Freezers and Freezing: Advantages and Disadvantages

The development of frozen foods offered a variety of advantages. It encouraged regional specialization. Fruits and vegetables could be grown in the best climate and soil and then frozen and shipped great distances. Because frozen foods were stored, farmers and distributors could sell their products when they could obtain the highest prices. For consumers, freezing expanded year-round food choices because the availability of produce was no longer limited to its growing season. Freezing of food tended to stabilize prices. Because waste at the point of origin was eliminated, use of frozen food saved on transportation and storage. Frozen foods were particularly useful for restaurants. A small kitchen could supply a diverse demand, and restaurant chains could centralize their cooking, thereby lowering costs.