Blind Tasting FRESH vs FROZEN Ingredients | Where Best to Spend Your Money? | Sorted Food 

Prank idea: Give them 2 identical dishes and see if they know it's the same or if they pick out differences

It would be cool to see FRESH vs DRIED And feed them the rehydrated versions. I.e. fresh bean and dried beans or fresh mushrooms and dried mushrooms

One more thing to consider in the case of frozen vs fresh vegetables - in products where the vegetables are cut up like the sofrito mix, the frozen mix can make use of "ugly" vegetables that are perfectly fine but look odd. Consumers expect fresh vegetables to look nice and pretty, so if the frozen mix can utilize product that would otherwise go to waste, I consider that an additional win.

"What's the point of the closh" says the guy with glasses on top of a blindfold

Mike’s look of complete incredulity on Ben’s “fish pie, the most comforting of dishes” can only come from the trauma of Pass It On.

I know it's just edited down for time, but Jamie shoving naked pasta into his mouth and then saying "That's a very rich ragout" is still quite funny.

I like that Ben pointed out sometimes buying cheaper food doesn’t necessarily mean it’s cheap... hence the fish market. Someone pays the price somewhere and they also talk about that more in their Easter chocolate video 👏👏👏

I'm glad it was clarified that pretty much all "fresh" fish has been frozen at some point, I'd rather keep it frozen until I can control its defrosting conditions.

I'd love to see a series on utilising what would otherwise be 'food waste'. Been using the Too Good To Go app a lot recently where you can purchase bags of food that would normally be thrown out from shops, bakers, coffee shops and restaurants for a few quid at the end of the day. Regularly use my local BP/M&S garage for it and occasionally a bakery nearby and supplement what I get from the stores with other ingredients to turn into meals. Would be cool to get more ideas on how we as a community can make the most of food waste to eat well!

Some fish is frozen also for sterilization purposes (kills parasites). Unless I have access to an exceptional fishmonger, I'll go with high quality sustainably caught frozen fish. Delivered, with end to end freeze chain.

Whenever Ebbers says berries I am taken back to him sitting in a bean bag on a counter drinking gin going on a rant about berries 😂

I really appreciate how you are reminding the production and storage costs. Easy to forget, but these are actually very important!

Something I would love to see an an extension of this frozen series would be some guidance on how to properly freeze things. Ebbers mentioned something in the last frozen food video says it freezes well but needs to be well wrapped, I would love to see a Sorted guide of how to do that and the best way to prep and freeze things that you have shown survive the freezing process.

Love the throwback comment from Ben about fish pie being a comfort food, Mike's reaction is everything😂

I think perhaps one thing that's might be worth taking into consideration when looking at the advantages of frozen food is how it can help those who might have difficulties (strength, dexterity, vision etc) in say cutting,chopping, mashing vegetables. We are all of various abilities (for lack of a better description) and so frozen food might help those groups of people. 😊👍

I’d love to see a series where we are introduced to the food team, and the team behind the scenes

jamie wearing glasses over his blindfold anyway is such a mood

“How are the piano lessons going?” and “He doesn’t know how to use a fork.” Mike upping his Savagery 😂

One of the things that I tend to buy frozen living in the northern hemisphere is tropical fruits like mango and pineapple. Especially with pineapple, if you buy them frozen they actually have more flavour because the fruit matures in the tree and then it's picked and frozen. If you buy them fresh, the fruits are picked before they are mature and left to ripen on transit and they don't taste as rich. Also, there is a lot less waste.

I would love to see a video of the guys recreating adult versions of their favorite childhood drinks and food.

Mike’s “gift of the gab” attribute in his pass it on profile is no joke.

“Fish pie, the most comforting of dishes.” Oh, Ben 🙄

Barry keeps showing he's got a phenomenal sense of taste and smell, I'm beyond impressed!!

"what's the point of the closhe?" Asks the man wearing glasses over his blindfold 🤣

Ahh, so it's fresh..... Fresh frozen.... Fresh frozen out the can

I have to hand it to the design team. All the animations and title images for each of the videos are great and really add to the experience!

Blind tasting chocolate, please! I'm curious specifically whether the more expensive options make a difference when baked into a cake or frosting.

Favourite thing about sorted food is that they don’t judge anyone’s opinion. They take into count the space in someone’s home, time etc. It’s amazing to see. Whenever I feel anxious I will always watch these guys. Just something so comforting about their videos

Can we all appreciate the editing skills in the thumbnail! Boys it's so good, you've come so far!

Huzzah it’s here! I definitely haven’t been refreshing RU-vid for the past two hours waiting for this video

It's amazing the difference even a few small aspects of the process can make things. A coarser grind on the beef would have made it harder to tell the difference; fish that was frozen to come to port, then sat defrosted on ice for many hours (and in a fridge maybe for a day or more) somehow always tastes better and smells less fishy than fish that was left frozen until you need it; the more you process vegetables before freezing, the more the freezing process breaks cell walls and ruins the texture - so frozen raw veggies are always just a little nicer than frozen cooked veggies. I guess it's proof that some big things don't mean as much as we think (both kinds of fish were frozen at one point, for example), but some little things mean a lot more than we think.

