Healthy Eating 101 Budget Cooking Guide Thrifty I'm a Dietitian & These Are My Favorite Recipes Using Frozen Vegetables By Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on February 6, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Brie Passano As a registered dietitian, I love food and cooking (and the positive impact it can have on your health). That said, I am on a budget, so I take extra care to make sure my dollar goes as far as possible. One way I save money while still meeting my nutritional needs is by choosing frozen vegetables over fresh when I can. Some of my favorite frozen foods like spinach, peas and peppers are a fraction of the price that they would be fresh, and they're picked at peak ripeness and flash frozen so they are just as nutritious. Not to mention, it helps me cut down on food waste since they last so much longer. These recipes prove that a healthy meal doesn't have to be expensive, and frozen veg can taste just as delicious as fresh. Dishes like Zucchini & Corn Enchiladas and Miso Vegetable Soup are budget-friendly meals I rely on when I want something healthy and flavorful in a pinch. Enjoy these recipes and check out Thrifty for more budget-friendly meal ideas and healthy eating tips. 01 of 12 Spinach & Feta Quiche View Recipe Brie Passano This quiche skips the crust and delivers spinach, dill and feta cheese in every bite. Enjoy this easy quiche for brunch or make it for dinner and serve with a green salad on the side. 02 of 12 Zucchini & Corn Enchiladas View Recipe Skip rolling and just layer these quick and easy enchiladas. This recipe uses a quick blender sauce, but if you're short on time, pick up a can of your favorite red enchilada sauce in the international aisle of your grocery store--you'll need about 3 cups. 03 of 12 Skillet Pork Chops with Peas, Carrots & Pearl Onions View Recipe This superfast one-dish dinner is full of classic flavor and is such a crowd pleaser that you'll want to work it into your regular weeknight dinner rotation. We call for bone-in pork chops to maximize flavor, but boneless pork chops are a fine substitution. To round out this meal a little more, serve with rice or mashed potatoes. 04 of 12 Miso Vegetable Soup View Recipe Tofu, rice and plenty of vegetables transform miso soup from a light accompaniment into a dish that's substantial enough to leave you feeling satisfied. 05 of 12 Corn Risotto with Tomatoes & Spinach View Recipe Corn and tomatoes make this risotto taste like summer itself, but you can stir in almost any vegetables that your family likes. Make this simple entree vegetarian by swapping in vegetable broth or "no-chicken" broth for the chicken broth. 06 of 12 Parmesan White Beans View Recipe Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh Stash mirepoix blend—a basic building-block combo of chopped carrots, celery and onion—in your freezer and save some serious prep time on this simple bean side dish. 07 of 12 Quinoa with Peas & Lemon View Recipe Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh Green peas add a pop of color to this bright whole-grain side dish. Plus, choosing frozen saves you time—no shelling required! Want to save even more time? Use a pouch of precooked quinoa. 08 of 12 Cheesy Spinach Fritters View Recipe Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh Using frozen spinach in these crispy pan-fried fritters saves you the steps of having to chop and cook the fresh greens down yourself. 09 of 12 Easy Fried Rice View Recipe Mixed frozen vegetables make this healthy fried rice recipe quick, easy and economical. If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, be sure to thoroughly cool your rice before adding it to the wok--if it's too warm, it creates too much steam and sticks to the wok. To quickly cool warm rice, spread out on a large baking sheet and refrigerate while you prep the rest of your ingredients, about 15 minutes. 10 of 12 Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas View Recipe This meatless dinner comes together in only 15 minutes, thanks to the convenience of frozen chopped spinach and crumbled feta. We've added a flavorful burst of sun-dried tomato tapenade to spread over the whole-wheat pita before nestling the scrambled eggs inside. If you can't find it, basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto also work well. 11 of 12 Ravioli & Vegetable Soup View Recipe Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket. Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell. 12 of 12 Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo View Recipe Sun-dried tomatoes and Romano cheese pack a flavorful punch along with the tantalizing aroma of fresh marjoram in this rustic Italian-inspired dish. Serve with sautéed fresh spinach or steamed broccolini. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit