Are Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Healthy and Safe?

Most of us need to eat more fruits and vegetables—approximately 90 percent of adults don’t meet the recommended intake, according to the CDC.

Frozen produce can make that goal easier to reach. It requires no washing or chopping, and, as anyone who has reached into a crisper drawer to find a withered head of broccoli or a package of limp carrots can attest, they’re less likely to go bad before you get a chance to use them. The average American family of four wastes about $1,500 worth of food each year, according to the Department of Agriculture—and tossing fresh fruit and vegetables accounts for a large portion of that.

Frozen also is comparable to fresh nutritionally. “Fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients—and that doesn’t change when they are frozen,” says Amy Keating, RD, a CR nutritionist. “Consumers should buy what is available, and fits their storage needs and their budget, and not worry about any variability in fresh vs. frozen.”

Nutrient levels can be affected by a number of factors, including how fruit and vegetables are grown and how long they spend in storage before being sold. Because produce is frozen close to harvest, it may in some cases maintain its nutritional profile longer than fresh fruits and veggies that can lose vitamins on the journey to the grocery aisle and then while stored in your fridge.

Research has generally found that the nutritional differences between fresh and frozen produce are small. In one 2015 study, researchers compared the level of four nutrients in eight types of fresh and frozen produce and found that in some cases, frozen versions of a food had higher vitamin levels. Another study, from 2017, that looked at a form of vitamin C, provitamin A, and total folate in eight fruits and veggies found that for the most part, vitamin levels in frozen produce were similar to those in fresh produce. And frozen versions were actually better than fresh items that had been stored in a refrigerator for five days.

None of this means that people should avoid fresh produce and seek out frozen or vice-versa, Keating says. “Choosing a variety of types and sources, including fresh and frozen produce, is your best bet.”