How Frozen Food Can Save You Money
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For many of us, the rising cost of living can put an alarming strain on our finances. During these tough times, we all need to be extra careful with what we buy so that we can make the most out of our resources.
But according to Canstar Blue, it seems that one of the easiest ways to save money is to switch to buying frozen meals instead of fresh food while grocery shopping.
Savvy shoppers have long looked to the frozen food aisle for an economical alternative to fresh produce. And this selection of cheaper, long-lasting groceries will likely become even more appealing for families, according to the comparison website Canstar Blue.
‘The frozen alternative is always cheaper than the fresh alternative.’ Canstar’s Retail Expert Gary Mortimer said.
Based on their research, 62 per cent of shoppers said they keep a backup stash of vegetables in the freezer, but making a permanent switch from fresh to frozen could save them significant dollars in the long run.
And according to Christine Seib, Canstar Blue’s Editor-in-Chief, people don’t have to spend much to get a quality product.
To that end, the comparison website released this year’s top-rated frozen dinners and snacks in a bid to help Aussies find a way to beat the cost-of-living crisis.
The ratings came from a survey of 464 Australians and their feedback on frozen brands that they’ve purchased and consumed in the last 6 months.
The survey also rated brands based on the following criteria:
Based on their website, On The Menu has ‘an extensive range of delicious Australian favourites, snap frozen and conveniently ready to eat in just a few minutes’.
For a brand to be included in the survey, it must have received at least 30 responses, and this means that not all brands available in the market were compared in the survey. These are the brands rated in the survey, listed below in order of ‘best overall satisfaction’:
Ms Seib explained: ‘Given that everyone's focus right now is on the cost of living, cutting costs, it seems On The Menu's meals, which start about $3, have caught shoppers' eyes.’
Another ‘winner’ in the eyes of the comparison website is Woolworths’ home brand. It won the frozen pizza category.
ALDI fries are another product that Canstar recommends amid news of a potato shortage hitting the country. ‘It’s not even a fluke. They won the same category last year,’ Ms Seib shared.
For desserts, Canstar’s top picks are the Sara Lee cheesecake and chocolate cake, and Nanna’s pie and crumble.
‘Sara Lee provided the winning recipe for the THIRD year in a row, whipping up full marks across most research categories, including taste, variety and range, texture and consistency, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction,’ the comparison website stated.
According to Canstar, they rate products or brands depending on the category, which includes overall satisfaction and value for money. The ‘winner’ in each product or service category is the brand that receives the highest overall satisfaction rating. This happens once the scores from their survey’s respondents have been combined and averaged.
You can check more of the top brands that won Canstar’s survey here.
But can food lose its nutritional value when it’s frozen?
For the health-conscious out there, you may be wondering if food loses its nutritional value when it’s frozen.
In general, evidence suggests that the nutritional content of fresh and frozen food is similar.
According to experts, freezing helps retain the nutrient content of produce. Fresh produce contains chemical compounds called enzymes, which cause the loss of colour, nutrients, and flavour changes. This causes the spoilage and deterioration of a product, but freezing produce can preserve a certain degree of its ‘ripeness’.
The bottom line is that frozen produce is nutritionally similar to fresh produce. When nutrient decreases are reported, they’re generally small.
Have you tried any of the products mentioned above, members? Let us know your thoughts about them in the comments below!
But according to Canstar Blue, it seems that one of the easiest ways to save money is to switch to buying frozen meals instead of fresh food while grocery shopping.
Savvy shoppers have long looked to the frozen food aisle for an economical alternative to fresh produce. And this selection of cheaper, long-lasting groceries will likely become even more appealing for families, according to the comparison website Canstar Blue.
‘The frozen alternative is always cheaper than the fresh alternative.’ Canstar’s Retail Expert Gary Mortimer said.
Based on their research, 62 per cent of shoppers said they keep a backup stash of vegetables in the freezer, but making a permanent switch from fresh to frozen could save them significant dollars in the long run.
And according to Christine Seib, Canstar Blue’s Editor-in-Chief, people don’t have to spend much to get a quality product.
To that end, the comparison website released this year’s top-rated frozen dinners and snacks in a bid to help Aussies find a way to beat the cost-of-living crisis.
The ratings came from a survey of 464 Australians and their feedback on frozen brands that they’ve purchased and consumed in the last 6 months.
The survey also rated brands based on the following criteria:
- Overall satisfaction: This measures consumer satisfaction with a frozen meal brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
- Taste: Did the frozen meal taste fresh/authentic and include all expected ingredients (i.e. a roast dinner included potatoes, meat, vegetables, and gravy as depicted in advertisements)?
- Value for money: This means that the frozen meal was reasonably priced given the quality and quantity.
- Packaging convenience: The frozen meal packaging was easy to open and made it convenient to cook (i.e. you didn’t need to transfer the meal to another dish, or use multiple bowls, etc.).
- Variety and range: The frozen meal brand offered several meals in different sizes and catered to different dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, vegetarian, halal, etc.).
Based on their website, On The Menu has ‘an extensive range of delicious Australian favourites, snap frozen and conveniently ready to eat in just a few minutes’.
For a brand to be included in the survey, it must have received at least 30 responses, and this means that not all brands available in the market were compared in the survey. These are the brands rated in the survey, listed below in order of ‘best overall satisfaction’:
1. On The Menu
2. McCain
3. ALDI
4. Coles
5. Woolworths
Ms Seib explained: ‘Given that everyone's focus right now is on the cost of living, cutting costs, it seems On The Menu's meals, which start about $3, have caught shoppers' eyes.’
Another ‘winner’ in the eyes of the comparison website is Woolworths’ home brand. It won the frozen pizza category.
ALDI fries are another product that Canstar recommends amid news of a potato shortage hitting the country. ‘It’s not even a fluke. They won the same category last year,’ Ms Seib shared.
For desserts, Canstar’s top picks are the Sara Lee cheesecake and chocolate cake, and Nanna’s pie and crumble.
‘Sara Lee provided the winning recipe for the THIRD year in a row, whipping up full marks across most research categories, including taste, variety and range, texture and consistency, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction,’ the comparison website stated.
According to Canstar, they rate products or brands depending on the category, which includes overall satisfaction and value for money. The ‘winner’ in each product or service category is the brand that receives the highest overall satisfaction rating. This happens once the scores from their survey’s respondents have been combined and averaged.
You can check more of the top brands that won Canstar’s survey here.
But can food lose its nutritional value when it’s frozen?
For the health-conscious out there, you may be wondering if food loses its nutritional value when it’s frozen.
In general, evidence suggests that the nutritional content of fresh and frozen food is similar.
According to experts, freezing helps retain the nutrient content of produce. Fresh produce contains chemical compounds called enzymes, which cause the loss of colour, nutrients, and flavour changes. This causes the spoilage and deterioration of a product, but freezing produce can preserve a certain degree of its ‘ripeness’.
The bottom line is that frozen produce is nutritionally similar to fresh produce. When nutrient decreases are reported, they’re generally small.
Key Takeaways
- Cost of living pressures are prompting families to explore cheaper options in the freezer section.
- On The Menu and Woolworths’ home brand products both scored five stars for taste, freshness and value for money.
- ALDI fries emerged as the favourite according to Canstar, while Sara Lee cheesecakes, and Nanna’s pies and crumbles topped the dessert rankings.
- Making the switch from fresh to frozen could save you more money in the future, without compromising on nutritional value.