Cooking with Grace: Celebrating Frozen Food Month all year

GRAND RAPIDS, Mi. — Frozen food often gets a bad rap, Grace Derocha, registered dietitian and National Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics helps break down some of the misconceptions.
Frozen isn't fresh - while that is true, frozen foods are picked at peak ripeness and often frozen within hours, locking in all of those beneficial nutrients. Fresh foods lose vitamins and minerals over time.
Convenience - frozen foods are always there at the ready to add nutrition to your meals, from whole grains, to fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy. They can be more affordable and help reduce food waste. Use that frozen fruit to blend up a smoothie in minutes, or take a bag of mixed vegetables and add them to a soup or casserole. Keeping those staples in your freezer makes it simple!
Choose Wisely - There are plenty of frozen foods that are healthy, but just as many are not the best options. Some of those convenience foods can be high in saturated fat, sugar and salt. Make sure you're checking the nutrition labels to see what makes up a serving and look for those lower in saturated fat, sodium and sugars. Aim for those with more fiber, vitamins and minerals.
For more information visit https://www.eatright.org/.