Tasted and Reviewed: The Finest Frozen Peas

Did your family’s freezer usually include a bag of frozen peas expressly for icing aching knees or stubbed toes? Although it is true that frozen peas make excellent ice packs, they are also delicious to eat!

To find out exactly how delicious frozen peas may be, we tasted thirteen different brands and kinds, grading them along the way based on various criteria. We came up with several solutions that are not only shockingly delicious and visually appealing, but also nutritionally good.

Once we go through our options, we’ll talk about how to microwave frozen peas for the best results and learn about frozen food safety (spoiler alert: subzero temperatures don’t destroy all hazardous germs!). Come with us along the freezer aisle as we rate the greatest frozen peas we could locate!

Ranking the Best Frozen Peas

We examined the following brands and kinds in our hunt for the finest frozen peas:

• Green Peas 365 Whole Foods Market
• Baby Birds Eye Delicious Peas
• Sweet Peas, Birds Eye Steamfresh
• Organic Sweet Peas from Cascadian Farm
• Organic Green Peas from Full Circle Market
• Organic Peas, Excellent and Gather
• Just Steam Sweet Peas & Butter Sauce by Green Giant
• Petite Hanover Peas
• Deluxe Pictsweet Farms Infant Sweet Peas
• Green Peas Stahlbush Island Farms Inc.
• Fresh Harvest Petite Peas from Trader Joe’s
• Organic Peas from Trader Joe’s
• Organic Woodstock Tiny Peas

There are some parallels between all of these alternatives that are worth noting:

Ingredients

Every container of peas we tested has just one ingredient: peas! To be particular, English or garden peas. The sole exception was the Green Giant Just Steam Sweet Peas & Butter Sauce, which sounded good but didn’t make the cut (you’re better off adding your own butter to any plain peas!).

As a result, each of our finest frozen peas listed below is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and so on. Nevertheless, if specific allergies are a problem for you, it is critical to examine the manufacturing of any food item to ensure sufficient anti-cross-contamination precautions are used.

Serving Size & Calorie Content

As you compare numerous packages of frozen veggies, you may observe that the serving sizes differ from cup to cup. Yet, we discovered that this fluctuation is caused by the difference between raw and cooked food, since all foods naturally lose volume as they thaw and heat up. The serving size was consistently between 80-90 grams by weight, regardless of the fraction of a cup each packaging specified as a serving.

Calories in Frozen Peas

The calorie value of all frozen peas was comparable, with either 60 or 70 calories per serving.

Carbs in Frozen Peas

Peas are fairly starchy in terms of veggies! The carbohydrate content of the variations we examined varied from 11 to 13 grams per serving, or 7 to 8 grams of net carbohydrates per serving. For those who are unfamiliar, net carbs are total carbohydrates minus fiber. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, it is indigestible by the body and may therefore be subtracted from the overall carb count, leaving you with a net amount.

Cooking Method

To ensure consistency, all frozen peas were cooked according to the microwave directions on the package. Some variants allowed you to steam in the bag, while others needed you to transfer to a different dish.

1. Best Tasting Frozen Peas: Woodstock Organic Petite Peas

Several frozen veggies claim to have been gathered and frozen at exactly the correct time, resulting in a flavor that is comparable to fresh! Nevertheless, as we all know, this is not always the case. Although most of the frozen pea types we tried had decent taste and texture overall, there were just a handful that were genuinely delicious, and we are glad to feature our favorite right here!

About Woodstock Organic Petite Peas

It’s not every day that you can put your confidence in a phrase written on a food packaging, or any other product for that matter. Yet in the case of Woodstock Organic Petite Peas and its motto Eat because it’s excellent!, you can trust them. These frozen peas are tasty.

Their taste is pure natural sweetness, and their texture is luscious, with soft skins that provide just enough resistance when you bite into them. Although other peas had stiff shells or a gritty texture within the pea, these were light and fresh. Not only are these peas delicious, but they are also nutritious! The bag explicitly declares that it is BPA-free (the only bag out of all the test subjects to do so), and this USA-made product is certified organic and non-GMO. Moreover, the Woodstock brand declares that it is a proud sponsor of the American Farmland Trust, a non-profit organization that seeks to save farmland and promote ecologically responsible agriculture.