10:38 that synchronised "yeah" is absolute gold

“Oh, it’s familiar but unrecognisable. Do you know what I mean?” - Jamie Paul Romanio Spafford, 2021. The poetry in that sentence is inimitable. Also, that line is apt when you see an Examination paper. 😂

While judging the meat, Jamie takes an ENORMOUS mouthful of pasta. Never change, Jamie. Never change.

I love that Sorted videos teach me new things and make me think about various aspects I've never given attention to before. Really appreciate you guys, your responsible approach, the tons of work you put into it, the lovely atmosphere and openness in those very needed conversations you get rolling. Not just about sustainability, but about all kinds of ethical and practical aspects of food. Also your sense of humour bc you lads are the best.

I really appreciate this whole conversation about fresh vs frozen, local vs not, etc. I love that no one is saying there are easy answers. In reality it is complicated with a hundred variables that are different for everyone and matter to a different degree to each individual. Kudos to all of you for wading in to such a complex topic... in almost all your videos I might add.

You guys should do the 1914 cookbook again that was so fun!, mabey a pass it on?

I love the fact Jamie wears his glasses over his blindfold 🥺

This was so educational, especially the part about fish. In retrospect it makes total sense that even ”fresh“ fish is frozen and then defrosted when sold in the supermarket, but I’ve never thought about that.

After the last video about frozen foods, you have already gotten me, because your points were so valid. Next thing I did: raid the frozen veggies aisle - I found frozen mixed wild mushrooms, mixed sea food, (obviously) spinach, and as an added bonus: frozen edamame. I'm loving every minute of that, because this stuff lasts me longer AND I get a better selection, because Germany is stupidly boring and limited in its food diversity.

Living in the exact middle of Canada pretty much every piece of fish that comes through our supermarkets and stores has been days inside a truck to get here. Only way around it are lakeside resorts that serve walleye and even then I bet most of them put them on ice to prevent waste.

Air fried vs traditional would be interesting. The difference is usually obvious on sight, but will it be on taste alone? 🤔

I recently moved from Plymouth to London and I'm loving the food diversity you get here. The one thing I do really miss though is being able to buy fish that was literally caught that morning, it makes such a massive difference imo

National VS Import would be an interesting thing to look at, seeing as alot of the packaging is done outside the country of origin and it travels anyway, maybe you should try and compare the two.

There’s so many vegetables that are EXCELLENT from the freezer. Idk why you would use eggplant. Broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, peas, corn, sugar snap peas, I could go on, are phenomenal frozen produce.

Honestly even some vegetables are imported or went through cross country journey as well. So if you can't get it from local sources, I personally think fresh vs frozen just becomes personal preference.

jamie just looks happy to be there, and i’m happy he’s there🥺

Oh no, where are the uploaded captions? You've been doing so well with them recently, a big reason why I watch your videos, and I hope it was an oversight for this video 🙏🏽

I think I’ll hear soffrito forever in Janice‘s voice...

I'd love to see a Frozen vs CANNED one of these. Or even those against the Fresh ingredients. I love that you do these and discuss all the talking points for a food. Thanks guys!

Growing up fresh fish was a big part of cooking for my and my dad and I’m so glad that here in Australia it’s super easy to find fresh fish that has been caught that morning!

I really like that with every food item you are also discussing the environmental impact of its production. I wouldn't necessarily end up watching a whole video just on the ethical side of what we buy and how we eat, but I definitely appreciate it when it's built into the videos as just another thing to consider.

Jamie waving is so wholesome and I don’t know why, he’s smile seems so genuine

I'm surprised that didn't delve into the mislabeling of fish when discussing fresh vs frozen fish

0:39 "What's the point of the cloche?" Says the guy wearing glasses over his blindfold 😆 I love it

When the food is processed in parts of the world where quality control measures are looser (and less safe) you can get a cheaper product in your supermarket but at an higher risk.

“Who puts a fork in their mouth sideways?” - Benjamin David Ebbrell, 2021. A very important question.

Lol that end blooper! Please never stop doing those lmao

Loved this. So glad that you’ve opened the conversation on how fish is sourced. Would be interesting to hear more about different food supply chains, including frozen vegetables and frozen ready meals

I just want to put out there that frozen items are really handy for people who have issues with time, mobility, money, resources/tools, physical energy, and access to food. I appreciate the emphasis on flavor and environmental impact, but I also think it's important to recognize that there are advantages to frozen for people who may not be able to buy or prep every item fresh. For example, my arthritis makes it a struggle to travel back and forth to the store, and I sometimes have trouble using a knife or standing to cook, so it's nice to be able to buy several things that will keep and that I can chuck in the oven and let take care of itself.

Fresh vs Frozen vs Tinned? may ad an interesting twist to the format. However as with all your videos I enjoyed it.

I always love the blind taste tests, it’s always fun

About the first one: (can't remember the name) in germany we call it "Suppengrün" (= Greens for Soup) and you always buy it fresh but in kind of a bundle (not cut), often also with added fresh parsley.

