Fresh is not always superior. Just take spinach, for example.

One 10-ounce box of spinach costs about $.99 or less, and the same amount of fresh spinach could be four times that much. If you are making a spinach salad, of course fresh is the only way to go. But, if you need to put spinach in a cooked recipe, frozen spinach is a fraction of the cost and performs just as well as fresh. You must thaw the spinach and then squeeze it dry with a smooth kitchen towel before using in your recipe. The extra step is well worth it in price and taste, too.