FAQ

Yes, frozen vegetables are healthy and can be as nutritious as fresh vegetables! Thanks to the close proximity of fields and production facilities, Crop’s vegetables are frozen shortly after harvest, at peak freshness. For our peas, it takes less than 150 minutes! This helps retain maximum nutrients, even compared to fresh vegetables that have been stored for days. Frozen vegetables are also unprocessed and free from preservatives. 

You should avoid eating frozen vegetables raw. They are safe to eat when cooked according to the instructions on the packaging. While food safety is the primary reason to cook your frozen veggies, it’s also about optimal taste and texture. 

Freezing is nature’s pause button. Since biological processes stop or slow down massively at -18°C (65°F), freezing is the perfect way of protecting food from spoilage. Remember: freezing doesn’t kill all microbes, so it’s still important to cook frozen vegetables.

IQF stands for Individually Quick Frozen. This advanced industrial method allows producers to freeze each piece of vegetable separately at a very low temperature, preserving vitamins, minerals, texture, and flavour. Individual freezing also means that the vegetables don’t stick together into a clump, enabling you to portion the vegetables easily. 

You can freeze most of the vegetables at home. However, the main differences between professionally frozen vegetables and homemade frozen vegetables are the quality and shelf life. Packaged vegetables are frozen in controlled conditions using the IQF method, which means that each piece is flash-frozen individually at -35°C to -40°C. This way, the nutrients, texture, and flavour are perfectly preserved. This means that packaged frozen vegetables will last longer.

Frozen vegetable ingredients can replace fresh vegetables in many recipes, for example in roasts. The only difference is that the cooking time is likely to be shorter. For an exceptionally easy meal prep, we recommend using frozen mixed vegetables, such as frozen stir-fry vegetables, and preparing them according to the instruction on the packaging. Frozen vegetables are suitable for the oven, pan, microwave, steamer, air fryer, and beyond. 

Do not refreeze thawed vegetables. The rule is simple: if it thaws, in the pan it goes! And that’s a one-way street. 

The rule of thumb is that frozen vegetables can be boiled, steamed, microwaved, fried, roasted, and sautéed straight from the freezer. There’s no need to thaw them first. Cooked directly, frozen vegetables maintain their optimal texture and colour. However, you should always prepare your frozen vegetables according to the instructions on the packaging.