Do you eat as many vegetables in the winter as you do in the summer? Fresh vegetables tend to cost more when they are out of season – and a lot of them are out of season this time of the year. With winter upon us, we ask the question, “Are frozen foods good for you?” Specifically, are frozen vegetables good for you? There are many opinions about different types of vegetables, such as organic fresh, regular fresh, canned, frozen, etc. How do you know what to choose?

Here are some helpful tips about different types of vegetables:

• Canned: The least nutritious of all veggies. They tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process before being canned. If you can stay away from canned vegetables, you’ll be better off.
• Fresh (whether organic or not): Get fresh vegetables if they are in season. But unless they are locally sourced, they are probably picked before they are ripe since they have to travel days or more to their final destination. This produce will not have their full nutritional value, even if they look ripe on the outside.
• Frozen: Frozen vegetables are usually picked at their ripeness, and quickly blanched to remove bacteria. Then they are flash-frozen to lock in that freshness. This produce has the most nutrient-rich vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind that the longer they sit in the freezer, the more those nutrients will begin to break down. So don’t let them sit forever! Be leery of frozen vegetables in sauces that can add a lot of fat and calories. Look for the plain frozen vegetables.

Make sure your loved ones get the nutrients they need

It is important to get in as many fruits and vegetables as you can each day (the guideline is 9 servings!). Whether fresh or frozen, you are getting the nutrients your body needs. If the produce you are looking for is not in season, you know it is coming from far away, or you just want the convenience, consider getting frozen. You’ll be happy you did.

We provide nutritious AND delicious meals for our members

Naperville Senior Center provides a hot, noontime meal and snacks for each of our Members. Our veggies, biscuits and ice cream arrive frozen. Our entrées arrive frozen and fully cooked. We heat them up in our convection oven and Members rave about the deliciousness of everything including pot roast, baked cod, chicken Kiev, meat loaf, chicken dumplings and more.

Dessert time is very popular with our Members. There are fruit cups, cookies and fresh fruit, but the frozen treats are preferred. In addition to great food, we encourage our Members to socialize, exercise, play games and puzzles, sing, clap, dance, spend time on the computer, and a host of other activities to provide mental and physical stimulation.

Call to action: contact us to schedule a FREE 3-hour trial at our facility so you can see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home.”