"Fresh" sounds wholesome. It conjures images of food picked that morning, dewy vegetables, fish still glistening from the sea. Marketing knows this - which is why "fresh" appears on so much packaging.
The reality is more complicated. "Fresh" has a surprisingly loose definition, and in many cases, frozen or chilled alternatives are nutritionally equivalent or better.
The Legal Definition (or Lack Thereof)
In the UK, there's no universal legal definition of "fresh" for most foods. The term generally means:
- Not preserved - Not dried, cured, smoked, or pickled
- Not previously frozen - Though this has exceptions
- Relatively recent production - But how recent varies
For meat and fish, "fresh" specifically means never frozen. But produce labelled "fresh" might have been in cold storage for weeks. That apple in January's "fresh produce" section was probably picked in October.
🔑 The Key Point
"Fresh" is largely a marketing term. It implies quality but doesn't guarantee it. Time since harvest or preparation matters more than the label.
Fresh vs Frozen vs Chilled
Fresh
Never frozen, limited preservation. Best when truly recent; quality degrades over time.
Frozen
Frozen at peak ripeness. Nutrients locked in. Long shelf life with minimal degradation.
Chilled
Kept cold but not frozen. Shorter life than frozen but better texture for some foods.
When Frozen Beats Fresh
This might surprise you: frozen vegetables often contain more nutrients than their "fresh" counterparts.
The reason is timing. Fresh produce starts losing nutrients the moment it's harvested. Vitamin C, for example, degrades quickly at room temperature. That "fresh" broccoli in the supermarket might have been picked a week ago, transported across the country, and sat in displays for days.
Frozen vegetables are typically processed within hours of harvest. Flash-freezing locks in nutrients at their peak. Studies have found frozen peas, for instance, retain significantly more vitamin C than fresh peas bought from shops.
❌ Myth Busted
"Fresh is always more nutritious than frozen." Reality: Frozen vegetables often have better nutrient retention because they're processed at peak freshness, while "fresh" produce may have spent days in transit and storage.
When Fresh Actually Matters
Fresh isn't meaningless - it matters for:
- Texture-sensitive foods - Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes don't freeze well
- Immediate consumption - Same-day farmers market produce genuinely is fresher
- Specific dishes - Some recipes require fresh ingredient textures
- Fish for raw consumption - Sashimi-grade requires specific handling
For these cases, true freshness (minimal time since harvest/catch) matters. But for cooking, the fresh/frozen distinction often doesn't affect the final result.
The Ready Meals Question
What about ready meals? "Fresh ready meals" typically means:
- Stored chilled, not frozen
- Shorter shelf life (5-10 days typically)
- Made relatively recently
Chilled ready meals generally have better texture than frozen ones - proteins stay more tender, vegetables stay crisper. But frozen meals aren't inferior nutritionally; they're just different.
The real question isn't fresh vs frozen - it's how the meal was made. A poorly-made "fresh" meal isn't better than a well-made frozen one. Check the ingredients and nutrition, not just the storage method.
💡 Practical Takeaway
Don't pay a premium purely for "fresh" labelling. Focus on actual quality indicators: ingredient lists, nutrition content, sourcing, and how recently the food was made. Fresh, frozen, and chilled all have their place.
What To Actually Look For
Instead of fixating on "fresh," consider:
- Production date - More relevant than fresh/frozen distinction
- Use-by date - Shorter dates often mean less preservation needed
- Ingredient quality - Fresh ingredients poorly prepared beats fresh label on poor ingredients
- Storage conditions - Proper cold chain matters more than fresh label
- Seasonal availability - "Fresh" strawberries in December were probably grown thousands of miles away