Yet the fact is that you can’t win them all. Although these peas taste excellent and are beneficial for you (and the environment! ), they aren’t the prettiest. They were not as consistent in size and were a little yellower than some of the other, brilliant green kinds we tried. Also, in terms of nutritional content, these frozen peas are not at the top of the list. They contain some iron, potassium, and calcium, but only to the amounts seen in every other pea type we evaluated.

Pros:

• The best taste and texture of any pea we tried! Delicious, juicy, and succulent.
• The product is packaged in a BPA-free plastic bag.
• Woodstock Organic Petite Peas are non-GMO and certified organic.
• These peas are grown in the United States.
• The company is a supporter of the American Farmland Trust, which strives to ensure a safe and sustainable agricultural future for everybody.

Cons:

• Peas with a more irregular appearance and brighter yellow coloration than certain other frozen pea kinds.
• In comparison to other brands and variations, it lacks additional vitamins and minerals.

2. Best Looking Frozen Peas: 365 Whole Foods Market Green Peas

Well, so the first place winner doesn’t take the cake (Pea and Pistachio Cake to be exact), but isn’t it what’s on the inside that matters the most? Both yes and no. The ancient adage “eat with your eyes first” has some truth to it. The truth is that if something looks beautiful, you’re more likely to think it tastes good and, as a consequence, you’ll eat more of it.

About 365 Whole Foods Market Green Peas

Although eating more of something just because it looks wonderful isn’t always a good thing (why, why do those crispy, golden French fries have to look so delectable! ), when the product in issue is a healthy vegetable like frozen peas, appearance is a key selling element.

We knew they were special the moment we opened the bag of 365 Whole Foods Market Green Peas. Even after freezing, the peas retained their bright green color and were bigger than many other frozen peas, with consistent size and form throughout the bag. While they were placed second for their beautiful look, these peas also received top scores in the flavor category. Win-win! Something about their flavor and texture seem more fulfilling than many of the other alternatives. These peas, like many other 365 Whole Foods Market items, are organic and non-GMO, and in addition to the standard levels of iron and potassium, provide a good dose of vitamin C!

Although the peas retained their excellent form and color during cooking, they did have a wrinkled look afterward. Moreover, this container of peas had directions for one of the longest cook periods we found, at 10 to 12 minutes on high in the microwave! In our perspective, it is a touch excessive, however owing to their greater size, they may need longer boiling time than other bags of tiny peas.

Pros:

• Whole Foods Market 365 Green peas had the most vibrant color, shape, size, and consistency of any pea evaluated. That’s a lovely bag of peas!
• Tasted well as well, with a sweet flavor, creamy texture, and overall really pleasurable eating experience.
• Organic and non-GMO certified.
• In addition to iron and potassium, these peas provide 13 milligrams (15% of the recommended dose!) of vitamin C.

Cons:

• Although they were particularly lovely while frozen, these peas become more wrinkled after cooking.
• The microwave heating time is the longest of any of the peas we evaluated, at 10-12 minutes.

3. Best Organic Frozen Peas: Cascadian Farm Organic Sweet Peas

Although you may already be aware of the benefits of organic farming, it may be difficult to locate items that are organic while still meeting your expectations in terms of flavor, look, price, and all of the other variables you must consider when shopping for groceries.

When organic items are grown without the use of artificial pesticides or fertilizers, the plants produce more, shall we say, distinctive fruits and vegetables than non-organic crops that are cultivated expressly for look and flavor. Also, the absence of conventional procedures often results in more product being lost to insects and other animals (hey, chipmunks enjoy peas too!) As a result, organic items may be more costly than regular ones.

About Cascadian Farm Organic Sweet Peas

This brings us to Cascadian Farm Organic Sweet Peas, which are priced in the center of the pack while remaining delicious and attractive! These have a beautiful color and form, and they don’t appear as freezer-burned as many of the other peas we opened. They taste just as amazing as they look: fresh, creamy, and full of sweet pea flavor. These peas, like other goods from this brand, are certified organic and non-GMO, and the packaging provides information on the numerous ways the firm promotes the environment, from providing appropriate habitat for pollinators to looking to the future of organic farming.

