We love frozen food, as we know it has so many benefits for your budget, health and the quality of your food. Importantly, frozen food can also help to minimise food waste through several mechanisms. Let's explore the many benefits:
1. Extended Shelf Life: Freezing preserves food by slowing down the growth of bacteria, mould, and yeast, which typically causes spoilage. This natural approach significantly extends the shelf life of food products compared to fresh alternatives. There is nothing worse than buying vegetables or other fresh products that don't get used in time because you're simply too busy. A soggy lettuce, limp carrots or yoghurt on the turn!
The benefit of We Feed You frozen meals, enables you to keep your freezer stocked without the risk of premature spoilage found with fresh meals and produce. Even better, the nutrients are locked in!
2. Portion Control: Frozen foods like We Feed You meals are pre-portioned, allowing consumers to eat what they need and reducing the likelihood of leftovers going to waste. Watch out for some ready meal provider who under feed, which encourages more discretionary consumption of snacks or treat food. At We Feed You we specifically design our meals to be satisfying portion sizes which helps reduce the risk of over eating.
3. No need for hidden nasties: We Feed You is a combination of science and many, many years of combined chef experience. We create meals without the need for hidden nasties, and when heated from frozen they must have the perfect balance of aroma, texture and flavour.
This ancient approach is one of the oldest and most natural method of food preservation, which often eliminates the need for preservatives, hidden nasties or gases to extend shelf life!
4. Seasonal Availability: Freezing allows for the preservation of seasonal produce, making it available all year-round. This helps in reducing waste that might occur when there's a surplus of seasonal crops.
5. Nutrient variability: Having access to We Feed You meals which are made using a wide range of varied produce enables you to obtain different nutrients throughout the week, compared to what you may cook at home. For example, many customers may not want to purchase a full head of broccoli, bunch of kale or parsley, as they know they may not use it. We Feed You meals ensure you get a wide range of nutrients from different vegetables, herbs and spices, all year round.
Whilst there can be some nutrient variability in frozen foods, they generally retain a significant portion of their original nutrient content, which makes them a great option.
Accredited Practising Dietitian, Erin Murnane from Balance & Bite encourages us to "increase the variety of food you eat to boost your nutrition. Different foods provide different nutrients." Learn more in her article "Improve Your Nutrition" here >
6. Reduced Spoilage During Transport: Frozen foods are less prone to spoilage during transportation and storage, which helps reduce waste in the supply chain. Yay to that.
7. Convenience and Reduced Prep Time: Frozen foods like We Feed You ready meals, come pre-prepared and ready to heat, this encourages consumers to use them more efficiently by choosing what they want at the time of consumption. This helps to reduce the amount of food that gets thrown out due to spoilage or over-preparation.
By preserving food for longer periods and allowing more precise usage, frozen food plays a crucial role in minimising food waste from farm to table.
