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?

I think you are limiting yourself a lot if you only eat frozen. Perhaps you are buying the wrong veg? I use a lot of cucumber, carrots and cherry tomatoes. I cut the cucumber and carrots into sticks and let the kids dip them in humous. Dead easy.

@HoldontoOneMoreDay
Frozen avocado is ok in a smoothie
Absolutely horrible for everything else
I tried it after seeing lots of mumsnetters rave about it. It was vile.

I use them frozen steam bags. I much prefer fresh veg, but I'm lazy.

That'll be a no for the frozen avo then, thanks both!

I just check every couple of days and see what needs using next. But not being a meat eater, I tend to plan meals around what veg I'm going to have first. That's not to say I don't end up throwing a few soggy leaves away sometimes, but that's it.

Frozen and tinned work for some things but are a pale imitation for others.

A soup maker was a good fix for me as I used to throw away a lot of veg. Every time I have a bunch of left over veg that needs to be used I just make soup with it. Plus the soup can be frozen if you don't want to use it straight away.

Also if life gives you veg which is slightly on the turn, make soup!

@HotPenguin

I think you are limiting yourself a lot if you only eat frozen. Perhaps you are buying the wrong veg? I use a lot of cucumber, carrots and cherry tomatoes. I cut the cucumber and carrots into sticks and let the kids dip them in humous. Dead easy.

Loads of different veg are available frozen. It's not limiting.

Ha, snap!

Frozen is great, but you use it slightly differently.

Sweetcorn, peas and green beans, in the microwave, no water.
Cauliflower and broccoli, with a cheese sauce, bake from frozen.
Frozen spinach, chuck in curries and casseroles and stir.
Stir fry mix is great, but steamed more than fried.

I wouldn't bother with frozen carrot.

Loads of different veg are available frozen. It's not limiting

It is if you are limiting yourselves to the ones which are not minging and inedible when frozen.

I use frozen onions, mixed veg, broccoli, cauliflower, sweetcorn and peas. They all taste good. I do prefer fresh carrots and cabbage though. I switched to mainly frozen veg to stop wastage.

Frozen carrots are awful. Fresh keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

@Kotatsu

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!

You can freeze tomatoes and use in sauce for pasta. Cucumber, no.

Frozen veg is vile. Very strange texture. But I suppose better than no veg. Why not try and stick to your planned meals to avoid the issue though?

I only cook for one so always use frozen. The steam bags are great.

Some frozen veg is great, depending what you're using it for. Peas, beans, sweetcorn, sliced onions, sliced peppers, broccoli and cauliflower florets. Chopped sweet potato and butternut squash for roasting.

I find veg, especially broccoli, keeps better in StayFresh bags that you can buy from places like Lakeland. Mushrooms going a bit ‘tired’ slice and freeze for casseroles. Onions keep well in brown paper bags. I always take celery out of plastic wrapper and wrap in foil.

I am lucky enough to be able to grow some things. But beyond that I usually buy mostly frozen for the same reason - I tend to throw away too much fresh produce.

I like frozen peas, corn spinach and chopped onions ( a real time saver). I bought some bags of stir fry and roasted Mediterranean vegetables but there’s no way they’re as good as the fresh alternatives - soggy aubergine and courgette. Yuck.

I only buy fresh carrots, swede, onions.
Everthing else is frozen. No waste.

I’m happy to use frozen peas , chopped onion and sliced mushrooms , I also usually have a mixed steam fresh in the freezer for emergencies but the rest I’d rather use fresh . I got my son who loves sprouts to try frozen ones and they were vile .

Wow, so many great tips. I had never considered freezing fresh veg.
I like the idea of saving the frozen stuff for end of the week rather than planning to use it as a regular side. I'll half my fresh veg in the shopping so I run out rather than throw out!
And stay fresh bags... I'm down for that! Any good recommendations? X

Just a quick question.

Does this mean your veg goes off by the end of the week between shops? Most veg should last that and maybe few more days in my experience (I am eating 10 days old courgette tonight).
If yes, then really check fridge temperature

We have almost all frozen as we like a wide variety. I only buy fresh if I want something specific.
We have no waste