Although the pea taste is superb and the inner texture is pleasant and creamy, we found the skins to be a little rough. On the one hand, this is beneficial since the firm texture of fruits and vegetables suggests a high concentration of the previously stated healthful fiber! On the other side, it makes the peas taste less good. Unfortunately, these peas do not distinguish out in terms of nutritional value.

Pros:

• These frozen peas have a good color and form, and they have less freezer-burning than other types.
• Overall, it has a fresh taste, a sweet flavor, and a creamy texture.
• Cascadian Farm’s goods are all certified organic and non-GMO.
• They are proud to be one of the earliest organic companies in the United States, and they devote resources to assisting pollinators, wildlife, and future organic farming.

Cons:

• The insides of the peas have a good taste and texture, but the outside shells are a little rough.
• Nutritionally, it performs poorly, having just basic iron and potassium levels and no extras.

4. Most Nutritious Frozen Peas: Good & Gather Peas

All peas are not made equal! Although all of these peas are of the same species, Pisum sativum, how they are produced, processed, and kept may have a significant impact on their nutritional value.

Although any of the peas on our list would be a healthy option (green vegetables are always wonderful! ), we discovered that some provide more nutritional richness and diversity than others. As a result, while determining the finest frozen peas, this was a crucial point to consider.

About Good & Gather Peas

The guys at Target’s Good & Gather brand certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to peas, as they’ve earned a position on our list of the finest canned peas. First and foremost, the nutritious value of one serving of these peas was considerably superior than any other we evaluated.

These not only have the typical iron and calcium content, but they also have twice as much potassium as the other types, as well as a little of vitamin A and 40% of the recommended value of vitamin C! They also include 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, which are both more than what we discovered in comparable brands. They are also organic and non-GMO. And, best of all, these peas come in a pretty neat resealable bag! That’s right, they feature a built-in zipper closure, so you can effortlessly boil as many peas as you need and save the rest for later.

The disadvantage here is that we found this bag of peas to be a mixed bag. Some peas looked excellent, but others were wrinkled, cracked, or discolored. The flavor was in the center, not horrible but not outstanding. But, hey, sometimes you have to surrender a bit in the interest of nourishment! We also noticed that particular peas had greater freezer burn than others.

Pros:

• A fantastic nutritional profile, with high amounts of protein and fiber, as well as a double dosage of potassium and a significant amount of vitamin C.
• Organic and non-GMO certified.
• Good & Collect Peas come in a handy resealable bag, which saves you from having to waste another bag for repackaging or risking loose peas rolling throughout your freezer.

Cons:

• The peas were rather uneven, with some broken, wrinkled, or discolored.
• As compared to other brands and kinds, they seemed to be freezer burnt.

5. Best All-Around Frozen Peas: Trader Joe’s Organic Peas

Of course, we had to choose one fortunate bag of peas to be the finest all-around! The crucial point here is that the pick does credit to each of the many categories, even if it is not the greatest in any of them individually.

About Trader Joe’s Organic Peas

We actually tried two different bags of frozen peas from Trader Joe’s, and, quite surprise, their organic version was much superior than their ordinary petite peas, which were terribly dry and had a lot of brown-spotted peas in them. Their organic peas, on the other hand, were a whole other tale! The peas themselves looked wonderful, had bigger and more uniform size, and tasted well. The taste was more nutty and less sweet than others we sampled, but it was still good, and they are certified organic and non-GMO, as are many of the peas on our top list. They are also heavy in protein, with 5 grams of protein per serving. It was also one of the fastest cooking types of peas we tested, taking just 3-4 minutes to cook in the microwave.

Considering how quickly they cooked, they were not as handy as those sought-after steam-in-bag choices, and it would have been good if Trader Joes provided a version of them. Moreover, despite the fact that the ingredients list solely includes organic green peas, these peas include salt! It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but we think it’s a touch superfluous.

Pros:

• The peas had a distinct nutty taste, and they were less sweet than other types.
• Organic and non-GMO certified.
• With 5 grams of protein per serving, it is at the top of the protein rankings!
• One of the quickest cook times of any pea we tested, approximately 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave.

Cons:

• Unfortunately, there was no microwave-in-bag option at Trader Joe’s, which would have increased the convenience aspect here.
• Despite the fact that organic green peas are the sole ingredient stated, each serving contains 65 milligrams of salt.

