frozen veggies

[coral]

What do you guys think about frozen veggies good or bad idea? I only have one parrot and he's a picky eater and doesn't eat a lot of it anyways I was wondering if I could buy frozen stuff so that it doesn't go bad as fast as the fresh stuff because it usually goes to waste in my house

[Michael]

It's debatable which is really better: frozen or fresh vegetables. I don't think anyone really knows for sure. Some believe that fresh is always best because it hasn't been processed. However, others believe frozen vegetables retain more nutrition because they are frozen right after harvest whereas fresh ones could spend weeks and months in between during which time they can lose most if not all the nutritional value. So I say it couldn't hurt to feed a bit of both. With a majority pellet diet as the staple and some fresh/frozen veggies in addition, I'd imagine be healthiest for most parrots (excluding budgies, cockatiels, parakeets, and parrots with special dietary needs).

[coral]

marty has a mix of different pellets in his bowl because i bought a few different kinds when i got him because i didnt know what he likes so he actually eats all of them lol xD he likes variety haha. he has pellets all day in his bowl i know you dont do the free feeding but its what works for us and then around 6 is when i eat so thats when he gets his dinner to. he also has some forage toys i fill up everyother day and usually their not empty anyways but they have a few nuts dried fruit cheerios and dried pasta. he doesnt get a lot of the snacks though xD so yah thats his diet. he gets a variety every time i buy veggies cuz hes pretty picky about it he likes corn, grapes, pees if not in the pod, carrots sort of, blueberries, beans and thats about it that he'll actually eat he doesnt like melon or other berries hates citrus, apples and bananas so idk. ive also tried giving him leafy greens, brocoli, coliflower, and a bunch of stuff which he completely ignores any ideas? ive tried eating it infront of him like in your video but he really doesnt like much

[liz]

I use fresh vegies when possible because of the texture. I believe frozen vegies are more nutriteus than fresh from the store becasue they are frozen the same day they are picked. The longer a fresh vegie sits the more nutrician you loose.

Mine get Roudybush, seeds, whole grain wheat and oats. In the winter when produce is so expensive they get frozen or canned as I do for meals.

The best would be pick from your own garden, wash and feed.

[Cage Cleaner]

I prefer fresh vegetables over any other form, any day, ever. However, I do use frozen vegetables because they are simply more convenient on certain days.

Sure, vegetables are frozen to preserve... freshness, I suppose. But first of all, the freezing process itself destroys nutrients. Second of all, it's not guaranteed that they actually are frozen the day they were harvested. Third of all, due to the fact that they indeed are frozen, frozen vegetables stay at the warehouse/grocery store for much longer than their fresh counterparts. By the time they hit the table, the nutrient content is questionable.

If the concern is really about nutrition, either join a community supported agriculture program where fresh veggies can be gathered the day or day before they are harvested, or consider canned vegetables over frozen ones as they have been tested to contain more nutrients than frozen.

Otherwise, if the concern is about whether or not frozen veggies are going to be bad for birds, it's not going to hurt to feed it to your birds (as long as you follow guidelines for which veggies are safe to feed). I recommend that you thaw them but I have heard of bird owners who don't even bother.

[Michael]

Yeah, definitely thaw them. In fact I defrost in the microwave and then heat them up. My birds love eating them hot. I just make sure they cool down enough that they don't get hurt but they get really excited to eat them warm and mushy.

[laducockatiel]

I definitely prefer fresh veggies over frozen ones and usually I use fresh. However, whenever the supermarket veggies are about to go off, I buy frozen ones which I steam and serve to Ladu. I think some frozen veggies retain the nutrients but really, it can't be better than serving fresh ones. Overall, frozen are ok if theres no fresh, but fresh are always best.

[Naurthon]

My boys get cuttings of the fresh veggies I use for my own meals. I get most of my fruit and veggies from the Pike Place Market here in Seattle, which beats the freshness and flavor of what I can get in any grocery store by orders of magnitude.

I also have a bag of frozen mixed veggies so I can heat up small quantities when I don't have fresh veggies on hand.

Their main diet is Roudybush pellets, so I'm not concerned about the nutrition of the veggies; they're treats.

Dante in particular loves when the veggies are warm. He'll scarf them right down that way, but he'll often shake his head and walk away if I try to give him cold, fresh veggies.

[liz]

Gee - do you think Dante is spoiled or has you well trained?

Myrtle just ate her first canned green bean.

[laducockatiel]

Great, did you have to wash thoroughly before serving to get rid of the sodium?