Nutritionists share the frozen foods you should avoid at all costs and which quick and healthy options they choose to eat.
Frozen foods to avoid at all costs
Frozen waffles or pasta are go-to favorites when you’re on a time crunch in the morning or evening. These guilty pleasures, like other frozen foods, allow you to eat without the hassle of cooking. However, the nutritional content can be lacking or leaning toward too much sodium or fat. These guilty pleasures, like other frozen foods, allow you to eat without the hassle of cooking. However, the nutritional content can be lacking or leaning toward too much sodium or fat
These guilty pleasures, like other frozen food, allow you to eat without the hassle of cooking. However, the nutritional content can be lacking or leaning toward too much sodium or fat
Pasta dishes
Those ready-made spaghetti Bolognese and creamy pasta dishes are comfort foods at their finest, but they’re not the best for your body. Skip the frozen dishes, which tend to be loaded with sodium and fat, and throw your own healthy pasta recipe together, suggests Jodi Greebel, RDN, pediatric dietitian and founder of Citrition. Not only is boiling pasta quick and easy, but you also have more control over what goes into the sauce and sides. Load yours up with nutritious veggies for a healthier twist on your guilty-pleasure pasta. To start, give this healthy spaghetti recipe a try.
Fruity breakfasts
Don’t be fooled by the fruit in items like blueberry pancakes and strawberry waffles. “Parents think that because there is fruit in them they must be healthy,” says Greebel. Au contraire. The berries speckled through these carb-heavy breakfast items are far down the ingredient list—way below sugar—making these treats high in sugar and sodium, but low in the nutrients you were looking for, like fiber. You’re better off adding a healthy handful of fresh or frozen berries to the top of plain frozen pancakes and waffles, says Greebel.
Stir-fries
Frozen Chinese foods like stir-fry or beef with broccoli are loaded with sodium, thanks in part to the sauces they come in. Luckily, a healthier version is just as easy and freezer-friendly. Buy a pack of plain frozen veggies—some stores even sell stir-fry vegetables without the sauce—and throw them in your pan with chicken or beef, suggests Greebel. Use just a bit of low-sodium soy or teriyaki sauce to keep the salt to a minimum.
Breakfast sandwiches
No matter how much time they save you at breakfast time, those frozen egg sandwiches shouldn’t be your go-to morning meal. You’re loading up on sodium and additives instead of some plain protein-packed eggs. Breakfast sandwiches are “almost as quick to assemble on your own and so much healthier,” says Greebel. If you don’t have a minute to spare in the morning rush, do your breakfast prep work over the weekend and make some egg muffin cups, suggests Bowerman. You can even freeze them for later, popping them in the microwave before you head out the door.
Two-serving meals
When you’re looking for a quick and healthy single-serving dinner, buyer beware: Some frozen foods look reasonable in calories, fat, and sodium at first glance, but they’re actually two servings disguised as one. Double-check the portion size before you dig in to make sure you’re not biting off more than you’d want to chew. Swap the poser out for a single-serving meal, or set half aside for leftovers.
Smoothie base mixes
Smoothies can start your morning on the right foot with an immediate serving (or more) of fruit, but be careful when shopping for base mix in the frozen aisle. Those that are just portioned-out fruit and veggie mixes are A-OK, but others don’t deserve their health halo, RD, director of worldwide nutrition education and training at Herbalife Nutrition. “Some are just a ‘base mix’ for your smoothie, which means they have no fruit at all, but instead are loaded with sugars, gums, flavorings, etc.,” says Bowerman. She recommends skipping those mixes and hunting down another freezer aisle staple: whole, unsweetened fruits. Add some veggies if you’d like, along with protein powder and milk (dairy or non-dairy), for a healthier start to the day. Curious about other dairy substitutes?
Waffles
You don’t need to let go of your waffles entirely, but if frozen waffles are a big part of your diet, you’ll want to consider making an update. Whip up a big batch of homemade waffles with whole grain flour and protein powder, suggests Bowerman. The fiber-rich
Low-protein veggie burgers
Skipping the traditional cheeseburger for a meatless option can be better for your belly and the planet, but there’s a catch. “A lot of people look at all plant-based burgers as healthy protein substitutes, but many of them are much higher in carbohydrates and fat than protein,” says Ilana Muhlstein, RD, creator of the 2B Mindset nutrition program. “Protein is important for keeping us full and preventing overeating.” Leave it on the shelf if the nutrition facts say just five grams of protein, and hunt down another veggie patty with ten grams or more, she suggests.