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Fresh vs Frozen: Christmas Made Easy (2025)

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Fun
Transcript
00:01Tis the season to be jolly.
00:04But whilst we might be busy spreading festive cheer,
00:08our cash is spread thin.
00:14For some families, Christmas can be a nightmare
00:16because there's just so much to buy.
00:19We Brits spend nearly 500 quid on average per household
00:23on the festive food shop.
00:25That big Christmas shop, it can really rack up.
00:28But as budgets get squeezed, is there a way we can spend less
00:31on our Christmas grub without spoiling the festive fun?
00:35In this programme, we'll help with one huge choice
00:38you'll make this December,
00:40and it's not whether to go for Roses or Quality Street.
00:43Christmas food, everyone trades up,
00:46and you don't impress your neighbours by getting value mince pies.
00:50It's whether to fork out with Team Fresh...
00:53That was delicious.
00:55..or give the wallets some chill-out time
00:57with Team Frozen.
00:59I cannot believe that they said it was that much money.
01:02Which are the primo party picks?
01:04I'm feeling the frozen.
01:06It looks more appetising.
01:08And which desserts are the most delicious?
01:11Do you tend to go for a larger yule log at Christmas, do you think?
01:15More is more.
01:16More is more.
01:17We'll discover whether to go fresh or frozen at Christmas.
01:26In 2025, we celebrated a century since the frozen food movement began.
01:33That's 100 years since Clarence Birdseye, yes, the man behind the fish fingers,
01:39brought frozen food to the masses.
01:42Today, instead of getting a turkey only partially oven-ready,
01:46you can buy a turkey that is completely ready for roasting.
01:49That's the modern, quick-frozen turkey.
01:52Today, every part of our Christmas dinner can come from the freezer aisle.
01:58But can this yuletide frozen revolution take on the traditional fresh?
02:04At Christmas, people are looking for something a little bit special.
02:07The perception of frozen food that it's less fancy than fresh food
02:12and it's maybe less high-quality.
02:14I've mixed views on frozen food.
02:16I think frozen food is fantastic for all sorts of things,
02:19but I would never have a frozen turkey.
02:23And I'm prepared to admit that's because I'm a snob.
02:26We can spend a lot of money on fresh products,
02:30but there are some really good-quality and nutritious frozen alternatives.
02:35In 2024, UK shoppers spent £13 billion on groceries
02:40in the run-up to the big day.
02:42And with 40% of UK consumers now buying more frozen food
02:46in a bid to save cash,
02:48could swapping fresh for frozen be the answer to a less costly crimble?
02:53Or does that mean we have to sacrifice quality?
02:56Over five festive rounds,
02:58we're going to put these two rivals to the test
03:00and find out whether mums really should go to Iceland,
03:04this Christmas.
03:07Round one is all about the big shop.
03:13In this challenge, we're going to find out
03:15whether buying frozen instead of fresh
03:17really does get you more for your season's eatings.
03:21Christmas-loving couple Holly, yes, that is her real name,
03:25and her slightly less festively named husband Richard,
03:28are hitting the supermarket with the same shopping list
03:31to see which haul is cheaper, fresh or frozen.
03:35Good luck.
03:36Good luck.
03:37Yeah, you too.
03:38I'm doing fresh and I'm going to win.
03:40And I'm doing frozen and we'll make you eat those words.
03:43So let's start this adventure here.
03:46Anyone actually likes sprouts, do they?
03:48You have to have them.
03:49The cheapest shop wins the point.
03:53Big shop complete and it's back to the flat.
04:01Right, let's see what we've got.
04:05Okay, so I'm the truth.
04:09First up, the headline act, the turkey.
04:12Okay, the main event, this is a small British turkey crown,
04:17just under two kilos.
04:19It's 20 pounds.
04:21A crown is a whole turkey minus the legs and wings.
04:24You can only get a full, fresh turkey crown in the shop
04:28about a week before Christmas.
04:30Yes.
04:31So, this is what I've done as an equivalent.
04:37Right.
04:38A huge turkey drumstick.
04:40Yes.
04:41And two packets of turkey breast fillets.
04:43Yeah.
04:44We've got a variety of, you know, the kind of quality of meat there
04:47and weight-wise, all of this adds up to pretty much the same as yours.
04:52Okay.
04:53Do you want to know how much this costs?
04:54I'm curious, actually.
04:55It costs £15.15.
04:57But what I should say is that a fresh turkey crown
05:01is going to cost about £30.
05:04Richard's 20 quid frozen crown works out at 1.5 per 100 grams,
05:09whilst Holly's fresh turkey bonanza came in at just 80 pence per 100 grams.
05:15So the point goes to fresh.
05:17Although if Holly had been able to snag a fresh crown,
05:20frozen would have prevailed.
05:23Next up, a Yuletide veg dish in the form of tangy red cabbage
05:27made with apple, red currant sauce and cinnamon.
05:30Just in case you don't fancy grabbing a whole cabbage
05:32and prepping it yourself.
05:34Red cabbage, spiced red cabbage, 225, 400 grams.
05:39OK.
