Frozen vegetables are the best thing since sliced bread

[pandarific]

I was going to say 'the dog's bollocks' but then I felt that would be unappetising.

Seriously though, I LOVE them. I have a 5 mo and previous pattern of buying fresh vegetables just keep meaning we'd drag ourselves to the fridge, open it, stare bleakly in and then order a takeaway, and a week later throw away the soggy puddles of courgettes etc.

I've made chicken fajitas with sliced frozen peppers and onions, chilli and this evening made a very successful shepherds pie utilising a casserole mix. Tell me your frozen veg recipe discoveries? I need to continue converting she.

Frozen is frozen and fresh is fresh. I’m not disputing that it’s fresh when it’s frozen but once it’s frozen it’s not fresh any more. Most veg loses its fresh texture when frozen. Unless you’re such a terrible cook you don’t notice the difference.

I agree in terms of taste, Tatiana, but personally, I prioritise convenience, ease, lack of waste and cost above taste, when it comes to food.

Making French Onion Soup to tomorrow for a friend who is visiting, it is her absolute favourite. Will make with fresh onions and garlic, however a hand of frozen veg in a “Wednesday night dinner” no problem. PS after years of marriage my husband thinks I am nuts, he does not see the difference from “Wednesday night dinner” and Friday/Saturday/Sunday meals with to me are always more fun, (and include wine)

I too discovered frozen veg when DS was that age. Had to make healthy meals for him (and us), started with frozen onions in shepherds pie to save time chopping and it snowballed. Now I have a freezer full of veg and I marvel at how far it goes for all the cost. For something like chilli or burritos I just cook off the meat, then stand at the freezer my saucepan firing in sweet corn, onions, peppers etc.

Haven't tried frozen mushrooms yet though so they're next on the list! I like things you can add to other things to make them healthier without DC really noticing.

Oh and lentil soup is so easy to make with frozen veg - chuck lentils, frozen onion and frozen carrot in a pan with water and a couple of stock cubes. 20 minutes later you have a lovely soup.

I prioritise taste and texture with vegetables that’s for sure. Convenience and waste comes second - but I don’t have much wastage, and there are loads of pe-prepared options that don’t require effort.

Cost of vegetables is less important to me because they’re relatively cheap compared to other food groups such as meat, desserts, nuts, speciality cheese, alcohol etc.

Tatiana - no one responded to you last night so you're back this morning to tell us all again how great you are?

This is a thread about favourite recipes with frozen vegetables. I suggest you use the search function to find a thread about how only plebs use frozen.

Eh?? As it goes they did actually.. but I was in bed.

Frozen peeled shallots- no fiddly peeling or 2-3 lurking in the fridge months later

Frozen vegetables are amazing. I don’t have time to prep and then cook fresh vegetables but being able to put frozen veg in the microwave for a couple of minutes is brilliant. The way they are frozen preserves the vitamins and they taste no different from fresh.

Love frozen herbs. Frozen chilli - no more accidentally poking myself in the eye with the hand that's been chopping chilli and temporarily blinding myself.
Frozen ginger - no more sad shrivelled bits of ginger root waiting for the next time you cook with ginger in a month's time.
Herbs - no more plastic pots being thrown in the bin or plastic bags of herbs mouldering in the fridge because you forgot what you were going to do with them.

All brilliant and I use so much more of them now I've discovered them. Plus they make the perfect icepack when I have a migraine

Waitrose do chopped and frozen celeriac. Boil for a couple of minutes, drain, then pop back into pan and add some cream and seasoning, cook gently whilst mashing with a fork - you end up with really nice celeriac mash without all the hassle of peeling the bloody thing :)

I remember before DS was born I always bought fresh and did all the chopping etc. It was a wee bit time consuming but not a problem. A colleague with 3 kids was horrified at such a waste of time (she would have been down the pub enjoying herself pre kids) and was always telling me to buy prepared or frozen veg.

Now I’ve seen the light. I buy prepared veg for batch cooking (another discovery since having DS) and frozen veg for “on the night” cooking. It really does save time and waste. The taste probably isn’t as good tbh: but it’s a compromise I’m willing to have

TBH it's the waste I dislike. I'm pretty much the only one who likes cabbage enough to cook with it, so I can't get through even half a cabbage. So if I want to pep up some ramen with a bit of cabbage or kale then frozen allows me to do that without throwing away loads.

Frozen is frozen and fresh is fresh. I’m not disputing that it’s fresh when it’s frozen but once it’s frozen it’s not fresh any more.

Some veg retains its freshness far better by being promptly frozen rather than transported unfrozen. This is particularly true for ones which convert sugars to starch after being picked, such as peas and sweetcorn.

Frozen edamame beans are lovely.

Placemarking-big fan of frozen veg too, love the recipes!

Thanks pandarific for this thread.
I don't think I'll ever chop an onion again.

I used a bag of frozen soffrito when I was making a spag bol yesterday and it was nice not to have to do all that chopping and dicing.

The asparagus is surprisingly quite good.
Asda have frozen new potatoes but I've not tried them yet

Not veg obviously but does anyone else like frozen grapes? They're so refreshing and sorbet-y.

I buy frozen fruit too it’s cheaper
You just need to be careful about defrosting berries as they leak a lot of juice

I don’t buy fresh veg at all unless it’s salad. I really like the small resealable black bags Tesco do of frozen bits like chorizo, peppers and casserole mix.

i have whole ginger, which i freeze, grate and refreeze

Frozen onions, frozen mash and frozen spinach. Game changers!

I love Aldi’s frozen cous cous and veg mix, so easy for work packed lunches

I buy frozen veg, saves me so much money. Also saves the inevitable moment when my 3 year old demands she can't eat broccoli without cauliflower, no worries I have both!

I've made shephards and cottage pies with frozen veg. Also green beans go nice with bangers and mash.