Buy Frozen Organic Vegetables

I ran into the grocery store the other evening and began thinking. As I am always invested in using my food as medicine, I just wanted to put a reminder out there. We all have been hit with the cost of food, so I want to encourage you that when you purchase vegetables at the grocery store to consider buying organic frozen ones for two reasons. The first is nutritional vale and the second is savings in cost.

So here’s the thing, I was brought up on frozen vegetables. When I got older and began shopping for my own groceries, I’d try to buy fresh because of the “nutritional value”, I thought it had to be better. Ideally, we either grow our own produce or vegetables. Then we know all of the details from seed to soil to harvest. Second best or possibly equal to that is getting them from a local farmer we know and trust.

Well, years back I’d later learned that frozen produce is typically frozen at the peak of freshness. That means the nutritional value is pretty good. If you buy USDA organic ones, then there’s no additives, except for potatoes, check them because seed oils often find their way into frozen potatoes as well as dextrose a type of sugar, I’d like too add my own fats and seasonings to my potatoes thank you.

Conversely, our fresh produce in the grocery stores is usually not as fresh as we’d expect or like. Sometimes it’s even frozen and defrosted. Different coatings and waxes can go them too that we don’t want to be eating. The grocery stores do all kinds of things to keep the produce looking its best and freshest. While I appreciate that, I don’t just want outside looks. I want the most bang for my nutritional buck!

If you want to buy USDA organic to avoid glyphosate and GMOs (USDA organic is not perfect mind you, far from it), then it’s almost always less expensive frozen. So you can save money outright too. It is also a time saver when it comes to food prep, which can be a huge bonus. Frozen organic can make eating healthier simpler for many households.

Another thought is for vegetables, most really, especially green leafy ones like spinach, kale, etc should be eaten cooked anyway. We should not be consuming copious amounts of raw greens everyday. Most people’s digestive systems cannot handle that and that’s a ton of anti-nutrients like oxalates that our bodies can’t process. Where cooking reduces much of those anti-nutrients along with the healthy fats like butter, ghee, tallow, or coconut oil which allows the vitamins and minerals to be better absorbed. The best way is to throw them into a soup. Raw lettuces can be okay, but they are best eaten in season in warmer weather. Grab those at your farmers market or grow them.

Okay, so here are the downsides to frozen. Nothing is perfect ya’ll when letting other people handle our food. Obviously, our food is stored in plastic in this case. Even if it says BPA free on the bag or container, there are other toxins in plastic. Truth be told plastic is just not ideal for food storage. I’m not 100% plastic free in my home, and would go crazy if I tried. I do reduce whenever and wherever possible. I would suggest that as well.

The other issue or possibility is frozen goods defrosting in shipping and then getting refrozen. That’s definitely unfavorable. You can definitely tell when that is the case typically upon open or even before in store by feeling the bag. Truth be told this can happen on the ride home too if you don’t bring freezer packs. Then comes the dilemma at home on how to handle that there.

At the end of the day my desire is that this perspective is helpful, frees you up, and encourages you to eat more real food. If frozen works best for you, feel good about it.

Here’s a quick recipe you throw together:

Kale and Beef Pasta Saute

One Box Bionaturae Sourdough Penne Pasta (you may not use all of the pasta) or Jovial Foods Gluten Free Pasta

6-8 Oz Frozen Organic Kale

1/2 Purple Onion, diced

2 Lbs Regeneratively Pasture Raised Beef ( I like to get mine from Azure Standard)

1/2 Jar Jovial Foods Diced Tomatoes

Baja Gold Sea Salt, to taste (Use discount code: KHW)

Organic White Pepper, to taste

1-2 Splashes of Organic Coconut Aminos

1 Splash of Organic Balsamic Vinegar

1-2 Tbsp Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast

In a large stainless steel skillet turn the heat on in between low to medium. Add the ground beef and cook until mostly done. Remove the beef and keep in a dish. Leave the beef fat in the pan, add the onion, and very lightly brown them. Add the kale to the saute. Once the kale is softened, add the beef back in along with the other ingredients. Let everything come together on low heat for 5-8 minutes with a lid. Boil water and cook the pasta according to the box directions. To up nutrient density, cook the pasta in meat stock or bone broth. in that case you want to use just enough broth to soak into to pasta yet make it soft. I’d just cover the top with stock and add more if needed a long the way. Strain the pasta when done if you use water and add pasta to individual bowl. Top the beef and kale. Feel free to add Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino Romano on top.

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