05:40Red cabbage, 225, 300 grams.
05:45And yours looks tasty.
05:47Yeah, and cheaper.
05:48Nice and easy.
05:50At the same price for 100 grams more cabbage, frozen evens the score.
05:55Next up, the iconic pigs in blankets.
05:59Us Brits are predicted to scoff 668 million of these little piggies over the Christmas period.
06:05That's 11.2 per person.
06:08So, we have ten pigs in blankets.
06:12These are my favourite bits, you've got to get this right.
06:14They cost 350.
06:15But I do think that you need twice as many as you've got there.
06:19Well, I have got 20.
06:20They cost me 450.
06:22At only one pound more for twice as many, that's a bacon-wrapped win for Team Frozen bringing
06:28them into the lead.
06:33Next up to the plate, old reliable, the roast potato.
06:37If scrubbing, peeling and roasting isn't for you, these can be bought ready-made.
06:43First up, fresh.
06:45So, we've got 400 grams.
06:47Mm-hmm.
06:48And it costs £2.20.
06:50Don't get me wrong, it's not going to serve that many.
06:53So, I have here a pack of glorious duck fat roast potatoes.
06:58Unlike you, I've got 700 grams, so I've actually got enough for everyone that's coming for dinner.
07:02It costs 450, which is more than yours, but if you'd bought enough roast potatoes...
07:08No, hang on, mine, 400 grams, double that 800 grams.
07:11So, double that is more.
07:13Double the price of that, you still not hit that price.
07:15Mine's cheaper.
07:16I think we'll call that a draw.
07:18We'll be the judge of that.
07:20Richard's frozen roasties come in at £6.43 a kilo, whereas Holly's come in at only £5.50 a kilo, almost a pound less.
07:29Sorry, Richard, that's a point for fresh.
07:32It's all to play for in the final round.
07:36The decider will be a classic dessert for those of us who aren't keen on Christmas pudding.
07:43So, I've gone for a classic New York vanilla cheesecake to finish off the meal.
07:47Yep.
07:48And it was £4.70.
07:50Wow.
07:51I cannot believe that that was that much money.
07:54I have spotted what appears to be the exact same thing, just colder.
07:58But, remarkably, mine cost £1.85.
08:01No!
08:02So...
08:03That's the biggest win, yeah!
08:05I think with that, I might have taken it.
08:07You certainly have, Richard.
08:09Beating fresh in three out of the five products, Team Frozen has won our first challenge.
08:16So, what do our savvy shoppers make of their seasonal shop?
08:19Yeah, so, I mean, obviously they both have their pros and cons.
08:23Yeah, I feel like, really, at the end of the day, if you've got the time, the best thing to do is really get some things frozen and some things fresh.
08:31At a time of year when every penny counts, Team Frozen have shown that a chilly Christmas might be the way forward.
08:39I think it's really easy for spending to get out of control at Christmas.
08:42You know, like, the cost of everything has kind of crept up.
08:45Anything that you can do to make it a little bit more cost effective, I think, is a good thing.
08:52Before tackling the dinner on the big day, there's the Christmas party to get through first.
08:58And that means party food, and the Frozen Isle could be your secret weapon.
09:03To make sure your shindig is the talk of the town, we've put together a list of this year's most trendy, frozen seasonal treats.
09:11In at number three, deep-fried cheese, but make it fancy, with these mature cheddar and confit onion bites from Waitrose.
09:21Next, this little piggy went to Lidl for this pork and cranberry wreath.
09:26But best in buffet show?
09:282025's viral food sensation hits the freezer aisle with this Dubai-style pistachio iced cream dessert from Tesco.
09:37The wonderful thing about frozen party food is there is an incredible range, and you can get everything.
09:41You can put a lot of pressure on yourself to kind of cook lots of canapés and things,
09:45but actually having some party food ready to go in the freezer or having some pre-prepared stuff just makes life easier.
09:53But do these icy delights stack up against their fresh competitors?
09:58Round two pits frozen party food against fresh.
10:02It's simple.
10:03Cleanest plate wins.
10:04I absolutely love Christmas.
10:09What can I buy to put under the trees?
10:16In West London, we've hijacked a Christmas party.
10:19Digital marketer Christina is ho-ho hosting for her family and friends.
10:24I'm always in a rush when it comes to hosting, so convenience is great, but taste also means a massive deal to me.
10:31They've got the bags with the snowflakes and sleigh, the presents wrapped in the fanciest ways.
10:39But will her guests prefer her fresh party offerings or the frozen ones?
10:44My family are huge foodies, so I need to make sure that the food is tasting amazing.
10:49And sometimes with frozen food, I don't know if it's going to taste just as good.
10:54Fresh has definitely taken a little bit longer, making sure that it's all chopped, prepped, washed.
11:01It's something you don't have to worry about with frozen food, which is great.
11:04Fighting for Team Fresh, on the black plate, we've got yummy classics like veg crudités, sausage rolls and cheeses.
11:13While on the white plates, Team Frozen have treats like camembert bites, Christmas tree garlic bread and bao buns.
