Fresh v Frozen Vegetables

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I was always taught that fresh vegetables were always preferable to frozen but the prevailing nutritional wisdom (in the UK at least) is that frozen is better because the vegetables are fresher when they're frozen than they are by the time the fresh article gets to you in the supermarket.

This reminds me of an episode of Fawlty Towers (The Hotel Inspector) where an awkward guest asks if the peas are fresh in the omelette he ordered and Basil Fawlty responds by saying "I can assure you they were fresh when they were frozen". In the context of the mid-70s, the assumption was that fresh vegetables were indisputably better and the response was intended to be a joke to illustrate Fawlty's contempt for his guests but these days nutritionists are saying the same thing.

I suspect that our government is pushing nutritionists to say that frozen is better because it's easier to distribute and reduces waste. Those are both fair points but I would rather the government were honest about it instead of trying to make out frozen vegetables are better when they're not. I'm sure there have been technological advances in refrigeration over the past 45 years but have we really got to the point where frozen vegetables have all the taste and nutritional value of their fresh counterparts?

I don't buy it. I don't think there is any substitute for freshly prepared and steamed carrots and broccoli. What do you guys think? Is this sort of thing happening in other countries or has the British government really become as farcical as a Fawlty Towers episode?

In the States the stores label where the fruits and veggies come from. Are you fresh veggies from the local area or do the come from a distant part of the world?

I find that if I immediately freeze baked goods, while it may not taste as good as fresh, it tastes pretty good a few weeks later. And much better than if I had refrigerated it for a few days, because I can't eat it all myself.

In the UK, a lot of our food is imported from the EU (which is one of the concerns with Brexit) so I suppose things might be different for countries that have a lot of fresh produce.

Bear in mind that nutritionalists aren't necessarily qualified, while dieticians are.

I think fresh, local produce is your best best.

That Fawlty Towers quote reminds me of a pizza chain. They used to advertise that they used tomatoes straight from the can. If you work out who they are, don't ever order from them, BTW. In fact, I don't recommend eating from any of the pizza chains, including the one you can dine in with and buy their pizzas now from the supermarket. For hygiene reasons. Trust me. They are sick b*stards, you don't know what they've done to your food. As for that chain, I'm not the only one who has experienced unhygienic objects that should not be in their food...

The difference may be in the breeding. Foods meant to be canned or frozen can be harvested at the optimal picking time. Foods meant to be shipped often sacrifice taste for a longer shelf or storage life.

I like pumpkin pie, even though it is really a squash that is bred for canning. I may never have eaten a "fresh" pumpkin pie.

I suggest taste testing different foods to see what you like. I used to eat frozen veggies but these days I am better able to synchronize my eating and buying habits so I can buy fresh veggies and eat it all of it.

only fresh ones

I always go for fresh and buy some frozen chopped veg for when I don't have the time to chop.

You might find this article interesting. Trustworthy source too:

https://examine.com/nutrition/fresh-vs- ... egetables/