Your freezer is probably full of frozen foods, but do you know how to healthily cook with them? Frozen foods are budget-friendly, they can reduce food waste, and some even have more nutrients than fresh produce. Before you buy frozen foods, check the nutrition labels to make sure there isn’t added sugar or sodium. Here’s how to cook with frozen ingredients.
Pair Fish With Vegetables
Frozen salmon will lasts months in your freezer and it’s packed with heart-healthy Omega-3s. Thaw them out the night before you want to eat them and pair them with frozen broccoli and baked sweet potatoes.
Make a Healthy Breakfast
Try adding frozen fruits to your oatmeal, yogurt bowls, and smoothies. Frozen bananas, berries, and cauliflower or spinach make great bases for smoothies. For muffins, crumbles, and bread you can swap fresh fruit for frozen.
Make Sheet Pan Meals
For busy families, one-pan meals are quicky, easy, and convenient options. If you forgot to defrost your meat the night before, you can bake it from frozen on a sheet pan and add frozen vegetables and grains halfway through cooking.
Create Pizza
We all love pizza and you can make you own with frozen tortilla or pizza dough. Make it healthier by topping it with tomato sauce, your favorite frozen vegetables, and frozen meat for protein.
Step Up Stir-Fries or Skillet Meals
Stir-fries are a great way to use leftovers or almost expired ingredients. Mix tofu, frozen edamame, shrimp, or frozen meat in a large skillet with cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add in any spices or sauces you desire and some rice or noodles. Mix in thawed frozen or canned vegetables and you have a nutritious meal!
