B vitamins, but for the most part, the nutrients in frozen vegetables remain stable, O’Meara says.

Nutrient-dense vegetables — both fresh and frozen — are tied to a number of health benefits, including the following.

Disease Management and Prevention

Weight Loss and Management

Gut Health Improvement

In addition to being nutritionally equivalent (or superior) to fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables offer the following perks.

Convenience Vegetables are usually washed, peeled, and sliced before being frozen, which saves you the time and hassle of doing that yourself. “If I have very little time to prep a vegetable before a meal or snack, then frozen might be an easier way to increase the vegetables in my diet,” says Beaudoin. Just check labels carefully to make sure you’re not getting any unwanted calories or preservatives. You want to ensure that it is not canned or frozen in any sauces or seasonings as that can be a hidden source of saturated fat, added sugar, or sodium,” O’Meara says.

Cost “Frozen vegetables are often less expensive than their fresh counterparts,” Esler says. And they can make vegetables that aren’t in season accessible.

Longer shelf life Frozen vegetables can last up to 12 months if stored properly, says Esler. That means you can always have a health option ready to go, and can help cut down on food waste, since fresh vegetables tend to go bad quickly.

Whether to choose fresh or frozen vegetables at the grocery store can depend on how you’re using them — salads, for instance, tend to do best with fresh raw vegetables that still have crunch, while frozen greens are fine in a smoothie — and what’s in season. “For example, corn would be best to purchase fresh during peak harvest season — late summer, early fall — but during offseasons like winter and spring, frozen would offer a higher quality product,” Esler says.

Here’s what to consider storing in the freezer to avoid spoilage and which veggies to avoid freezing altogether.

Best Frozen Veggies

• Asparagus
• Carrots
• Corn
• Green beans
• Peas

Best Veggies to Enjoy Fresh

High-water content vegetables tend not to freeze as well, and if texture is important to you, you will be better off enjoying them fresh. They include the following:

• Cucumbers
• Green onions
• Lettuce and other salad greens
• Tomatoes (except as juice or cooked)

“Freezing vegetables at home is an easy and fantastic way to prolong the shelf life of the product and minimize food waste,” Esler says. “It’s especially useful in keeping a fresh vegetable that won’t be eaten soon from wilting or going bad.” If you’d like to freeze your own vegetables at home, there are a few simple steps to follow, per Esler.

• Prep the vegetables. Wash, dry, peel, if necessary, and cut them into the form you want to use, such as grated, minced, diced, or strips.
• Blanch some of the vegetables. For vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and green beans, blanching the vegetables (adding them briefly to boiling water and then transferring them to an ice bath to stop the cooking) helps preserve their bright color and cuts down on final cooking time.
• Be strategic with storage. Use a freezer-safe bag or container and lay prepped vegetables in a single flat layer so they won't stick or clump when they are frozen.
• Take advantage of your ice cube tray. Consider using that or a mold to freeze minced aromatics like garlic, ginger, or turmeric root. You can prep and freeze in 1–2 tablespoon servings to use in recipes.
• Don’t forget about fixings. For instance, sliced green onion can be frozen for a quick topping to stir-frys, rice bowls, and noodle dishes. You don’t need to reheat them, because they thaw almost instantaneously in a hot dish.

Preparing frozen vegetables can be similar to cooking with fresh vegetables. “Cooking frozen vegetables is quite versatile,” Beaudoin says. “You can steam, sauté, roast, air fry, or microwave, but be careful not to overcook, as you will lose texture.”

Often, you don’t need to thaw the vegetables, saving you time on meal prep. Here are some of Esler’s tips for cooking with frozen vegetables:

• Make soup. “Frozen diced onions, carrots, celery, and aromatics like garlic and ginger can easily go from freezer to heated pot or saucepan for the basis of any stovetop soup, pasta, or stir-fry,” she says.
• Microwave them. Add a small amount of water to frozen corn, peas, or edamame in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for a few minutes.
• Steam them. Frozen cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, and sliced carrots can similarly be steamed in the microwave or over a pot of boiling water.
• Add frozen greens to smoothies or sauces. “Personally, I love freezing excess dark leafy greens like spinach or kale for convenient use in smoothies, soups, pastas, quiches, or dips,” Esler says.
• Save your scraps. “I also freeze clean excess vegetable scraps to make homemade vegetable stock at home,” she adds.

There’s little nutritional difference between fresh and frozen vegetables, and both offer an array of health benefits, including weight management and a lowered risk of chronic diseases. Frozen veggies also come with the added benefits of convenience, affordability, and a longer shelf life, and it’s not difficult to freeze your own vegetables at home to preserve them and minimize food waste. When deciding whether to buy fresh or frozen vegetables, consider these factors in addition to seasonality and the snacks or meals you’ll be prepping.