Frozen Veggie Roots
Though farmers, fishermen, and hunters have found ways to preserve their food for thousands of years, the modern method of “flash freezing” was invented by pioneer Clarence Frank Birdseye II in the 1920’s. While traveling through the Arctic, he observed Eskimos using ice, wind, and temperature to freeze just-caught fish almost instantly to retain freshness—and was inspired to apply the same biological process to vegetables. The result revolutionized the frozen food industry, and made Birds Eye® vegetables a household name.
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Inside the Freezing Process
After being harvested at the peak of ripeness, fresh-picked vegetables are delivered within hours to be cleaned and quick-steamed to lock in color, nutrition, and taste. The vegetables are finally flash-frozen—each whole or cut piece of vegetable to zero degrees Fahrenheit or colder within minutes—before being checked by quality inspectors.
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Cooking Tips and Ideas
- Unlock your imagination and create terrific meal ideas by combining frozen veggies with other fresh ingredients. Create a fun fajita lunch with colorful Birds Eye® Pepper Stir Fry, thinly sliced beef strips, soft tortilla shells, and shredded cheese, or give pasta night a new twist by incorporating Birds Eye® peas and vodka sauce instead of traditional spaghetti and meatballs.
- Instead of shying away from recipes with hard-to-prep ingredients (artichokes, for example, require taking apart and steaming just to get to the hearts), choose practically ready-to-use frozen versions and save time.
- Steam or stir-fry your favorite Birds Eye® veggies instead of boiling to retain the most nutrients.
- For even easier entertaining, use frozen vegetables (like spinach) to create quick dips for chips.
- Keep frozen vegetables in mind for every meal! Try Birds Eye® pepper stir-fry blend with an AM omelet, or add frozen carrots to a smoothie snack.
