When you can’t be bothered to prepare a difficult meal, frozen foods might be a fantastic option for a healthy lunch or dinner – provided you shop wisely. Registered dietitians explain how below.
If you feel as though you’re still carrying additional weight after months of quarantine, you may want to try frozen meals. Despite what you may have heard, they can be nutritious when you’re attempting to lose weight and are too busy to shop and cook.
In these anxious pandemic times, you may be driven to comfort food, but frozen meals can help you stick to healthy fare and prevent overeating. Amy Shapiro, RDN, founder of Real Nutrition in New York City, says, “What I enjoy most about frozen meals is that they feature built-in portion management, which is essential for many people.”
There are additional benefits to making healthy choices. “They’re more convenient and healthier than ordering in because takeout can have more fat and sodium than you may have anticipated,” says Shapiro, adding that frozen meals can be laden with veggies that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It’s beneficial to consume an abundance of vegetables: A review published in the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology in May 2017 indicated that plant-based diets may aid in the treatment and prevention of obesity.
Below are the top 5 best frozen foods that will help you lose weight
1. Kashi Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl
Calling all quinoa aficionados! This Kashi bowl contains a bed of quinoa and brown rice topped with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and greens. If you’re not a quinoa fan yet, consider the following: According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, although quinoa is technically a seed, it is considered a whole grain and is an excellent source of plant protein and fiber. According to MedlinePlus, fiber adds bulk to your diet and promotes satiety. This meal has 12 grams (g) of fiber, making it a great source of the vitamin. Carol Aguirre RDN, owner of Nutrition Connections in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, suggests eating meals with at least 5 grams of fiber to help you feel full. Aguirre suggests that the average person consume between 350 and 600 calories per meal. This dish includes 270 calories. Combine this option with a plant-based side dish to increase your caloric and protein intake, preventing hunger an hour later.
2. Performance Kitchen Mediterranean- style Salmon Pasta
With this frozen dish from Performance Kitchen, you can enjoy all of the health advantages of salmon. According to the Mayo Clinic, salmon includes omega-3 fatty acids, which provide a variety of health benefits, from reducing the likelihood of blood clots to lowering triglyceride levels (a fat in your blood). With 25 grams of protein, this dish is a good source of protein, as it contains a large amount of salmon. And the protein content of your meal is essential. Aguirre suggests that a meal should contain 15 grams of protein per serving. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, consuming protein from healthy sources such as salmon can reduce your risk of disease and premature mortality.
3. Amy’s Mexican- Inspired Veggies And Black Beans
This dish from Amy’s Kitchen is filled with vegetables: zucchini, sweet potatoes, and corn over a bed of cauliflower rice making it a high-fiber option. The importance of the meal’s short ingredient list. “Just because the nutrition facts label looks fine does not indicate that there are no dangerous components like artificial sweeteners, stabilizers, and fillers,” she warns. Always examine the ingredient list when purchasing frozen meals. Because this recipe lacks 15 grams of protein, you may wish to add another source, such as leftover grilled chicken, or if you’re vegetarian or vegan, cashews, which may complement the chipotle and cashew cream sauce.
4. Lean Cuisine Korean- Style Rice And Vegetables Bowl
This Lean Cuisine bowl with 1 cup of vegetables, including shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, and kale, offers 7 grams of fiber. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, edamame soybeans are an excellent source of plant-based protein. To increase the protein content to 12 grams, you may wish to include tofu, which Harvard identifies as a healthful protein source.
5. Green Giant California- Style Harvest Protein Bowl
Despite the fact that this Green Giant bowl is also vegetarian, you will still obtain a substantial amount of protein (14 g). The recipe contains protein-rich edamame, lentils, sunflower seeds, and quinoa, as well as vegetables like grilled red bell peppers, maize, carrots, peas, and kale. Additionally, this meal contains only 1.5 grams of saturated fat. It is recommended to consume no more than 5 grams of saturated fat per day. Overall, less fat is preferable.Saturated fat is an unhealthy fat that can affect the heart when consumed in excess.
If you feel as though you’re carrying additional weight after months of quarantine, you may want to try frozen meals. Despite what you may have heard, they can also be nutritious when you’re attempting to lose weight and are too busy to shop and cook. “Frozen meals can provide a nutritious option for every meal of the day.”Lower-calorie frozen meals offer a handy, calorie-controlled choice that may help with weight loss, and they remove the guesswork of calculating calories and other macronutrients.