Frozen foods
Frozen mixed vegetables
Frozen vegetables are blanched and frozen within hours of harvest, which often leaves them with more vitamin C than "fresh" produce that has spent a week in transit. They are also the cheapest way to hit a vegetable target reliably.
Organic upgrade priority
Consider organic
Score 35/100 · about $3.75 a week extra for a household of two
- →Conventional samples index 45/100 against 6/100 for organic — a 39-point difference.
- →At about 7 servings a week, this is a food you eat often enough for the difference to accumulate.
- →Sample confidence is moderate, so the score is weighted down by 10%.
Key numbers
- Residue evidence
- 45/100
- Moderate residue evidence
- Nutrient density
- 83/100
- Per calorie, across the whole database
- Typical price
- $2.49
- per 16 oz bag · organic +40%
- Servings a week
- 7
- Per person, at typical purchase volume
- Samples
- 1,176
- Conventional, 2014–2024 · 82 organic
- Data confidence
- Moderate
- Set from sample size and year coverage
Organic vs conventional frozen mixed vegetables
| Measure | Conventional | Organic |
|---|---|---|
| Samples analysed | 1,176 | 82 |
| Program years | 2014–2024 | 2014–2024 |
| Samples with any residue | 64% | 16% |
| Mean residues per sample | 2.3 | 0.2 |
| Samples above the EPA tolerance | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Relative residue evidence index | 45/100 | 6/100 |
| Typical price | $2.49 / 16 oz bag | $3.49 / 16 oz bag |
Nutrition
Per 1 cup (134 g).
59
calories
2.6 g
protein
4 g
fiber
40 mg
sodium
- Fiber 14% DV
- Vitamin A 46% DV
- No prep waste
How to wash frozen mixed vegetables
No washing needed — they are washed and blanched before freezing. Cook from frozen; thawing first makes them watery.
Washing reduces surface residue and soil. It does not remove systemic compounds taken up into the plant, and no soap, vinegar, or commercial produce wash has been shown to beat 30 seconds of plain running water by a margin worth paying for. Full washing guide.
Buying and storing
- ◆Blanching before freezing costs some vitamin C and folate up front, but stops further loss. Fresh produce keeps losing both for every day it sits in a fridge.
- ◆Buy plain bags, not sauced ones. The sauce is where the sodium and the price premium both live.
Common questions
›Should I buy organic frozen vegetables?
It is a reasonable upgrade when the budget allows, but not the first one to make. Frozen mixed vegetables scores 35/100 on organic upgrade priority, with conventional samples at 45/100 against 6/100 organic. At about $3.75 extra a week, it competes with several higher-priority items.
›Are frozen vegetables high in pesticides?
Frozen mixed vegetables shows moderate residue evidence — an index of 45/100 relative to other commodities. Across 1,176 conventional samples from 2014–2024, 64% contained at least one detected residue, averaging 2.3 distinct compounds per sample, and 0.00% exceeded the applicable EPA tolerance. A detection is not the same as an unsafe level.
›How much more does organic frozen vegetables cost?
About 40% more at typical U.S. retail — $2.49 per 16 oz bag conventional against $3.49 organic. For a household of 2 at normal purchase volume that is roughly $3.75 a week.
›How should I wash frozen vegetables?
No washing needed — they are washed and blanched before freezing. Cook from frozen; thawing first makes them watery.