MOLINE, Ill. — March is Frozen Foods Month
· Frozen foods last much longer than their fresh counterparts. Use just what you need and put the rest back in the freezer for next time – wasting less food and saving money.
- Many frozen foods are perfectly-portioned so there’s no waste.
- You are paying for 100% edible food – no stalks, seeds or rinds.
- Frozen foods are consistently priced year-round
· Today’s quick-freezing process freezes foods in just minutes stopping the clock and preserving all the nutritional value, freshness and flavor.
- You can enjoy nutritious, quality fruits and vegetables year-round.
· Keeping your freezer stocked means delicious, quality foods are ready-to-use, making meal prep fast and easy.
- All the picking, cleaning and chopping are already done, saving you time in the kitchen.
Vegetables
· Choose bagged vegetables that allow you to feel the individual pieces, not a large block, which could mean the product thawed and refroze
· Choose plain vegetables without any added sodium, butter, or sauce
· Opened and unopened frozen vegetables last for 8-10 months if packaged correctly and kept at a consistent temperature
· Usually blanched to preserve color and flavor then flash-frozen
· Grade A vegetables – most color and tenderness
o Fareway brand frozen vegetables are all Grade A Fancy
· Grade B – slightly more mature
· Grade C – less uniform (work well for soups and stews)