Food from freezers will never be healthier than fresh. However, right in the middle of winter, when there is very little fresh food available, frozen food can be even healthier than food that has traveled thousands of kilometers to end up on your plate.

Does frozen food lack vitamins?

The answer to this question is not simple at all. Imagine immature fruit that then ripens in tanker warehouses and is preserved in stores with chemicals to make it look like it's from a catalog on one side of the scale. On the other side, imagine fully ripe fruit, in its peak nutritional power, quickly frozen, packaged, and sent to our refrigerators.

You may not believe it, but frozen fruit and vegetables can have up to 30% more fiber and minerals than fresh ones. Of course, this only applies to foods that travel a long distance to reach your plate. The same goes for seasonal fruit and vegetables (strawberries, blueberries, etc.).

On average, frozen foods have 20% fewer vitamins and other healthy nutrients compared to ideally fresh fruit (if that even exists).

Frozen food and children and pets

Handling small portions in children naturally calls for freezing. Can we do this?

Yes, we can.

It is important to seal the food airtight as soon as possible, pack it in small containers, and freeze it promptly. More important than freezing itself in children is the thawing process. Never reheat more than once. When thawing, it is even beneficial to do it in the microwave because harmful microbes and bacteria will not multiply in this case. Of course, this should be a last resort.

The situation is similar with pets, as it mainly involves raw meat. Your dog will be happy with defrosted meals, but you should be careful not to let the meat dry out during thawing. It is even advisable not to give raw food to animals, but to quickly sear it. This way, the food will have a more appealing smell and taste.

To conclude: frozen food is not necessarily unhealthy. Some prefer drying (dried fruit has more vitamins, but also more sugar) or pickling in oil or vinegar. The key in all of this is to eat a variety of foods.