11:20Looks quite the spread, if you ask me.
11:22If I taste my best, at the moment, I'm feeling the frozen.
11:26Just on look alone, because it looks a bit more scrumptious, it looks more appetising.
11:31Well, let's see what your guests think, Christina.
11:34And there goes the doorbell.
11:37Hi!
11:38We've got a spread, and I'm interested to get your opinion.
11:42With the drinks flowing and hungry guests tucking in, Christina's party is in full swing.
11:52But what do they make of the food?
11:54Straight away, I wait for the favourite, the macaroons.
11:57Love the macaroons.
11:59So, I am teamwork at the moment, yeah.
12:02The only woody disappointment for me was probably the sausage rolls, because they did taste frozen, so I suspect they might be frozen.
12:11Fooled you?
12:12Those sausage rolls were on the black plate, so are actually fresh.
12:16I think I prefer the white plate over the black plate, to be answered, yeah.
12:21A lot of taste, a lot of variation, a lot of variety.
12:24If I was to host a party, I would definitely go for fresh fries.
12:27I think it's, um...
12:29Well, I think it hits the palate bell.
12:31Yeah, I'm gonna hit the chicken up and stuff.
12:33Which plates just have crumbs left?
12:36So, please tell me, by a vote of hands up, whether you prefer the black plates?
12:43That's fresh.
12:45Ooh.
12:46And who prefer the white plates?
12:49That's frozen.
12:50Ooh.
12:51It's a close call, but looks like one side just edges it.
12:56I think the white plates win.
12:58Well, that is a surprise.
12:59It's not only the cheaper option, but the frozen aisle may bring the crowd pleasers too.
13:04Merry Christmas, everyone!
13:08With Christina kicking off party season, that stuffs a second point in the frozen stocking.
13:16Coming up...
13:17We learn to talk turkey.
13:19Hi, guys!
13:20You see?
13:21And we have our very own roast battle.
13:24That was delicious.
13:34The world was introduced to the joys of home freezing when General Electric popped an icebox on top of a fridge in 1927.
13:46And we've never looked back.
13:48By the 1940s, freezers were appearing in kitchens around the world, soon to be saving people time and money.
13:55Oh!
13:56Careful!
13:57You'll catch a chill.
13:58So far in the battle between fresh and frozen, frozen has taken an early lead, winning on the big shop and party favourites.
14:06And with cooking Christmas lunch a stressful ordeal for almost half of Brits, could the freezer be the answer?
14:13Luckily, we have a frosty friend to find out.
14:16Kate Hall is a frozen food expert who wants us all to get more out of our freezers.
14:22It's so helpful at Christmas.
14:24Our freezers are our best friends because we're spending so much money, there can be so much waste.
14:29But if you can commandeer a little bit of space in your freezer, then it is possible to prep pretty much everything in advance.
14:38Our freezer should be set to minus 18 degrees Celsius and run most efficiently when they're 75% full.
14:46Kate's managed to pack a complete Christmas feast into the veggie draw, starting with a classic.
14:52Roast potatoes, which is a personal favour of mine.
14:57Frozen rose potatoes? Is nothing sacred?
15:01All you do is prep them as if you were prepping your potatoes to go in the oven.
15:07But instead, lay them out on a tray, cover them with a tea towel and then freeze them after.
15:12And then when you want to cook them on Christmas Day, you just whack them straight into a hot oven.
15:17They go really crispy.
15:20It's not just the tatties Kate's got sorted. She's covered every base.
15:25Things like gravy.
15:27Who would have thought you could file gravy?
15:31Some cranberry sauce.
15:33Because it's frozen flat, it's not taking up very much space in the freezer drawer.
15:37Sprouts.
15:38And then pigs in blankets, of course.
15:41Is there anything you don't have?
15:43I have even got a joint of turkey in here.
15:47Wow. Seems not.
15:49You should cook it from frozen and it takes about two hours, so it's not going to take the entire day.
15:54It might take a bit of organisation, but Kate wouldn't do Christmas lunch any other way.
16:00The joy, I think, of doing it in advance is that you can prep a little bit at a time.
16:05So whether it's prepping a couple of potatoes, you know, if you've got a bag left over from a Sunday roast.
16:11Honestly, having this takes a layer of stress out of the day.
16:16It means that I can be spending the day doing what I actually want to do, which is spending time with my family.
16:27Turkey may be the star of the show at Christmas lunch today, but that's not always been the case.
16:33We used to enjoy a range of festive meats, including wild boar.
16:39But since Henry VIII's reign, turkey has been on the royal table after being brought over from America.
16:46But despite Charles Dickens giving it a boost in A Christmas Carol, the turkey wasn't available to all of us until the 1930s,
16:54when industrial farming made them cheap enough for the masses.
16:58When we survey people about the turkeys they bought,
17:01we found that, generally speaking, the kind of independent farms butchers tended to come highest rated overall above the supermarkets.
17:11One man who doesn't get into a flap about Christmas is farmer Paul Kelly.
17:17I genuinely do love my turkey farming.
17:20I've been plucking turkeys since I was eight years old, believe it or not.