Great video! I knew that all fresh fish are defrosted frozen products but I didn't know why it still had a better quality. Idea for a next one: freeze dried vs air dried produce.

I'd love to see James in one of these, see if he gets any wrong.

The last time I was this early Ben was still wearing the red shorts 😂

Jamie: "What's the point of the cloche?" Also Jamie: *wears glasses over the blindfold*

One of the reasons I love sorted is because every time I watch a video I actually learn something new! 🙌🙌🙌

I'm becoming a sorted addict, couldn't wait for today's video!

I would love for you guys to do a cast iron skillet video. Like proper care/seasoning and different recipes that you can use it for. I had a cast iron pan passed down to me from a family member and I feel like I’m not too sure how to take care of it. I also find myself only using it for steak.

In Canada, fish that was frozen before is required to be labelled “previously frozen” weird that it isn’t the same in the Uk.

Wow, here in the US I've never seen beef mince/ground beef sold frozen in that form. Instead of little pellets, we tend to get it frozen in square/rectangle blocks or cylinder tube things that are all way more compressed. You still get some textural issues with it, but I'd never describe it as "like cereal" and it at least still clumps nicely in the same way that fresh does.

Where has James been haven’t seen him in a while, would love to see more chef vs chef battles!!

A small point but just to say, the breakdown of food from being frozen is more a physical action than chemical. The water in the food expands and form ice crystals which breaks down cell walls and proteins hence "mushy" "grainy" etc. There are more expensive processes that can lessen this effect but that tends to be for medical applications and the like and far outside the purview of commercial food preservation.

Yayyy please do more of these! We’ve got more canned food and frozen from these!! Would be great to get more ideas for what to pick up

This episode was absolutely fantastic. Please give us moreeee

Quick point: You say fish mongers are hard to come by. Come to Walthamstow market in East London, my local. Best days are Saturday and Sunday. There are at least two, if not more, fish mongers there, and their variety is INCREDIBLE!

Lets see how many Bennuendos there are in this video 😂

9:57 Ebbers still defending himself for forcing a fish pie in Pass It On over the chicken wings!

I really appreciate that Sorted team has really started to look into what goes into the processing and transportation of food, and the environmental cost. Yes, there are moments when the result is worth it, but also there are moments where it can be minimised. 💚

6pm is the new 4 pm and I am here for it

As a Puertorican when he said sofrito I expected something completely different from what he described.

I really like this concept. It's good to know what's out there frozen because, whilst it's not the best option always, it can often enable me to cook properly more on those days when life's busy, tough, etc.

I love how you are including sustainability facts into the content now! 🌿🙏🏼

"It's all of those "itty" words" Jaimie, March 2021.

How about fresh vs. supermarket spice mixes?

I would like to see a series on food prep and storage. All the freezer dried ingredients and meals. Canning with bacon and meat. The texture and limitations with use, vs the long term storage. It’s something that is becoming more common to help with food scarcity in places with limited or no electricity along with survivalists.

I live in rural Australia, so even when I buy fresh food, it often ends up frozen in some form or another because I only go to the shops fortnightly. My garden has fresh seasonal produce & I always end up with more than I can use fresh, so what I can’t swap with friends I will freeze or preserve. Even herbs can be frozen if you put a little oil in an ice cube tray, put in the chopped herbs, freeze, pop out of the tray into a snap lock bag, & grab a cube or two as needed.

Video series challenge for the chefs. Select a country each week and have your viewers from said country vote on traditional/prominent dish that chefs will try to recreate as closely as possible. Dont go for culinary famous countries like Italy/France/Japan, but explore the nieche recepies from obscure countries all around the world.

Now I want an episode on how best to defrost your frozen stuff as that seems to be the key to get the most out of it. Now I just chuck what ever frozen vedge into the pot at the time I think it needs to cook and it's pretty okay, maybe I should experiment with letting it properly defrost in the fridge/outside the fridge.

Great episode! Would love added information comparing nutrition of frozen vs fresh. Thanks guys 😁

Definitely a tinned vs fresh episode!! So much stigma is around tinned food and how its a lot more processed, less healthy, it'll be great to see a side by side comparison

AH FINALLY LMAO I'm so glad y'all figured this weird thing out ❤️

Looking forward to seeing more Canned Food vids, and i'm wondering if you guys have done some stuff on canning, like making jam preserves.

I just wanted to say thank you for exploring the behind the scenes and environmental impacts of the processes. It makes a huge difference for our World when we talk about it.

I loved this video because I use all of these due to convenience and price for my budget! And it nice to see that sometimes it makes a difference but for the price it can be made just as good :) thank you guys x

Never seen frozen beef like that. I think here in Canada all our "ground beef " is fresh at least all I've ever bought. You just put it in the freezer when you get home lol

0:40 - "What's the point in the klosh" Same as your glasses, Jamie..

I was genuinely shocked that Ebbers only just found out that fish are frozen at sea.

"Where Best to Spend Your Money" Jamie: Literally always picks the more expensive option