Time to speed-dial for pizza again? Not if you have your freezer stocked with healthy meals
By Stephanie Thurrott
Maybe you don’t have time to shop for fresh basil and pine nuts to make pesto from scratch. Maybe you don’t know the difference between a soufflé and a sauté. Or maybe you’re taking a well-deserved night off from cooking. You still need to eat. And you don’t have to turn to high-calorie, high-fat takeout or delivery.
Armed with the right information, spend a few minutes in the frozen-foods section of your grocery store. You’ll come out with a stockpile of healthy meals that are ready to eat in less time than it takes to find that coupon for the pizza shop.
“I think that healthy frozen entrées can be the start to a great meal,” says Suzanne Henson, M.S., R.D., UAB EatRight coordinator. But freezer offerings run the gamut from Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® shrimp marinara with linguine (200 calories, 0 g saturated fat, 590 mg sodium) to Boston Market’s meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy (670 calories, 18 g saturated fat, 1,900 mg sodium).
Here are some tips for top choices.
Beyond a bite. Many frozen meals come in 6- or 7-ounce servings—hardly enough for a satisfying meal. “Add extra vegetables or a little fruit to round it out,” Henson says. “You’ll feel more full with foods that have lots of water and fiber but few calories.” Henson’s nutrient-boosting tips:
- Add fresh or frozen vegetables (without sauce) to the entrée before heating. It’s easy if you keep a bag of shredded carrots on hand.
- Pair a chopped tomato, a bowl of grape tomatoes or a side salad with your meal. Prewashed, bagged lettuce makes salad prep simple.
- Have a small piece of fruit or a bowl of mixed fruit (not packed in syrup) for dessert.
So-so sodium. Watch the sodium content when you’re choosing frozen meals, since sodium is linked with high blood pressure. Look for meals with 650 mg or less. If you choose higher-sodium meals, be sure any side dishes you add are low in sodium. Because canned vegetables are often higher in sodium, Henson suggests choosing fresh or frozen options instead.
Saturated fat. Many frozen meals serve up more than the recommended 3 to 4 g of saturated fat. Henson’s advice is to check the label, especially on cheesy dishes and those with rich sauces. Meals promoted as “healthy” should be good choices—the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that foods making this claim really are lower in saturated fat and sodium.
Carb control. If you’re counting carbs, particularly if you are managing diabetes, check the label. Many frozen foods are heavy on rice, pasta or potatoes, and you can quickly exceed the carb level you’re aiming for. Watch for the type of carbs as well. Lean Cuisine® and other brands are adding healthier, whole-grain options—such as whole-wheat pasta and brown rice—to their selections. And some Weight Watchers selections offer larger low-fat meat selections for people boosting protein in place of carbs.
Portion explosion. While many frozen meals are relatively small, some are large—so large, in fact, that the nutrition information lists the amounts for two or more servings. If you plan on eating the whole thing (and who isn’t?) do the math to see how much sodium, fat and calories you’re really getting.
Organic options. Don’t assume because something is “organic” or “all-natural” that it’s a healthier choice. Cheese made from the milk of an organic-grain-fed, hormone-free cow still has saturated fat, and organic choices also may be high in sodium and fat.
What About the Kids?
The baby sitter is coming in 15 minutes and your kids are clamoring for dinner. Stock your freezer with some healthy options for guilt-free, kid-friendly dining.
“If parents are relying on frozen entrées, there are frozen pizzas with whole-wheat crusts and a good amount of vegetables that also have a taste kids might enjoy,” says Suzanne Henson, M.S., R.D., UAB EatRight coordinator.
Be wary of the Kid Cuisine® line—most choices are loaded with fat and sodium, though the cheese pizza dinner is a healthier option. Lean Cuisine® also has some healthier pizzas as well as that perennial kid fave—mac and cheese.
And the round-it-out tips for adults work for kids as well—get your kids in the habit of adding a handful of baby carrots, a side of celery sticks or a favorite fruit to the heat-and-eat dinner.