The #1 Underrated Frozen Food You Should Be Buying, According to a Food Writer

For far too long pale foods have been demonized as not as nutritious as their rainbow-hued peers. True, there are countless benefits to consuming fruits and vegetables that rock coats of many colors, and I often follow the lead of Nutrition Editor Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, and snag a bag of frozen berries—plus I stock up on a bell pepper multi-pack, bananas, leafy greens and blueberries. 

However, some white or pale foods have benefits too. Enriched grains actually have about twice as much folic acid as their whole-grain peers, and the fermentation that makes sourdough bread possible is great for gut health. Besides those A-OK-every-so-often grains, the item that I grab on every single supermarket run—which I believe is seriously underrated—happens to be white.

I’m calling it: the most underrated frozen food at the grocery store is frozen cauliflower. 

Frozen Cauliflower Is Budget-Friendly and Convenient

First of all, frozen cauliflower is one of the best budget buys in the entire store. Not only is a 12-ounce, four-serving bag only $1.59 at my local Target, but because it’s prepped and frozen, that also means that I’m creating less food waste. The stems and leaves have already been trimmed away (and hopefully, used in stock or composted!). And the freezer lengthens its life span from a few weeks to many months, although I currently make my way through at least a couple bags per week, so I never need that long.

Ways to Use Frozen Cauliflower

Which brings me to the second thing I adore about frozen cauliflower: it’s remarkably versatile. Since I’ve written about food and wellness for a living for 16 years, it shocks some of my friends that I don’t always carve out time to cook. But since I live alone and like to optimize my workdays so I can socialize, volunteer, catch up on home tasks, cook a leisurely dinner or relax at night, I’m not too proud to admit that I frequently turn to well-balanced frozen meals. (I’m particularly fond of the new frozen bowl line from Kevin’s Natural Foods.) These entrees are always efficient, but they’re rarely as vegetable-rich or as filling as I would like them to be. So the most common use I have for frozen cauliflower is to bulk up these meals. I steam half a bag of cauliflower, toss it with seasonings and then heat up the frozen meal. I pile the main dish over the steamed veggies, which allows the sauce to spill over everything below. In a matter of minutes and with next to no effort, I’ve checked off two more vegetable servings from my daily goal. I also swear by this trick with soup; simply stir in ½ to 1 cup of cauliflower per serving of canned soup, or add it on purpose to something like this 3-ingredient Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup with Chickpea Croutons. Frozen cauliflower rice is also stellar as a base for “grain” bowls or to sneak into smoothies (trust me—you won’t even notice it in this Berry-Banana Cauliflower Smoothie!).

How to Prepare Frozen Cauliflower So It Isn’t Soggy

One of the most common complaints about frozen vegetables is that they can err on the soggy side compared to their fresh counterparts, but it is totally possible to get frozen vegetables to taste just as good as fresh. I find that steaming works just fine for the frozen meal hack, and I don’t notice the difference between fresh and frozen once the cauliflower is seasoned and showered in sauce. Steaming is far from your only option, though. Air-Fryer Cauliflower is awesome. Simply toss unthawed frozen cauliflower with olive oil and seasonings and pop it into the air fryer, then cook at 360°F for 18 to 22 minutes, shaking the pan or basket halfway through. The florets caramelize beautifully as long as you don’t crowd the pieces. Or try roasted-from-frozen cauliflower. Leaving space on the pan and adding the olive oil and seasonings three-quarters of the way through the cooking time will score you the ultimate roasted cauliflower.

Frozen Cauliflower’s Health Benefits

Last and certainly not least, I love frozen cauliflower for its health benefits. Don’t be deceived by its absence of color. Cauliflower is rich in vitamins C and K and other heart-healthy and chronic inflammation-reducing antioxidants. Plus, each cup delivers 2 grams each of plant-based protein and fiber, along with just 28 calories. Research proves that there is no nutritional difference when you compare fresh and frozen vegetables, too. (In fact, frozen can often be more nutritious since the produce is put on ice at peak ripeness, while fresh may lose a little of its micronutrient content the longer it sits.) 

The Bottom Line

Frozen cauliflower is affordable and convenient to keep on hand—it’s easy to prepare and you can use it in a number of dishes. And frozen cauliflower also helps you meet your daily vegetable servings and offers many health benefits. If you don’t currently have a bag of cauliflower in your freezer, I hope you might feel a little more convinced to snag one next time you shop. Balsamic Broccoli and Cauliflower, Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Topping, an extra-large frozen entree and your souped-up soup are all waiting.