Is it cheaper to buy frozen food instead of fresh?

Such as, do you really need that expensive gym if you’re doing the sort of exercises you can do outside for free? Especially now the weather is getting warmer and lighter.

Other habits include food prep. From swapping meal deals for cheaper options or preparing your own lunches at home, what we buy and how we prepare our meals can make a difference.

And the same comes in terms of the produce. We might be used to buying our grapes fresh and ready to eat out of custom, but can frozen fruit be a cheaper option?

We look at the difference in prices and what to consider when debating between fresh and frozen…

Frozen food vs fresh food prices

The first step in answering whether frozen food offers better value than fresh involves looking at the actual prices of things.

The comparative prices found that frozen came out cheaper across the board.

For some items, like chips, the difference is as much as £1.01.  

What foods are better fresh instead of frozen?

The issue with buying fresh or frozen doesn’t just boil down to the sticker price. A cheaper upfront cost might feel like a saving, for example, but if your food spoils faster or is missing most of the nutrients, you’re looking at a false economy.

To that end, what foods do nutritionists say are better bought frozen?

Fruit and veg

Because most frozen fruits and veggies are frozen shortly after they’re harvested, they’re allowed to ripen fully, which means they’re chock full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and freezing locks in many of their nutrients, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

So, not only will frozen fruit and vegetables be packed full of the good stuff – perhaps even more so than fresh – you can keep it for far longer, meaning less waste.

Frozen fish

Dietitian Kiri Pointon-Bell told Which? that there ‘may be some additional nutritional benefits with frozen fish compared to fresh, as some fresh fish may not be consumed for many days after it’s caught, so frozen fish can end up being a superior choice in terms of overall quality.’

Meat, however, is often better when bought fresh.

Ready meals

Frozen pizzas and similar ready meals are better bought frozen. These can last in the freezer for quite some time, and it’ll mean you always have a favourite meal to hand for any pesky cravings – saving you from splashing the cash on a costly takeaway or having to get out and drive to the shops to buy fresh.

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