Frozen vegetables often get a bad rap, but they have many pluses.
1. They are longer lasting and pack a nutritional punch. Why? They are usually picked or harvested at their peak ripeness and then frozen within hours, which helps them maintain maximum nutrient levels.
2. In an age when we’re more conscious about food waste, frozen veggies last longer than fresh.
3. They are convenient and widely available, even in the off-season.
Here are some of our favorite brands.
Strong Roots Cauliflower Hash Brown
Hailing from Ireland, Strong Roots offers creative, yummy, non-GMO options like Mixed Root Vegetable Fries—with beets, carrots and parsnips—and crispy Cauliflower Hash Browns that heat up in 15 minutes and are great for a healthy plant-based snack or side dish. And you can feel good about buying food from a brand that has joined more than 4,000 other companies as a Certified B Corporation to support a sustainable economy. Bonus: Certified B Corp product
Cascadian Farm
Launched in 1972 and one of the earliest adopters of growing all-organic produce and now supporting regenerative agriculture practices, Cascadian Farm frozen vegetables are all USDA-certified organic.
Green Giant
This iconic brand was founded in 1903 as the Minnesota Valley Canning Company. Renamed in 1950, Green Giant offers just about any vegetable you can think of in the frozen aisle.
Pictsweet Farms
One-hundred percent American-grown, PictSweet offers frozen, seasoned vegetables for everything from grilling to roasting, to cooking up in a skillet or simply snacking on.
We asked Kroger Health registered dietitians which frozen veggies they keep in their freezers and why. Here’s what they said!
Kroger Recipe Beginnings 3 Pepper & Onion Blend. Sauté in a frying pan, then top with a fried egg for a quick, nutritious breakfast. —Laura Brown, MS, RD, LD, ACSM-CPT
Simple Truth Kale, Spinach and Butternut Squash. Easy way to add a quick boost of nutrients to a smoothie, soup
or sauté with no prep time. —Kristen Keen, MBA, RDN, LD
Private Selection Mukimame. Great with cracked black pepper or added to a stir fry. —Molly Hembree, MS, RDN, LD