Yesterday was the birthday of a food item that's probably a staple in your freezer: The frozen pea. According to USA Today, frozen peas were invented 56 years ago by Clarence Birdseye and have been packing a nutritional punch on the plates of Americans ever since. Here are some things you should know about frozen peas:

• They're more nutritious than canned peas -- and better tasting, if you ask me.
  
• They're multi-functional -- not only can you eat them, you can use them to ice a sports injury.
  
• They're very good for you -- they have lots of fibre and nutrients and more protein than most vegetables.
  
• They're easy to cook. Steam them in the microwave or on the stove.
  
• They keep for a long time, so you can stash them in your freezer and break them out whenever you're in need of a quick, nutritious side dish.
  
  

How do you like your peas?