17:24Paul's family have been breeding champion turkeys wild in the woodlands for over 50 years.
17:33We're doing it to get the very best at Christmas for a great tasting product.
17:37We're not about trying to make it cheaper, we're actually about making it better.
17:41It really upsets me as a turkey farmer when people say turkey's dry, I don't like it. You know, it's not.
17:47The biggest single impact on flavour is maturity. The older the bird, the better the flavour.
17:52Age before beauty, I see.
17:54You've got to take that bird, hatch it in late spring, through summer, autumn, into winter, so it's laid all its fat down.
18:02If you get a great turkey grown to maturity and then cooked to perfection, it's sublime.
18:07And that quality comes at a price, with their largest fresh turkey costing over £200.
18:14But Paul's turkeys don't just taste fab, they're smart too.
18:18Farming turkeys is great. You can actually herd them and they'll come up to you.
18:22They're inquisitive. Of course you learn to talk turkey as well.
18:24Boo!
18:25You can see.
18:27Hi guys!
18:28You see? They'll respond to that.
18:30Only male turkeys gobble.
18:32But when you do a gobble, the females will respond.
18:35Boo!
18:36Pretty good, huh?
18:40So how does Paul feel about the idea of frozen turkey?
18:44I think freezing is a great way of preserving food.
18:47The quality that goes into the freezer is the quality that comes out.
18:52As long as that quality going in is perfect and fantastic, you'll get a great eating experience.
18:59Farm fresh turkeys may be top, but the majority of Brits look to supermarkets to buy their birds.
19:05And many of us opt for frozen, something for which we can thank our friends across the pond.
19:10In 1954, the first Paterton hauled Butterball frozen turkey went on sale in Chicago.
19:18By the 1970s, UK producers had cottoned on to a gap in the market and brought out frozen lines over here.
19:25Today, you can pick up a frozen turkey large enough to feed eight people for about £19.
19:31The same size fresh could be over double the price.
19:34I want to really splash out and I want to go to my fancy overpriced butcher and pay through the nose for a lovely looking turkey with some herbs all around the outside coming in its own nice box.
19:49Sorry.
19:50I often think when you buy a fresh turkey, there's like pressure because it's so much more expensive to sort of cook it perfectly.
19:56So with a frozen one, you know, the pressure's off a bit.
19:59The turkey on Christmas Day is one of the most stressful parts.
20:02And the last thing anyone wants is a turkey they cut into on Christmas Day that's still frozen in the middle.
20:08So we all know frozen is the cheaper option, but just how much quality are we really paying for when we buy fresh?
20:17For Christmas lunch, is it the frozen or the fresh turkey that makes you gobble gobble?
20:24Joy Phillips is a professional chef who can teach you more than Aunt Bessie herself.
20:29I think turkey's really important, Chris. It's like the main event.
20:34So you have your great big roasted beautiful turkey with all the trimmings and your family all gathered around for your Christmas dinner.
20:43We're testing a top butcher's turkey costing around £20 a kilo and seeing if a supermarket frozen bird costing just £5 a kilo can compete.
20:53And who better than Joy to put frozen and fresh turkeys to the test and decide which is better for your dinner table?
20:59The frozen one, you have to defrost it.
21:03According to the Food Standards Agency, there are 2.4 million cases of food poisoning each year, so thawing your turkey properly is a must.
21:12The advice is to give 10 to 12 hours per kilogram to defrost and always in the fridge.
21:19The fresh would be more convenient because then it's ready to prep.
21:23That's a big plus for fresh.
21:26I'm going to show you how you're going to prepare the perfect turkey for Christmas.
21:30Eat your heart out, Delia.
21:32We're going to put some onion in. This is just for flavour.
21:35And you don't actually have to peel them.
21:38Then we're going to put the butter inside, underneath the skin.
21:43Better look away if you're squeamish.
21:45And then finally, we want to put the rashes of bacon and just put them all over the bird.
21:57Don't forget to preheat your oven.
21:59I think some people get stressed on Christmas morning for cooking the turkey because it's so large.
22:05Once you calculate the weight of the bird and then put your timer on, it's actually quite easy because it's really cooking itself.
22:12Fast forward two hours and the birds are done.
22:18So, what's the verdict?
22:21The frozen turkey has shrunk a little.
22:24And the fresh one does look a little bit more appealing and succulent.
22:29All meat releases water when it's cooked, causing a bit of shrinkage.
22:33But ice crystals that form during the freezing process disrupt the meat's structure, making it easier for water to escape.
22:41So, frozen meat is likely to shrink more and be a bit less juicy.
22:46So, it's fresh, that would win a beauty contest.
22:49But what about the all-important taste test?
22:52So, this is the frozen one.
22:55The brown meat is lovely.
22:58It's kind of tender, succulent, obviously not too dry.
23:02And this is the breast.
23:06It's a bit dry.
23:08I think you'd have gravy with it.
23:11It feels just average.
23:13Will fresh fare any better?
23:17I feel the fresh turkey breast meat is tastier.
23:21I'll try the brown meat.
23:23Mmm.
