Cold fact: frozen value helps families fighting the cost crisis
Cost of Living Update
19.2 per cent! The most recent (March) official food inflation figure was both shocking and worrying for families fighting the cost crisis. Some staple items such as milk and cheese had reached even more alarming levels.
No wonder the search for value has been concentrating the minds of food shoppers for months.
April’s latest best advice is hardly a secret. Frozen food has always enjoyed a reputation for value when compared with perceptions of high-priced fresh food. Now industry reports* confirm a clear sales shift towards the frozen aisle.
Expert reassurance
What’s making this the good news of the day is expert reassurance that frozen can be not just cheaper but better. Dietitians are happy to confirm that important nutrients like vitamins in fresh fruit begin to deteriorate as soon as it’s picked. Freezing within an hour seals in the value in all senses.
In March Which? published research** on whether ‘switching to frozen food can save you money’. They looked at a wide variety of food types and asked people for their views. Their findings were clear on both cost and nutritional value:
“Buying frozen could save you money for the majority of the items in our analysis.”
“It’s likely that frozen vegetables have a higher concentration of nutrients than their fresh counterparts too. Pointon-Bell [Dietitian] told us it’s common for frozen veg like peas, broccoli, spinach and carrots to have higher content of vitamin C than fresh veg.
* Frozen food beating fresh as shoppers seek savings BBC News, 14/04/23
** Can switching to frozen food save you money? Which?, 03/03/23