Frozen vegetables and fruit count too

If fresh produce tends to wilt in your fridge before you get to it, frozen vegetables and fruit are your friend. Health Canada notes they're just as nutritious as fresh, because they're picked at their peak and frozen right away.

Why they're worth keeping on hand:

• The washing and chopping are done for you.
• You use only what you need and save the rest, so less goes to waste.
• They don't spoil as quickly as fresh.
• You get more variety all year, even when some produce isn't in season.
• Stocking up when they're on sale can save money.

Use the food label to choose options with little to no added sodium, sugars or saturated fat. Plain vegetables and fruit, without sauces or seasonings, are an easy pick.

Easy ways to use them: add frozen broccoli to your pasta pot in the last few minutes of cooking, stir thawed berries or peaches into yogurt or oatmeal, add frozen vegetables to soup or chili, or toss a bag into a quick stir-fry.

Try this today: Add one bag of frozen vegetables and one bag of frozen fruit to your grocery list, and use them in a meal this week.

Sources

• Canada's food guide: 10 reasons to buy frozen vegetables and fruits (opens in a new tab)
• Canada's food guide: Eat vegetables and fruits (opens in a new tab)