To ditch fresh veg

[chitterdidntchatter]

As the title says really. Just thrown out loads of it. I obviously over estimate how much we will use but it feels wrong not to buy it. I menu plan but quite often deviate from That (ie I forget to get things out of the freezer etc etc)
I'm thinking I'll just get a load of frozen veg and just go with that
Never really used it before (apart from peas obvs)
Boring topic I know but tell me your take on this. Is frozen veg horrid and soggy like I imagine?

Frozen veg is great - I use it all the time. The only thing that I think fresh works best for (apart from salad) is when you're going to roast something.

Better stick to frozen rather than be throwing food away!

i use a lot more frozen veg than i used to yes it tastes different but i dont waste as much and a pack of casserole veg has everything i need for a stew without buying half a dozen different veg and only using bits of them, some people will come on here clutching their pearls at the idea of anything other than spring fresh veg flown from the himalayas straight to your fridge but until you try it you wont know wether you like it or not

I've started low carbing which has meant I've massively upped fresh veg and reduced beige foods.

My skin is glowing and a few people have commented on how well I look (not to mention the weight loss).

So I wouldn't reduce veg.

Frozen is brilliant! No waste, you can portion how you wish. It's all frozen straight away so it's just as fresh when it's cooked as if you were using fresh veg.

@Cassilis

I've started low carbing which has meant I've massively upped fresh veg and reduced beige foods.

My skin is glowing and a few people have commented on how well I look (not to mention the weight loss).

So I wouldn't reduce veg.

OP didn't say she was ditching veg.

I use frozen onions, peppers, garlic plus herbs. I'll often give the dc the steam fresh bags with their dinner if we don't eat together for some reason.
Frozen brocoli / greens don't really cut it with me though.
What are you wasting?

I'm not keen on frozen veg but I do go through my fresh veg.
I do buy frozen cauliflower as DP had it for cheesy cauliflower once in a while.

When I notice fresh stuff getting old I chop it and freeze it. I do that because there's some stuff that I just don't think they pick decent veg for when freezing or I don't like how they chop it - so peppers(always ropey and too many green), onions (I like a fine chop), carrots (dunno why, just don't like frozen ones), spring onions, courgette, all gets chopped (courgette blanched) and whacked in for use in whatever later.

I have tinned sweetcorn, because the frozen stuff always comes out chewy.

I used to be able to buy lettuce still in soil in one supermarket, and that would live on the windowsill until used up/going to seed which was much better than mouldy in the veg draw. Tomatoes I just live with sometimes going off, same with cucumber.

Although i got some chickens at the beginning of the year, so actually we have very little fruit and veg waste now - it all goes to them!

It depends on the veg quite honestly
Spinach, corn on the cob, sweetcorn kernels, peas, peppers, Mediterranean veg mix, garlic and onions are amazing frozen- just as good as fresh.
Frozen broccoli and cauliflower are ok,
Obviously not salad veg and we don’t like frozen carrots or green beans.
So it’s worth trying and seeing what your preferences are.

Frozen veg is worse for the environment than using fresh, but still better than chucking it out. Can you identify what the issues are and try to address that first? I use a mix, so will use fresh first then frozen to the end of the week - also tend to get fresh in before the weekend so I can batch cook stews etc with it and get the most use, after work it's often a bit too hectic.

Has it all gone off?

Firstly, check your fridge if it's cooling properly. I had fresh stuff hoing off in old rental flat fridges, in the new one, things last so long there is basically no chance of me wasting it even if I forget for few days.

Maybe also work on some improvisation. I don't plan. I just buy what's nice and in season. If I forget to defrost something, I just change the dish so fresh stuff is still used.
I did end up eating bowl of spiced veg few times😂

I use fresh and frozen. You wouldn’t want a frozen cucumber or tomato. But onions, garlic, ginger, chilli, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, squash, peas, sweetcorn, mange tout, mushrooms, mixed stew packs, stir fry packs are all worth using. Some work best steamed for a crisper, crunchier result.

Also look into hpw you are keeping things if you get something fresh.

Frozen is good, and better than waste though.

OP didn't say she was ditching veg.

Well I did say I upped fresh veg.

Frozen veg is brilliant as long as you use the right product for the right dish.

Like frozen spinach - you couldn't eat it as a side dish really, like buttered spinach with fish, but it's brilliant in soups, stews, curries and anything saucy. I don't use fresh at all now (threw out so many bags in the past).

Frozen onions always feels a bit of an expensive solution - you're paying ££ for the convenience - so if I was doing something like French onion soup where I needed loads I'd buy fresh especially. But to use a handful to start off another dish, perfect.

Frozen chopped ginger and garlic are life changing. Lots of ppl on here use frozen chopped peppers, to be honest we use peppers like there's no tomorrow and don't tend to waste them.

Another tip if you can be arsed: I don't really like carrots but got a few veg boxes in lockdown where I got loads. I chop them all up in the food processor with leeks, onions, whatever and bag them in portions in the freezer to make my own soffrito.

Frozen is fine and apparently maybe better as its frozen quickly after picking I use frozen broccoli, green beans, spinach, sweetcorn, peas peppers and Mediterranean veg as well as petit pois

Slightly off topic but clearly posters know their frozen onions - has anyone tried frozen avocado?

frozen is fine.

onions and spuds last weeks if stored somewhere cool and dark (Poundland sell suitable bags or pay a fortune on Amazon if you prefer).

wasting food is pretty skanky.

@HoldontoOneMoreDay

Slightly off topic but clearly posters know their frozen onions - has anyone tried frozen avocado?

I asked about this on another thread as it sounded amazing Apparently it's vile

*unless used in smoothies
Sorry pressed too soon 🙄😀

@OverTheRubicon

Frozen veg is worse for the environment than using fresh, but still better than chucking it out. Can you identify what the issues are and try to address that first? I use a mix, so will use fresh first then frozen to the end of the week - also tend to get fresh in before the weekend so I can batch cook stews etc with it and get the most use, after work it's often a bit too hectic.

I'm not sure it is worse for the environment than flying asparagus in from Peru and sugar snap peas from Kenya when they're out of season here.

I only use tinned or frozen. Never use fresh

I never bother with use-by dates on veg, I look at the thing and if it is clearly off then it goes out to the compost bin, but if not, then it gets eaten. Root veg can last for weeks.

Frozen peas, sweet corn, baby broad beans and spinach (leaf or chopped) are great.

Carrots, broccoli, green beans, peppers and especially mushrooms are not so good.

Making your own soup is the best way to use up veg - anything goes.