Both fresh and frozen fruit are great additions to your diet. But some fruits may benefit more from being fresh instead of frozen and vice versa.

Depending on the fruit, some may retain more nutrients frozen while others are better fresh. Nutrients in fruit are at their peak right after being picked. Because fruit is frozen quickly, it retains nutritional value. 

If your fresh fruit is truly fresh, the nutrient value may be similar. If your fresh fruit was shipped and sat on store shelves for a while, it may contain fewer nutrients.

When you consider all of the variables, the health benefits of fresh and frozen fruit are very similar. Still, there are some differences that make each one beneficial in unique ways.

Frozen fruit. When fruit is frozen, it is picked at the peak of ripeness and flash-frozen soon after to preserve the optimal nutrition benefits. Frozen fruit often lasts several months and may be more economical than buying fresh fruit that goes bad quicker. With frozen fruit, you can take out as many pieces as you need and leave the rest for next time.

Frozen fruit is also beneficial because it is already prepped for you. It usually comes cleaned and presliced for your convenience. This may save you time when making dishes that contain fruit.

Fresh fruit. When you choose fresh fruit, it is often in season and more versatile than frozen fruit. Freezing may impact the texture of your fruit when it thaws, but fresh fruit retains its natural texture better.

One benefit to fresh fruit is that you can usually find it when it’s in season. There are plenty of food guides online to tell you what’s in season and when. By purchasing in-season fruits, you avoid the risk of fruits that rely on fertilizers or additives in order to grow out of season.

Frozen vegetables and fruits are great for so many recipes. For example: 

• use frozen butternut squash cubes for a quick puréed soup
• thaw frozen berries to add to your favourite muffin or loaf recipe
• add frozen peach slices to yogurt for summer flavours during the winter
• sauté frozen vegetables for a stir-fry, or steam and season them for a side dish