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From our Daily Tips: “Rediscover Frozen Fruits and Vegetables.”

I’m convinced that time is one of the biggest obstacles to eating a heart healthy diet. In our time-starved world, it’s simply quicker to buy dinner at the local fast food joint than it is to cook for yourself. And who can argue that grabbing breakfast or lunch on the go isn’t faster than packing a brown bag of nutrition before leaving home? Problem is, fruits and veggies tend to be the first to fall from your diet when time dictates what you eat.

Think about it: Do you choose your meals around convenience or nutrition? Well, I’ve found a strategy that gives me the best of both worlds. It’s simple—I keep my freezer stocked with frozen fruits and vegetables! Cooking with frozen produce instead of fresh saves me time shopping, washing, and chopping. It also saves me money (bonus!) because nothing rots before I can eat it.

When I plan ahead and buy frozen fruits and veggies, I help myself in all kinds of ways:

• Frozen fruit makes for a great breakfast smoothie when it’s paired with nonfat yogurt in the blender. Talk about quick and refreshing!
• If I know I’m going to be rushed at work, I keep myself away from the vending machine by packing a serving of frozen veggies that can defrost on my desk until snack time and then get warmed up in the microwave.
• When I’m tired and want dinner fast, I save myself time preparing stir-fry by using frozen veggies. I buy them sliced up and ready for the pan, so I don’t have to cry over an onion to get a healthy, home-cooked meal.

If you’re worried that choosing frozen produce might be less nourishing than fresh, Monday’s Daily Tip will put you at ease. It points out that fruits and vegetables are usually frozen right when they’re harvested, when their nutritional content is top-notch. Just keep in mind that boiling veggies (fresh or frozen) in large amounts of water will strip away some of their natural goodness so, nutritionally speaking, light steaming is the best way to prepare them.

How do you plan quick yet healthy meals? Do you incorporate frozen fruits and veggies into your diet? If you do, what’s your favorite way to use them?