Why Frozen Corn Sometimes Tastes So Much Sweeter Than Fresh

Typically, when it comes to frozen vegetables versus fresh, there is no comparison — the fresh wins every taste test by a mile, especially when it's picked in-season and brought to you directly from the place it was grown, as in a farmer's market. But corn is a little different, and if you live in certain parts of the U.S., ears of corn are only really good — so sweet and sugary that you barely need butter and salt — for about a month or two. In contrast, the frozen stuff is pretty much always sweet. Why is that?

It's actually because frozen corn is picked when it's at its peak sweetness and ripeness, then given the flash-freeze treatment very shortly after, and bagged up directly for your consumption. (This might be why it was a runner-up in our America's favorite vegetable survey.) Even during fresh corn season, unless the ears have a sign that says what nearby farm they come from, you don't really know how far they've traveled — and for how long — to get to you in supermarkets. So, by the time the ears are actually in your hand, they could be days old or out of season. Those ears have definitely seen some things, so especially when it's not corn season, you might want to buy frozen.

We've covered why frozen corn sometimes tastes better than fresh, but there are myriad other reasons why you might head to the freezer aisle instead of the produce department for this starchy yellow veg. If you're eating corn for its nutritional value, you should know that the frozen kind was found to have more vitamin C than fresh, and a serving also contains fewer calories and less fat (as well as fewer carbohydrates if you're looking out for that sort of thing).

Then there's also the convenience factor; while you might not mind shucking corn every now and then, it can become something of a chore if you're eating corn regularly. Frozen is just the kernels — no shucking or removing of silks necessary (even if this microwave method does make it a breeze, there's still the mess). Frozen also keeps for much longer than fresh, since actual ears should be eaten within two days of bringing them home, but the stuff in your freezer is good for up to a year. That means you can make this velvety, thick corn chowder recipe in the dead of winter — as you should.