23:24That is also very succulent and very tasty.
23:32So, I think the fresh turkey is a clear win.
23:35That was delicious.
23:36I think the frozen turkey is still a really good option, because once it's cooked and you've got all the trimmings and the gravy, I think it'll be absolutely fine.
23:45There you have it. Joy has spoken.
23:48Fresh one on convenience, presentation, and most importantly, taste.
23:53So, for Christmas lunch, the fresh turkey does take the crown.
23:58Maybe it's worth splashing the cash for.
24:03Coming up, it's trimmings time.
24:06From the perfect parsnip...
24:07Personally, I can't imagine Christmas dinner without a parsnip.
24:10...to the crunchiest carrot.
24:12I don't want to bend the carrot.
24:22The turkey may be the centerpiece, but on December the 25th, we're all just as obsessed with the trimmings.
24:28The average Brit spends almost three hours prepping, peeling, and parboiling on Christmas Day to create the perfect sides.
24:36The more trimmings, the better, I think.
24:38Pigs and blankets are essential.
24:39All the sauces, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, all the extras.
24:42Brussels sprouts, non-negotiable, even though no-one actually really actively likes Brussels sprouts.
24:46But it's like, you know, no Brussels sprouts.
24:49I've shot Santa, basically.
24:51At least ten different vegetables might end up on our Christmas dinner plates,
24:55with the humble yet delicious roast potato being the nation's favorite.
25:00But just how do all those yummy veggies arrive at the dinner table?
25:07We're checking out how our fourth favorite, the parsnip, makes it from farm to fork.
25:13We're around about 650 acres.
25:16That equates to probably 11,000, 12,000 tons of parsnips.
25:20That's a lot of parsnips, and they take quite a bit of looking after.
25:25It is a whole year-round operation.
25:28We need to look after the weed control, size of the parsnips, the watering of the parsnip,
25:34and eventually get through to the harvesting, ready for Christmas.
25:3720% of this farm's turnover happens in the fortnight before Christmas.
25:50And once they're picked, the race is on to get them processed.
25:53If you hang onto a parsnip, it won't look fresh.
25:56Jason aims to get his parsnips out of the ground and onto the shelves,
26:02all within 48 hours.
26:04And the man who makes that magic happen is professional parsnip packer,
26:09Darren McCladdish.
26:11We will harvest the parsnips at about 6 o'clock in the morning.
26:15They will arrive at the factory at 7 o'clock.
26:17The process itself takes around 45 minutes.
26:21Time is the essence.
26:23Our job here is to do everything we possibly can
26:26to contain the flavor and all the nutrients.
26:29It's quite the journey, cleaning, trimming and soaking the parsnips.
26:35And it's worth it.
26:36Parsnips are high in fiber,
26:38with just one of them giving 25% of your daily fiber needs.
26:42That should help on Boxing Day.
26:44The final stage is a cold dunk to lock in the nutrients.
26:48And it's mad over Christmas.
26:51We'll at Boxing Day do 15,500 tons of parsnips a year,
27:02but we will do around 3,500 just in the December month.
27:06So the demand goes through the roof, as we all know.
27:09We like a parsnip on our plates.
27:11Thank goodness everyone working here loves parsnips.
27:14I can't slam parsnips.
27:17Oh.
27:18Well, don't let Farmer Jason hear you say that.
27:21He's a parsnip mega-fan.
27:23Especially at this time of year.
27:25I think a parsnip tastes better in December myself.
27:28You're not wrong.
27:29The cold weather breaks down the parsnip's starches,
27:32converting them into sugar, which actually makes them sweeter.
27:35Personally, I can't imagine Christmas dinner without a parsnip.
27:39There may be meat on the plate,
27:44but it's all the trimmings that have us going up a belt notch.
27:48In fact, if you lined up all the sprouts the UK buys at Christmas,
27:53they would stretch from London to Sydney.
27:56A mince pie for whoever tested that one.
27:58We're all told eating seasonally is the way to go.
28:01Food grown on our doorstep is more sustainable
28:04and better for the planet than food that's flown in.
28:07But is it healthier for us too?
28:12This round is all about the nutrient value in our trimmings.
28:16We're going to look at the vitamin C levels in everyone's favourite,
28:20the Brussels sprout.
28:22But can frozen compete with fresh, local produce?
28:26To decide the challenge winner, we've called in a scientist.
28:29Dr. Sohail Mushtaq is a nutritional biochemist
28:33who knows a thing or two about the veg on your plate.
28:36As soon as you harvest the fruit or vegetables,
28:39the vitamin content starts to diminish immediately.
28:44The longer the fruit and vegetables are out,
28:46the more vitamins that you lose over a period of time.
28:50And the more vitamins in our food, the better.
28:53Our Christmas veggies are particularly high in vitamins A, C and K,
28:59which help our vision and give our immune systems a boost.
29:02The benefit of freezing fruit and vegetables
29:07is that it actually locks in the nutrient content.
29:10For instance, in the summer,
29:15Sahil's team found that frozen sprouts
29:17had over seven times more vitamin C than the fresh.
