A great way to cook on a budget and meet your nutritional needs is to choose frozen vegetables. Many frozen veggies and fruits are picked at the ideal time when they’re ripe and full of nutrients. They are flash-frozen, so the produce can retain more natural nutrients. Some of the best frozen vegetables to buy are spinach, peas, corn, and peppers because they are cost-effective compared to their fresh counterparts. Cooking with frozen produce can help save time and money while bulking up dips and casseroles with extra vitamins and minerals. Here are four flavorful and healthy recipes that incorporate frozen vegetables.

Herbed Spring Pea Risotto. This risotto dish is the perfect application for a bag of frozen peas.
Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip. Spinach dip is actually best with frozen spinach. Just be sure to squeeze out all the moisture from the spinach when it is thawed.
Egg Muffins. These egg muffins call for frozen spinach, but you can also add a variety of frozen veggies like onions, peppers, and mushrooms.
Chicken Barley Vegetable Stew. Soups are a wonderful use of frozen mixed veggies and frozen corn.