Healthy options available during Frozen Food Month

March is National Frozen Food Thirty day period, and frozen greens and fruits are healthier solutions, featuring plenty of natural vitamins, fiber and nutrition.

Clarence Frank Birdseye II is identified as the inventor of frozen foodstuff. He was also a pioneer in food preservation, according to Teresa Henson, Extension professional-software outreach coordinator for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Faculty of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.

For the duration of March, several shops offer you gross sales on frozen meals, like vegetables and fruits. Frozen fruits and vegetables are commonly picked, processed and frozen within just 24 several hours, she claimed. In winter, mainly because of the quick turnaround time for processing frozen veggies and fruits, these foodstuff may have more vitamins than their clean counterparts and can be a much healthier solution.

“Birdseye’s operate stemmed from doing the job in the Arctic, in which he was surprised at how the Arctic natives processed their fish by retaining it chilly using a freezing method,” she said. “Considering that the approach was a major strike, he figured out techniques to freeze other food items this kind of as fruits and vegetables.”

His experiment led him to generate the “brief freeze machine” in 1930. The generation has considering that flooded the food stuff frozen sector with billions of pounds vested in the field by customers and enterprises, Henson said.

The taste and top quality of frozen meals has significantly improved considering the fact that 1930.

“To be on the route to great well being, you should take in distinct hues of fruits and greens. You should ‘eat the rainbow,'” Henson explained. “Try out to make at the very least 50 % your plate fruits and/or veggies.”

Frozen generate is a effortless way to take in extra fruits and veggies, she said. They can quickly be added to a lot of recipes. Some varieties of frozen generate can be simply just thawed and added to salads. Selections for this include things like corn, peas and green beans.

Frozen vegetables are also fantastic additions to stews, soups, stir-fry and other cooked dishes. Frozen veggies and fruits are a healthier option–they have a lot of nutritional vitamins, fiber and nutrition.

“Look on package deal labels for frozen deliver that does not have included fats, salt or sugar,” Henson said. “Rather of obtaining veggies in sauces or fruits in syrups, search for selections that are just the frozen fruit or vegetable. They will be the most adaptable since you can incorporate them to different dishes in parts you pick and time them any way you want.”

The strategy of freezing foodstuff has manufactured it hassle-free for everyone to prepare simple, delicious and balanced foods, she explained. Nonetheless, there are foods basic safety pointers you require to abide by when storing food in the fridge and freezer. Look at out the Chilly Food items Storage Chart at https://www.foodsafety.gov/meals-protection-charts/chilly-food items-storage-charts. The chart highlights foods according to the suitable temperature to freeze, and refrigeration.

For an uncomplicated, healthy meal option that takes advantage of frozen greens, test this pot pie recipe, Henson explained. The recipe serves six.

Easy Chicken POT PIE

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups frozen combined vegetables (thawed)

1 cup cooked hen (lower-up)

1 can product of hen soup, minimal-excess fat (10 3/4 oz, condensed)

1 cup baking mix, decreased unwanted fat (these types of as Jiffy Combine or Bisquick)

1/2 cup milk (non-body fat)

1 egg

Directions

Clean fingers and any cooking surfaces. Pre-warmth oven to 400˚ F. Blend greens, chicken and soup in an ungreased, 9-inch pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl with fork right until blended. Pour about greens and chicken in pie plate. Bake 30 minutes or till golden brown. Let interesting 5 minutes and provide.

Nourishment information for every serving (1/6 of cup): 189 energy, 4g body fat, 716mg sodium, 13g protein.

Supply: Texas Cooperative Extension, the Texas A&M College System, Expanded Nourishment Application.

Debbie Archer is an Extension associate-communications with the UAPB College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences.