If You’re Gonna Buy Frozen Meals, Here’s What You Should Be Getting

@evolfoods

If you’ve ever read the ingredient list on a frozen meal, you know that it’s likely packed with sodium, added sugars and random ingredients you’ve never heard of. But when you settle on a frozen meal for dinner, you eat it anyway because you want something easy and you’re  in no mood to cook.

We’re not here to scold you for choosing a frozen meal over an elaborately prepared meal. We’re here to tell you that if you’re planning to buy frozen meals, there are good options out there.

The Guidelines

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium per day for the average adult while the maximum amount of sugar per day is 37.5g for men and 25g for women. Fat can be tricky, so a good rule of thumb is to have no more than .5 g per pound of your body weight in fat each day. So if you weigh 180 pounds, you can eat up to 90g. But really what you should be looking out for is nasty saturated fat, which you should consume as little as possible each day. As for calories? Your weight, height and dietary goals are all factors in determining your recommended daily calorie count. Consult with your doctor on a healthy target range and you can use a calorie calculator if you want a ballpark estimate.

With that information in mind, we’re focusing on frozen meals that fit the following criteria for an acceptable frozen meal:

• • Less than 700 mg of sodium
  • Little to no added sugar
  • Less than 5g of saturated fat
  • At least 8g of protein
  • No more than 600 calories

Here are our picks:

1. Evol Fire Grilled Steak

A post shared by EVOL Foods (@evolfoods) on Apr 14, 2017 at 9:29am PDT

Nutrition: 400 calories, 18g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 20g protein, 8g fiber, 520 mg sodium
Ingredients: Steak, black beans, cilantro-lime rice, roasted red and green bell peppers and cheddar cheese with a cilantro-lime pesto
Main pro: With 20g of protein, you’re guaranteed to be satisfied.

2. Healthy Choice Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

Wikimedia

Nutrition: 270 calories, 6g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 16g protein, 6g fiber, 560 mg sodium
Ingredients: Italian sausage, rotini pasta, tomato marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese
Main pro: It’s low in saturated fat while high in protein! Pretty good for a pasta dish.

3. Saffron Road Chicken Biryani

A post shared by Saffron Road Food (@saffronroadfood) on Oct 9, 2012 at 8:36am PDT

Nutrition: 420 calories, 13g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 19g protein, 3g fiber, 630 mg sodium
Ingredients: Chicken, basmati rice, caramelized onions and Biryani spices
Main pro: HOLY protein!!!

4. Lean Cuisine Spa Collection Sesame Stir Fry with Chicken

A post shared by Lean Cuisine (@leancuisine) on Oct 17, 2016 at 7:01am PDT

Nutrition: 280 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 21g protein, 6g fiber, 650 mg sodium
Ingredients: Sesame breaded chicken tenderloins, pasta, green beans and red peppers
Main pro: For a breaded-protein meal, the calorie count is low without having a ton of sodium.

5. Amy’s Brown Rice & Vegetable Bowl

A post shared by Amy’s Kitchen (@amyskitchen) on Feb 15, 2016 at 11:32am PST

Nutrition: 260 calories, 9g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 9g protein, 5g fiber, 550 mg sodium
Ingredients: Organic tofu, brown rice and vegetables
Main pro: Healthy vegan option!