6. Honorable Mention Frozen Peas: Stahlbush Island Farms Inc. Green Peas

Sometimes you simply have to point out when others are doing things differently, and that’s exactly what we discovered when we picked up this package from Stahlbush Island Farms Inc.

About Stahlbush Island Farms Inc. Green Peas

These peas earned a position on our list not just because they made a very good bowl of frozen peas, but also because, in a frozen vegetable industry that has largely stayed untouched over the years, Stahlbush Island Farms is flipping the script and providing you a new way to look at frozen veggies.

The first thing you’ll notice is that these frozen vegetables are packaged in brown paper rather than plastichow amazing is that? Stahlbush Island Farms Inc. is dedicated to sustainability, and a quick visit to their website reveals all of the ways they strive to preserve water, maintain soil quality, and protect animals. What about the peas themselves? They tasted fantastic, almost like fresh peas, and cooked evenly and fast in around 2 to 3 minutes.

The greatest letdown? The paper packaging cannot be recycled or composted! Although it is a step in the right direction away from single-use plastics, it seems a pity to have to discard it. Moreover, we have another example of salt presence in frozen peas, which, in our opinion, do not need to have sodium.

Pros:

• These frozen peas are wrapped in paper rather than plastic. Three cheers for less reliance on single-use plastic!
• Stahlbush Island Farms is certified sustainable, which means that they satisfy certain requirements for resource usage and conservation initiatives.
• Delicious, crisp peas!
• Cooked swiftly and evenly in the microwave, just 2 to 3 minutes.

Cons:

• Despite the excellent, ecologically friendly paper packaging, the bag cannot be recycled or composted and must be discarded.
• These peas include extra salt, 75 mg to be exact, and you may prefer fully sodium-free peas that you may season to taste.

How to Cook Frozen Peas

As previously stated, we boiled all of the frozen peas according to the package directions for testing reasons. Some kinds included stovetop cooking instructions, while others provided microwave cooking instructions. These are a few pointers we picked up along the way:

• If you’re unsure how to microwave frozen peas utilizing a steam-in-bag method, don’t worry; it’s simple! Just keep an eye out for any this side up indications, which indicate which side has unique apertures to enable steam to escape.
• When you microwave peas in the bag, you may observe that the bag stays puffed up long after the cooking time is over, similar to popcorn. Let the bag to sit for a minute or two to allow the steam to drain and the bag to deflate somewhat.
• If you want to cook frozen peas in the microwave without the steam-in-bag packaging, use a microwave safe dish with a cover. If you don’t have one of them, just use a microwave-safe bowl with a microwave-safe plate on top!
• While not all frozen pea containers urge you to mix the peas halfway through the microwave cooking period, we found this to be the best method to cook frozen peas. Without this step, the peas cooked unevenly, with some being overcooked while others stayed cold. Regardless of what the packaging advises, give it a brisk stir approximately halfway through cooking.
• Do you lack a microwave or prefer not to use one? Not a problem! You may always cook them on the stovetop or with an electric burner. Bring a saucepan or big skillet of water to a boil over medium heat. Cook the frozen peas in boiling water, stirring periodically, until soft and heated all the way through, then drain.
• Frozen peas are ideal for use as an ingredient in many of your favorite recipes, including our easy Peas and Carrots! If you want to eat them on their own, season them with butter or olive oil, fresh herbs, salt and crushed black pepper, or roasted garlic to taste.

Frozen Food Safety

When it comes to frozen veggies, certain crucial food safety facts should be noted. You may have noticed that your box of frozen peas expressly directs you to cook your vegetables to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. But why is that? If you can eat fresh peas uncooked, why do you need to properly prepare peas from the frozen section?

The problem is in the preparation of frozen goods, which creates several possibilities for hazardous germs to enter the container. This is also why you should never defrost frozen peas; instead, prepare them right away!

Ranking the Best Frozen Peas: Final Thoughts

We were able to choose our favorite frozen peas in each of the following categories after evaluating tons of frozen peas: best tasting, best looking, best organic, most nutritional, and best all-around. We even made room in the rankings for one brand that is rethinking how we prepare and package frozen vegetables!

Whether your goal is flavor, nutrition, or environmental stewardship, or whether you’re just seeking for the ideal product to strike a balance between all of these essential variables, we hope you’ll find a bag of frozen peas here!