Why Buy Frozen
Far from being inferior to 'fresh' food, frozen food is often fresher than 'fresh' - and offers other advantages too.
- Products are frozen at their peak of quality.
- Freshness is locked into the product.
- Year round availability of seasonal products.
- Even the most exotic dishes are available on demand.
- Offers long term menu planning.
- Use as much or as little as you want thereby reducing waste.
- Ensures food is preserved safely and naturally for longer.
- IQF allows the food to maintain its structure.
- IQF Allows the chef to manage portion control without wastage.
- Maintains vitamins and minerals in foods for much longer.
Why Buy Frozen Fruit and Vegetables?
Frozen fruit and veg is picked and frozen at its quality peak – It's a natural process that doesn't need preservatives and makes the 'exotic' available every day!
Here are some of facts about the benefits of freezing:
- These days 20,000 kgs of peas can be frozen in just one hour and factories can work around the clock for the 6-8 weeks of the harvest period. Frozen peas are Britain's favourite frozen vegetable.
- Fast, convenient and available all year, frozen vegetables can be steamed, stir-fried, or microwaved to be ready in minutes.
- Frozen fruit and frozen vegetables are a great way to get your '5 A DAY'. Smoothies are an excellent way of using frozen fruit.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables are harvested, transported, sorted and then transported again to their point of sale.
- Sometimes it can be up to 14 days old before it reaches your shop – valuable nutrients are lost!
- Freezing enables you to choose from the pick of fruit and vegetables all around the world with that 'just picked' taste experience in season or out of season.
- Frozen fruit and frozen vegetables require no preparation, and you can use as much or as little as you want which results in no waste.
- Freezing fruit and frozen vegetables locks in vitamins at the point of harvest.
Why Buy Frozen Fish?
- Quick freezing fish seals in nutrients so it is often fresher than 'fresh' fish!
- Fish and seafood begins to decline in quality immediately after being caught, so freezing fish as soon as possible retains quality and seals in freshness.
- When fish is frozen at sea whilst still on board the boat it could not be fresher!
- Often fish is frozen in port hours are docking! How often is your 'fresh' fish this fresh?
- Freezing fish allows us to eat seasonal fish all year.
- Thanks to freezing technology we enjoy fish regardless of season at great prices.
- Frozen fish is often fresher than 'fresh' fish. 'Fresh' fish can take a week to reach the shops!
- Frozen fish and seafood can be 25% cheaper than fresh – great value for money! What's more, its hugely extended shelf life offers year round price stability.
- And, buying frozen allows you to use as much or as little as you want – reducing waste because what you don't want goes back in the freezer!
Why Buy Frozen Meat and Poultry?
It's always handy to have frozen chicken and meat in the freezer – you never know when an unexpected guest might turn up! Although meat and some poultry improve with age and hanging, freezing meat and poultry offers you many benefits.
- It allows busy you to manage portions and reduce waste in the kitchen.
- You can just put any meat you do not want to eat back in the freezer!
- Freezing is a natural process, which does not require the use of preservatives.
- This means that your frozen chicken or frozen meat needs no additives.
- The majority of frozen meat and poultry is quick frozen to maintain freshness, tenderness and flavour.
- Many frozen meat and poultry products are pre-prepared and frozen which allows your kitchen to run hassle free.
- Most frozen meat and poultry can be cooked from frozen which reduces waste and saves time.
- Frozen meat and poultry has a hugely extended shelf life.
- Freezing stops the growth of harmful microbes and pathogens which cause food poisoning.
- The majority of frozen meat and poultry is individually quick frozen which means reduced waste because you can use as much or as little as you want – especially true for diced and minced products.
- Frozen meat gives you seasonal quality all year round – for example, during certain periods of the year, frozen New Zealand lamb may be preferred to fresh lamb reared in the UK.
- Frozen game can be purchased all year round, something very difficult to achieve with fresh.
- Frozen pre-prepared meat and poultry products offer more consistent quality every time.
- Using frozen meats gives you complete meal and menu flexibility.
- Some pre-prepared frozen products are better than fresh as freezing and cooking from frozen ensures the integrity of the product – for example, frozen chicken kiev encourages the filling to remain within the product.
Frozen Pizza, Pasta, Potatoes & Ready Meals
Pizza
- Blind tasting invariably shows that consumers prefer frozen pizza over chilled pizza.
- Buy frozen pizza bases and create your own pizzas.
- Frozen pizzas have a longer shelf life and allow for greater flexibility.
- You can keep them in your freezer for months but have a meal ready in minutes!
Pasta?
- Frozen pasta can be put to the boil straight from frozen – no need to defrost!
- Frozen pasta has a much greater shelf life than fresh ensuring minimal waste.
- It can be cooked straight from the freezer for a convenient meal without all the fuss.
- It is portion controlled so you don't cook more than you need.
- It tastes as good as chilled pasta and is better value.
Rice
- Frozen rice is precooked and will save you lots of time!
- Frozen rice involves less handling whereas cooking rice from scratch requires a degree of skill.
- It can be a safer alternative to reheating pre-cooked rice.
- Frozen rice offers consistent quality time after time.
- It reduces the cooking time greatly.
- Is available pre-portioned offering perfect portion and cost control.
Potato Products
- Frozen potato products are generally used straight from the freezer, offering great convenience and no wastage.
- Less likely to fluctuate in price than raw potatoes.
- Don't require peeling, chopping or blanching which means less time in the kitchen!
- Offer year round availability regardless of the season.
- Allow you to use as much or as little as you want thereby reducing waste.
Buffet Food
- Buffet food is very convenient – from the simple to the complicated, our buffet menu ideas offer you and your customers great variety.
- Freezing provides chefs with flexibility – use as much or as little buffet food as you want
- Frozen food offers a huge variety of buffet ideas without wastage
- Pre-prepared frozen buffet foods offer consistent quality – great buffet food straight from your freezer!
- By freezing, you are stopping the growth of harmful microbes and pathogens, which cause food poisoning and spoilage – so, by buying buffet party food you can ensure safe food.
- Freezing is a natural process, which does not require the use of preservatives – ensuring preservative free party buffet for your customers.
Frozen meals and frozen ready meals
- Frozen meals are some of the most innovative and exciting foods.
- The opportunities are almost endless and frozen meals save you time and money whilst retaining all their vitamins because the goodness is locked in!
- Frozen meals and frozen ready meals allow you to offer a wider meal choice.
- Frozen meals offer perfect portion control to help with managing your waste, thereby protecting your finances.
- Frozen meals are labour saving and time saving.
- They offer consistency of quality and presentation.
- As individual frozen pre-packaged meals can normally be cooked straight from freezer, they are convenient and food wastage is minimised
- Frozen meals are a convenient option when catering for large groups as they require very little preparation.