29:20But being a winter veg,
29:22a summer sprout would have clocked a lot of transit time,
29:25losing its nutrients.
29:27So, that's a point to frozen.
29:29Hang on, Sahil's not finished.
29:31Seasonality plays an important role
29:35in the nutrient content of fruit and vegetables.
29:38So, what about when the veg is in season,
29:41like sprouts at Christmas?
29:43If it's picked fresh
29:45and it gets to the supermarket quickly,
29:47when it's in season,
29:48you'll lose less of the vitamins.
29:50But if it's imported,
29:51then due to the transit,
29:52you'll lose quite a significant amount of vitamin content
29:56over that period of time.
29:57A study found freshly harvested sprouts
30:01contained up to double the amount of vitamin C
30:03than the frozen alternative.
30:08Luckily, our Christmas dinner plate
30:10is full of in-season veg.
30:12In the UK, brussel sprouts, red cabbage, parsnips
30:16and even cranberries are perfect to harvest for Christmas time,
30:20meaning the veg will be at its nutritional peak,
30:23whereas frozen veg is often picked and packed
30:25a few months earlier.
30:26So, it's a win-win when you purchase fruit and vegetables
30:31that are in season
30:32because there's the sustainability aspect,
30:35which is better for the planet,
30:36but also there's that nutritional content as well,
30:39which is better than importing fruit and vegetables,
30:43which will have a diminished nutritional content as well.
30:46Frozen veg clearly gives a good nutritional hit.
30:50But for Christmas,
30:51the seasonality of our trimmings
30:53may mean fresh really is best.
30:55If you've managed to get your food home nice and fresh,
31:05you want to keep it that way.
31:07In the UK, we throw away 9.5 million tonnes of food each year,
31:12enough to fill Wembley Stadium nine times over.
31:16Food policy content creator Gavin Wren is on a mission to change that.
31:21Today, he's testing out the best way to store produce to save it from the compost heap.
31:26Not that Rudolph would ever let these beauties go in the bin.
31:29Today's experiment, we're looking at carrots, because this is something that's really easy to go off in the bottom of your fridge.
31:39If you buy your carrots in advance of Christmas Day,
31:41you need to make sure they're still fresh and crispy on the day when you want to cook them.
31:45Gavin's trialing three storage methods.
31:49We've got open to the air, then we've got in an airtight container.
31:53I've also put a slip of kitchen towel in the back to absorb any moisture.
31:57And then we've got a third method, which is completely submerged in water.
32:01No, Gavin's not just giving his carrots a nice bath.
32:05One of the reasons food goes off is because it's exposed to the air.
32:09Oxygen helps mould grow.
32:11Putting them in water stops the air getting to them
32:14and should help them stay fresher for longer.
32:18So, after ten days in the fridge, what's the verdict?
32:22So, first up, we've got carrots that have just been exposed to the air.
32:26Let's have a look and see how they're doing.
32:29Okay.
32:30Now, they've gone bendy to start with, which isn't good.
32:36No-one wants a bendy carrot.
32:37Well, actually, I went to school with someone who did, but that's another story.
32:41They've gone really pale, they've got very dry skin,
32:44and it's a nightmare to peel.
32:46Let's see the snap.
32:53It snapped, but it had a big bend as well.
32:55I don't want a bendy carrot.
32:57No-one does, Gavin.
32:58Well, except that mate of mine from 4B, but...
33:01Next up, the sealed carrots.
33:03This is simulating putting them in any form of airtight container.
33:06That could be a bag, a Tupperware container, a glass jar.
33:09And I've also added some kitchen roll into this,
33:12which soaks up any excess moisture that comes out of the carrots,
33:15which should slow down the growth of any mould or bacteria.
33:18Okay.
33:19So, straight away, they look so much better.
33:22They don't look grey and dry.
33:24They look like a carrot you just buy in the supermarket.
33:26And although there's a bit of moisture on the end,
33:28and it's not gone mouldy, that's still firm.
33:30What about the all-important snap?
33:33Okay, here we go.
33:35Mmm, that was a strong snap.
33:37That's a solid carrot.
33:39I'd definitely rate that a lot more highly than the first ones.
33:43And finally, the ones kept in water.
33:46They look fantastic.
33:48They've got the strongest colour still.
33:50Oh, my God, look at that!
33:52That is so solid.
33:53That is the freshest one so far, easily.
33:56That's been in there ten days already,
33:58and that feels as fresh as the day I bought it.
34:01Right.
34:05That was a sharp snap.
34:07It's official.
34:09Carrots submerged in water last longest.
34:12Just remember to cut off the tops first,
34:14or they might start growing.
34:15If the water goes cloudy, give it a change,
34:17and don't, under any circumstances, drink it.
34:24Coming up.
34:25We make Christmas last all year round.
34:28We can actually have, you know,
34:30really nice roast dinners in the run-up to Easter.
34:33And some Christmas experts decide on the best desserts.
34:36Fresh or frozen.
34:40I mean, this is what Christmas is all about.
34:42Chocolate.
34:43Yeah, chocolate.
