The financial pain of recent increases in the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables is real and being felt by many across Australia.
According to the data, food inflation has risen significantly, jumping by almost seven percent for fresh vegetables over the
The effect is not just on the back pocket. For many Australians, an increase in the cost of fresh produce means cutting back on the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed. This can also be associated with an increase in the amount of cheap and filling discretionary food that is nutritionally poor.
What’s happening now is that we live in an era where a McDonald's hamburger costs $2 and a salad bowl costs over $6.50 – and the price of that salad is slowly and steadily increasing.
“When the affordability of food changes, eating patterns may also change," Accredited Practicing Dietitian and spokesperson for , tells SBS. “What’s happening now is that we live in an era where a McDonald's hamburger costs $2 and a salad bowl costs over $6.50 – and the price of that salad is slowly and steadily increasing.”
Gulyani reminds us that consuming enough nutrients is essential to our health, especially in the current flu season.
Fresh vs frozen?
So what can shoppers do about it? Gulyani offers one suggestion: buy frozen fruit and vegetables that are cheaper than the fresh variety.
“There is a misconception that frozen vegetables and fruits lose their nutrients when defrosted,” says Gulyani, director of
“The truth is that frozen vegetables and fruits are picked when they are at the peak of their ripeness, and they are snap frozen within hours. In fact, some studies have shown that processed produce may have more and vitamins than the fresh produce that’s been stored in your fridge for two or three days before being eaten.”
The nutritional value of fresh food versus frozen food also depends on the kind of food being frozen. has shown that frozen corn, blueberries, and green beans have higher levels of vitamin C than their fresh equivalents. On the flip side, the study showed that fresh peas had more riboflavin than frozen ones, but frozen broccoli had more of this B vitamin than the fresh variety.
However, there is a caveat for frozen fruit and veges that have been . For more than a year, the produce's nutritional value will decline.
The overall take-home here, Gulyani says, is simple: don't shy away from cooking with frozen fruits and vegetables if you can't afford the fresh varieties.
“The main thing is that you need to consume five servings of vegetables a day, which the Aussie population does not eat currently. If having frozen fruit and vegetables helps you to achieve that goal because of the cost and other factors, then that’s a positive.”
Why hesitate to use frozen?
If frozen fruits and vegetables manage to maintain a respectable level of nutrient value for so long, why do we often snub them?
Gulyani concedes that fresh produce has a crunchier texture and potentially, a stronger flavour than the frozen varieties and therefore may be preferred. “I also feel that the process of chopping vegetables and cooking them is very therapeutic. However, frozen foods and canned foods can be great for a number of reasons.
“Firstly, they are usually cheaper. You can also reduce food wastage by taking the amount you need from a frozen package and throwing the rest back in the freezer – that saves money as well. Ingredients that are frozen are usually available all year round.”
Adding defrosted and pre-cut frozen fruit and veges to a stir-fry, stew or sauce is a great way to save prep time as well.
Gulyani provides a few recipe tips for using frozen produce, starting with corn. “Frozen corn can be used with a can of chickpeas to create a nutritious salad.
“Frozen kale is another wonderful example of a versatile frozen product. You can use them for smoothies. I sauté them with onions, add some tofu and make a nice base for a quinoa bowl that contains protein and lots of vegetables.”
We use the frozen leaves to make curries or snack breads. The result is nostalgic.
Gulyani’s favourite frozen product is fenugreek leaves (methi). “This ingredient is very widely used in the Indian meals of my culture. But sometimes, the fresh fenugreek leaves that are available are tiny, very expensive and don’t have the best taste. So I buy frozen fenugreek.
“We get them from Indian supermarkets but some mainstream supermarkets sell them too. We use the frozen leaves to make curries or snack breads."
As for the flavour of the frozen variety, Gulyani says there's no difference. In fact, it's just as satisfying and cheaper. "The result of using frozen fenugreek is nostalgic. It just always reminds me of home...”
