March is National Frozen Food Month. In addition to being affordable and convenient, GIANT nutritionists also want you to know it can be very healthy.

“Produce that’s frozen is picked at its peak of freshness,” said nutritionist Shanna Shultz. “So it’s still going to be hold all the vital nutrients we would also get in fresh (food).”

When looking for frozen meals, Shultz says we should try to keep them under 600 mg of sodium. She says you should also pay attention to the protein content. Meals with 10 to 15 grams of protein will keep you feeling fuller longer.

A few of her favorite frozen products include individually portioned frozen fish, fruits for smoothies, salsas or to add to pancakes, frozen pasta and meatballs that are great meals by themselves or added to soups and casseroles, and even frozen avocado to make avocado toast or guacamole.

Shultz says all of these ingredients are great for busy families because you can stock up on them and not worry about using them in a certain time frame.

“You don’t want that good produce or meat to go to waste,” she said. “So this way it’s frozen, if your plans change, dinner can stay the same but on a different day.”

In honor of National Frozen Food Month, GIANT is using frozen produce in their Spotlight classes all month long, sharing tips and recipe inspirations. For more information, click here.