The Freezer Seafood You Should Absolutely Skip At Costco

When preparing a meal for yourself or your family after a long day, convenience is probably big on your mind. Sure, you want to enjoy a tasty, wholesome recipe that is just as good for your health as it is for your taste buds. However, slaving over a hot stove and working through a laborious meal prep process will most likely be the last thing on your to-do list.

If you're a member of Costco, you know their expansive frozen food selection is a real hero at times like this. The warehouse retailer's cold and frozen food section of the website features a variety of tasty seafood offerings, such as breaded fish sticks, farm-raised shrimp, Chilean sea bass, and so much more. The store also features a nice selection of frozen salmon, which is the perfect meal when seeking something tasty and nutritious. The key to keeping these selections fresh is the flash-freezing process, which many retailers use to preserve seafood and other products.

Food manufacturers rely on complex freezing processes to ensure their products remain fresh for as long as possible while in storage. Manufacturing.net provides insight into the best practices for freezing food, such as the speed at which items are frozen. To maintain the best possible quality, foods must be frozen rapidly to prevent their water content from crystalizing and rupturing cells. Additionally, foods should be subject to freezing at their peak freshness before they begin to degrade. With seafood and other animal-derived products, the best time for freezing is immediately after the raw item has been processed.

Of course, using the right freezing methods is about more than just quality. As stated by the USDA, frozen seafood can maintain its safety "indefinitely," meaning it will not contribute to foodborne illness or other issues when prepared correctly by the manufacturer. However, the agency does add that the "flavor and texture" of seafood will decrease in long-term storage. As a result, you may want to hit Costco's fresh fish counter the next time you're planning a seafood meal.

The Wild Alaskan Company touts a few of the commonly stated benefits of frozen fish. For example, buying frozen fish tends to be less expensive than purchasing products fresh. Also, the health benefits of seafood aren't adversely affected by flash freezing, so you can rest assured that all the essential nutrients will be available.

Despite these claims, Insider provides a different perspective on the fresh vs. frozen debate. Chef and freelance food writer Lizzy Briskin says that she relies on Costco for lots of essentials, but frozen salmon is not included in that list. She prefers the chain's fresh salmon, highlighting the potential textural issues that can arise when pre-seasoned seafood is subjected to "extended periods of freezing" and marination. Upon cooking, you may find that the fish achieves a too-soft, soggy texture, as opposed to the delightful toothsome bite you're going for. Instead, Briskin recommends buying the reasonably priced fresh salmon from the Costco counter and seasoning it on your own.