Broccoli
Broccoli has become a regular favourite in UK homes and comes in a few varieties including purple sprouting broccoli. Being a brassica, it belongs to the same family as cabbage and cauliflower. You can steam, roast and add to your stir fry.
How to store
How to store fresh broccoli
Broccoli should be stored in the fridge to keep it at its best.
Freezing broccoli
Broccoli can be frozen in in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months.
Storing cooked broccoli
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Broccoli top tips
How to freeze and defrost
To freeze: Chop and blanch broccoli for three minutes before freezing to retain the flavour.
To defrost: When you take food or drink out of the freezer, it’s important to defrost it safely. Don’t defrost at room temperature. Ideally, defrost fully in the fridge and use within 24 hours. Or, use a microwave on the defrost setting directly before cooking.
Eating the whole food
Don’t discard the broccoli stalk, which is perfectly edible and more importantly, delicious! Slice and cook with the florets, add crunch to stir fries or serve raw in salads.
Be fabulous with leftovers
Fresh broccoli
Use up leftover raw broccoli in cauliflower cheese - green florets add colour and interest to the dish.
Cooked broccoli
Leftover cooked broccoli can be blitzed with milk and used as a creamy sauce for fish or chicken.
Buying tips
Think about swapping fresh broccoli for frozen. Frozen foods last a long time in the freezer, you can use as much as you need when you need to and they can often be a cheaper option.
When buying fresh, buy loose and unwrapped where possible to reduce your footprint (impact on our planet).
Perfect portions
Use our portion calculator for a quick and simple way to check how much of this food to serve at mealtimes.
Valuing your Broccoli beyond the price tag
Goodness in food
Your food is more than its shape, colour and price. Your food has an important role to play to help keep you healthy and with enough energy to live your life how you wish to.
- Broccoli is rich in vitamin C helping to protect cells and keeping them healthy
maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage.
It is also a source of vitamin K - a group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting and helping wounds to heal.
Broccoli also contains folic acid which helps the body form healthy red blood cells.
Food story
By the time your food arrives in your home, it’s already been on quite a journey starting with how it is made or grown and how your food reaches the supermarket.
So please help our food to finish its story in the most sustainable way, ensuring the planet’s resources that’s already used are put to good use. Take care of your food when it’s in your home and ensure every edible morsel is eaten - and that your food doesn’t end up in the bin!
Why not try these delicious recipes to use up Broccoli
Puff pastry transforms unappetizing left-over vegetables into a brand new dish!
Save those veg from the bottom of the fridge and give them a new lease of life in this inventive curry which is as light as it is healthy. We’ve used madras curry paste (for added kick) – you can choose your favourite. Give it an authentic touch with basmati rice, too.
A great leftover recipe that can be made with any vegetable leftovers.