34:44Ha, ha, ha, ha.
34:53As a nation, we have a tendency to get carried away
34:56and indulge a little bit more of what we fancy
34:58during the festive season.
35:00We buy too much, and that means leftovers.
35:04On average, we throw away 270,000 tonnes of food
35:09as a result of everything we buy at Christmas.
35:13As many as 4.2 million Christmas dinners are wasted each year,
35:18with 263,000 turkeys, 17.2 million Brussels sprouts,
35:23and 740,000 portions of Christmas pudding off to landfill.
35:27But freezer pro-extraordinaire, Kate Hall,
35:33believes it doesn't have to be that way.
35:35There are so many things that if they're at risk of going in the bin,
35:38it's worth stopping and thinking to yourself,
35:40actually, could I freeze this?
35:42If you've got a cheese board and you've got lots left over,
35:45you can freeze them.
35:47Frozen cheese!
35:48Kate, we talked about this.
35:50The best thing to do is grate it before you freeze it,
35:53and this means that you can use it straight from the freezer
35:55in whatever you're cooking.
35:57So if you're making a lasagna or something like that,
35:59or any sauces, this is really handy to have.
36:04Well, that's dinner sorted. What's next?
36:08One thing that really surprises people
36:11is that they should actually keep nuts in the freezer.
36:14Freeze your nuts! Step too far, Kate.
36:17Because they are quite high in oil content,
36:20the oil can go rancid in the warmth of your kitchen.
36:23It doesn't matter if it's cashew nuts, Brazil nuts,
36:26your almonds, your peanuts,
36:28all of them should be kept in the freezer
36:30to keep them fresher for longer.
36:32You can pretty much eat them straight from frozen.
36:34They're just very cold.
36:36And probably hard, so mind your teeth.
36:39Loads of us have turkey left over.
36:43A really important thing to do is slice it up
36:45or put it into small pieces before we freeze it.
36:48Raw turkey can be kept in the freezer for up to a year,
36:51but once it's cooked, it must be frozen within three days
36:54and should last three months in there.
36:56Kate's got some hard and fast rules
36:58for using your frozen turkey too.
37:00If you do choose to use it in a cooked dish,
37:03if you want to make a turkey curry,
37:05you need to make sure that it is cooked
37:07until it's piping hot throughout.
37:09We can only thaw it and reheat it once.
37:12A lot of people might cook up a big turkey curry
37:15and then they'll freeze the leftovers.
37:17Multiple cycles of thawing, reheating and refreezing are a no-no.
37:22When we reheat food to between 5 and 60 degrees Celsius,
37:26we create the perfect environment
37:28for bacteria like E. coli and salmonella to thrive.
37:32So this is why portioning it up before you freeze it is so important
37:36because we don't want to have any waste from our leftovers.
37:39Just like with meat, vegetables should only be reheated once.
37:43So Kate's come up with a cunning hack to freeze veggies for soup
37:46without taking up vital freezer real estate.
37:49So we've got our roast spuds, we've got our parsnips.
37:52Any veg that you've chucked in will absolutely do for this.
37:58Step one, blend them up.
38:05What I've got here is basically
38:07just a concentrated vegetable soup.
38:09So this is just our roasted veggies.
38:12They've not been heated up.
38:13We've just added a little bit of cold water
38:15to get this consistency
38:17so that we can spoon them into an ice cube tray.
38:21One portion of soup is 160 grams of puree
38:24or eight cubes mixed with 250 millilitres of stock.
38:28Simple.
38:30So with a little bit of organisation,
38:32you can make Christmas last until spring.
38:34Instead of having to feel like we have to consume everything
38:39before January hits,
38:40we can actually have, you know,
38:42really nice roast dinners in February or in March,
38:45in the run-up to Easter.
38:47Like, we're not pressured to eat everything all at once.
38:51In the Christmas clash between fresh and frozen,
38:59both sides have put up a good festive fight.
39:03Frozen food may have come out cheaper.
39:05Mine cost £1.85.
39:07No!
39:08So that's...
39:09That's the biggest winner.
39:10But a fresh turkey was hard to beat on taste.
39:14That was delicious.
39:16Meaning we're tied on two-all going into the final round,
39:20which is all about puds.
39:23Christmas desserts have become massive business
39:25because basically people don't like Christmas pudding.
39:28I love dessert,
39:29so I think dessert is still as important as the main course.
39:32Increasingly, Christmas desserts
39:33are coming in all sorts of funky shape.
39:35They're looking like an alpine village or a wreath
39:37or a bomb that you tap in the middle and it explodes.
39:40So those things work really, really well in the freezer.
39:45Speaking of which, in our final challenge,
39:47we're going to pound the puddings.
39:57Singing for their sweets,
39:58South London's Real Voices Choir, led by conductor Diggory.
40:03Because Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a bit of carol singing.
40:08There's a real sense of nostalgia to singing Christmas carols together
40:11and there's nothing like a sugary Christmas treat
40:14to really give you some energy to get through some singing.
40:23Christmas puds can last up to two years after they're made,
40:26therefore you won't find many frozen ones.
