Melting the Myths about Frozen Veggies

Getting your greens in can be difficult.

I don't like raw spinach so I often choose romaine on my salads. Or I buy a bunch of fun veggies for the week, and neglect to cook them before they go bad. Then there are the times when the process of steaming a batch of broccoli or asparagus just seems too daunting after a long day of work.

That's why I love frozen veggie mixes. They're fast, easy, and usually so low cal you could eat the entire bag with your meal!

Now before you protest that frozen foods lack the nutritional value of fresh ones, let me correct you. According to registered dietitian Keri Glassman, creator of the "Nutritious Life" brand and author of "The O2 Diet," freezer isle veggies are just as good for you as farm fresh.

Glassman says the delivery process often gives the produce time to lose antioxidants where as the frozen ones are packaged at the height of their healthiness.

"Frozen veggies are flash frozen straight from the farm so often retain more nutrients than fresh that may lose nutritional value as they sit for hours on trucks," Glassman tells me.

And Glassman knows her stuff when it comes to antioxidants. She has done extensive research on the benefits of eating an antioxidant rich diet and her "O2" plan is centered around getting as much of them as possible per meal.

Another good thing about frozen veggies Glassman emphasizes is that you can get a variety of them all year round when some things may be out of season.

And while they are not as beneficial as frozen or fresh, Glassman says canned vegetables can also be a good option when you're in a bind.

"Canned can be an ok option as well, but you need to make sure cans are environmentally friendly and that the veggies don't have lots of added sodium," says Glassman. "You can also rinse canned veggies with water."

So now that you know you're not doing your body an injustice by simply defrosting a bag of mixed greens, you can feel free indulge in the luxury of a dummy proof dinner.

Here's some of my favorite frozens from Trader Joe's:

-The Brittany Blend: haricot vert green beans, wax beans, and baby carrots. A perfect side dish for my Turkey Meatloaf.

-TJ's Artichoke Hearts: no salt added. Just thaw and throw in any salad to give it an instant antioxidant boost.

-C&W Butternut Squash: just microwave for an easy snack or bake them in the oven for a french fry substitute with your turkey burger.

One thing to look out for though is the veggie mixes with added flavoring or butter.

I bought the "Bean so Green" mix the other day and was really excited to try it until I saw that the serving size (1/4 cup) has 90 cals! When I carefully re-read the ingredients I found out why...there's a butter sauce.

All frozen veggies without additives should weigh in at about 25-40 calories.

Stay tuned for my next entry: a mock mashed potato recipe made from yes, frozen veggies :)