Birdseye Steamfresh Vegetables

Frozen vegetables revolutionized cooking in the fifties; TV dinners brought another huge change in the sixties; the microwave oven sparked the biggest change in how we cook food since the advent of electric stoves.

And now Birdseye has changed how we will cook, create, and think of vegetable side dishes.

Last year, Birdseye rolled out their new product line called Steamfresh vegetables and it became a hot hit. In fact, product researchers speculate that Birdseye Steamfresh will be one of 2007's growing food lines.

As a family, we started eating frozen vegetables regularly a couple of years ago. We made a commitment to eat more vegetables, but soon were sick of the canned stuff. And taking two little children in and out of a supermarket every day or so for fresh produce didn't seem so practical either. Frozen vegetables were easy to prepare: simply open a bag and plop into boiling water. Season and serve about 8 minutes later.

But with the Steamfresh frozen vegetables, there is no need for a pan. Or a stove. Or boiling water. And that flat, yucky, mushy taste that you sometimes got when you microwaved frozen vegetables? That's gone, too. The Steamfresh bags are especially vented, so you take it out of the freezer, pop it in the microwave for about five minutes, and serve. I love it.

But convenience isn't the main reason my family and I have gone ga-ga over Birdseye's new veggie line. It's the taste that has led us to stock our freezer with this brand of frozen vegetables alone. It could be that the vegetables are, as Birdseye starts in their marketing campaigns, flash frozen at the peak of perfection. Or it could be the way the vegetables get steamed that makes them taste so good.

I haven't had sweeter peas or corn; more tender and yet tasty broccoli and cauliflower; or green beans that tasted more like fresh out of the garden. If the truth were told, my fresh cooked produce straight from the supermarket probably never tasted that good. Believe it or not, both our girls are eating more vegetables with less fuss than ever before, and so are the parents.

That fact alone is worth the slightly higher price tag. On average, the Birdseye Steamfresh vegetables are about 25-30% higher than ordinary frozen vegetables. In most cases, that is still less than the cost of fresh vegetables, especially when you add in the decay factor when you've left your fresh produce sitting in the refrigerator too long.

There are several varieties of plain vegetables: Broccoli cuts; Sweet Peas; Cut Green Beans; Super Sweet Corn; and Sweet Mini Corn on the Cob. Birdseye Steamfresh vegetables also come in various medleys: Broccoli, Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas & Water Chestnuts; Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots; or Broccoli & Cauliflower. But it's the seasoned packages that we enjoy the most: the Asian Medley has a mild, unobtrusive seasoning and we even use it in our stir fries and fried rice; the Garlic Peas and Mushrooms is a big hit with the whole family; Southwest Style corn is a great addition to most meals; and the Cauliflower with Garlic is an excellent side dish, too.

Critics (and there are always some) are quick to point out that Birdseye Steamfresh vegetables are not any healthier than any other type of frozen vegetable. That's probably true, but they definitely taste better! You should try them soon.