40:28So Diggory, along with two of his best singers,
40:31will sample alternative fresh and frozen desserts.
40:34Oh, lady!
40:35The deciding point will go to the tastiest.
40:38Right, shall we tuck in, guys?
40:42First, a delicate French number, the profiterole.
40:46And a box of these frozen pastry parcels
40:48will set you back £2.15 from Tesco.
40:52Pastry's a bit... a bit kind of...
40:54It's a bit like those croissants you get in a plastic bag.
40:57Yes!
40:58Not an immediate crowd-pleaser.
41:01How will the fresh at £2.75 from Aldi compare?
41:04Mmm.
41:06This one is a lot more chocolatey.
41:08The more chocolate, the better, really.
41:11I'm gonna...
41:12For me, it's definitely the fresh one,
41:14because it's...
41:15Those were a bit apologetic and underwhelming and bland.
41:19I think this is the winner.
41:22Yeah.
41:23For me.
41:24What about you?
41:25I can't disagree.
41:26Blashings of chocolate and a lot more flavour.
41:29We're going fresh.
41:30OK.
41:31Fresh snags the first point.
41:34Next, the one, the only, men's pie.
41:38Dating back to the 13th century,
41:40these potent pastries started life packed with meat.
41:43In Victorian times, they became a more fruity affair,
41:46and the pie we know and love today made its way to our plate.
41:53But in the battle of fresh v. frozen, which pie will peak?
41:58First up, a mince pie on ice from the frozen specialist cook,
42:03which will set you back £4.50 for six.
42:07Very sugary.
42:08Are you getting a salty taste?
42:10A little bit.
42:11A little bit.
42:12Next, fresh.
42:14At 50 pence less than their frozen counterpart,
42:16it's a Marks & Spencers offering.
42:19That sounds good to my mum's.
42:21Mmm.
42:23Contractingly obliged to say that.
42:24If I had to choose, I really like the fresh one.
42:27I'm going to go with the frozen this time.
42:30Mmm.
42:31OK.
42:32Controversial.
42:33I am going to come down on the frozen side this time.
42:35It's neck and neck as we go into the final round.
42:39Last put up to the Christmas plate,
42:42it's the standard replacement sweet treat
42:44for those who shun the Christmas put.
42:47The Yule log.
42:51Do you tend to go for a larger Yule log at Christmas,
42:53do you think?
42:54More is more.
42:55First, another frozen Christmas classic
42:57from the home of chilli treats,
42:59Cook.
43:01This log is a weighty one
43:02at £20 for a kilogram of chocolatey fun.
43:05Do you think it's quite nice and chocolatey?
43:07I mean, this is what Christmas is all about.
43:09Chocolate.
43:10Yeah, chocolate.
43:11Finally, the fresh Yule log from Waitrose, which at eight quid for 489 grams, works out at £1.64 per 100 grams, so a smidge cheaper than its frozen brother.
43:25It tastes more sort of plasticky to me.
43:28Dry.
43:29Dry.
43:30Yeah, more chemical.
43:31Overly sweet.
43:32So, what's the final verdict?
43:35On the Yule log, Catherine, which one are you going with?
43:38The frozen one was better.
43:39Well, I actually have to agree that the frozen one is the winner one.
43:43I thought the fresh one was a little bit synthetic, a little bit dry.
43:46I'm going to make it frozen on the Yule log.
43:50Well, pull my cracker.
43:51Looks like we have our champion.
43:54Ha ha!
43:58Come on, mate.
43:59My turkey's getting cold.
44:02Oh!
44:03Frozen's one.
44:04That is a surprise.
44:05That is a surprise.
44:06I thought everyone at Christmas would just enjoy the extra quality you get with fresh.
44:13But I'm pleased that frozen's had its day in the sun.
44:17Or snow.
44:19Well, I think because there is this perception that frozen is kind of not quite as good as fresh.
44:24So, you know, it's nice to see that actually that doesn't play out when people put it to the test.
44:29In this seasonal showdown of fresh versus frozen foods, Team Frozen has stolen the turkey crown.
44:36I think people ought to go and have a look, see what's available.
44:38I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised.
44:40Don't be afraid of a frosty reception.
44:43You can have a cooler Christmas by going frozen.
44:46Having a balance and a mixture of both is probably a good idea.
44:50It will allow you to, you know, get more value for money without scrimping on the kind of taste.
44:56I don't know about you, but I'm stuffed.
44:59All right.
45:00Maybe just one more mince pie.
45:01I appreciate it.
45:02Look, we'llぞ.
45:03Have a good day!
45:04We are all here.
45:05Hang on time to grands.
45:06We'll stop by.
45:08I know anything on our good.
45:09Thank you for the peace.
45:10没有 room number eight.
45:11Yeah, the reward.
45:12Put your資金 in the game up here.
45:13We play on your job.
45:14and when you get out of here.
45:15Wait a minute.
45:17No, wait a minute.
45:20My bad idea.
45:22Wait me.
45:23Let'sين let them call me off again.
45:26Let them play on Tuesday
45:27with two more moments,
45:29Weirds,
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