Frozen Fruit & Veggie Hacks

Have you strolled through the frozen fruit and vegetable aisles at your local grocery store lately? It is not your parents’ frozen food department! I am a fan of frozen fruits and vegetables for a few reasons.

• They are often frozen at the peak of ripeness, offering maximum flavor and nutrients.
• Frozen fruits and vegetables come in handy, especially in the winter months, when you might not find what you want in the fresh produce section.
• You are more likely to use 100% of what you buy (with zero waste) because you can pull out what you need from the freezer for your recipe, then put the rest back in the freezer. This is pure magic, especially if there are only a couple of you at home.
• Usually, the price is right! You can find some pretty low prices, especially in the larger package options.

Inspired by March being National Frozen Food Month, here are some of my favorite frozen food finds that are sure to tempt your taste buds!

Spiralized Veggies
No spiralizer in your kitchen? No problem! You will find several veggie spiral options in your frozen aisle from spaghetti squash to zucchini!

Riced Cauliflower
Interested in lowering carbs by subbing in riced broccoli or cauliflower? The frozen veggie aisle has you covered. You’ll find several riced vegetable options including a fun Riced Cauliflower with Lemon & Garlic and a “Mediterranean” medley that is ready to heat and eat with riced cauliflower & quinoa, spinach, cherry tomato and feta cheese! This particular product can serve as a wonderful base for a grain bowl and then add a protein like grilled salmon, chicken or tofu along with nuts or seeds and maybe some avocado.

Santa Fe Medley
Need an effortless way to add southwest flavors to your fajitas, nachos, soup/stews or casseroles? Grab a bag of this Santa Fe Medley and in one pour from the bag you’ll get corn, black beans, onions, and red & green peppers.

Sweet Potato ‘Rotini’
Need a fun and flavorful veggie option for pasta noodles? In the frozen veggie aisle you’ll find a Sweet Potato ‘Rotini’ that’s 100% sweet potato with 50% fewer carbs than pasta. You can air-fry these for easy sweet potato fries too. Just put them (slightly thawed) in a bowl, drizzle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and any seasonings you want, spread them out on a parchment lined basket or tray and bake/air-fry at 450-degrees for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Frozen Chopped Spinach
I have a bag of triple washed spinach in my crisper at all times because I enjoy dark leafy greens every single day. But I also have a bag of frozen chopped spinach in my freezer in case I run out of the fresh spinach and because for some recipes, thawed frozen spinach actually works better! You just thaw and gently squeeze any excess liquid and add to your dips/spreads, fritter batters, smoothies, crepes, enchiladas, pasta or quiche. Here’s the best part to using frozen spinach…it’s already cooked, so you can skip this step!

Chopped Onions
Stop crying and buy your onions pre-chopped! Never worry about having onions for an impromptu dish again. You can have chopped onions on the ready just by having a bag of frozen chopped onions. It is often available in store brands too at a great price.

Artichoke Hearts Quartered
Love adding artichoke hearts to everything from spreads or cheeseboards to pasta salads and quiche but hate dealing with draining the oil that comes with marinated artichoke hearts? Grab a box of frozen quartered artichoke hearts (usually available in store brands) and tender artichoke hearts will be ready to add whenever you need them.

Vegetable Medleys Ready to Roast
There are several vegetable medley options in the frozen aisle that have nothing extra added and are ready to roast in your oven or air fryer. If you are adding some olive oil or seasoning before roasting them, just open the bag, drizzle the oil and seasonings on top then close the bag and shake it up good to coat the veggies well. Then arrange it in a single layer in a shallow baking pan and bake according to package directions.

Fire Roasted Sweet Corn
Want to take corn to a higher level in flavor and appearance? Grab a bag of fire roasted super sweet corn (usually available in the store brand). This works out super well whether you are making corn fritters, chowder, corn salsa or any Tex-Mex dish!

Stir-fry Vegetables
No chopping needed when whipping up a stir-fry or fried rice, when you have a bag of stir-fry vegetables in your freezer. There are several assortments available so choose the medley that works best for your family. I like the option with asparagus and mushrooms!

Frozen Fruit Medleys
Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, smoothies and smoothie bowls are only a pulse or two away when you have bags of fruit blends in your freezer. The frozen berry blends save money because you don’t have to buy 4 containers to get 4 types of berries. And I love the strawberry & banana bags because you never have to worry about whether your banana is past its prime or not.

Cherry, Berry & Kale oh my!
There are several options in the frozen fruit aisle to help you get your greens with your favorite fruits! These products are designed to make smoothies and getting your greens, super easy and delicious!