My Favorite Healthy Frozen Foods

What do you think of when you hear the words frozen food? Sodium, fat, preservatives, not-so-healthy foods? Foods for … LAZY PEOPLE?  Think again!
Frozen foods have come a long way since the days of  “Swanson Hungry Man Frozen Dinner”. Sure, some products are still loaded with fat and sodium, but now there are a lot of healthier options available. Certain frozen foods have 
become a mainstay of my diet. Read on for my favorites.

Most of us have hectic schedules and don’t have a lot of time to shop for food. The last thing you want to do when you get home is to wash, slice/dice and cook veggies …and that’s if they haven’t gone bad. And you are hungry – who wants to wait 30 minutes to cook a whole grain?  This has caused me to spend a little more time in the frozen food section. My goals were to find products that were nutritious, tasty, low in fat as well as low in sodium. And the fewer additives, the better!

Healthiest Choices 
1. Frozen veggies. Who eats the recommended 5 cups a day of fruits and veggies? Probably not many of you! Frozen veggies are a great back up plan and for the most part, they are just as nutritious as fresh. You don’t even have to dirty a pan with the newer “steam in a bag” products.
Nutritional content depends on the vegetable. Frozen broccoli, 1/2 cup = 25 calories, o gm fat, 2 gm fiber, 25 mg sodium. Ingredients: broccoli

2. Frozen fruit. Another great back-up when your favorites fruits aren’t in season. I also find they are great year round in smoothies. My current favorite is frozen cherries added to greek yogurt.
Nutritional content depends upon the fruit: Frozen cherries: 3/4 cup = 110 calories, 0 gm fat, 2 gm fiber, 0 mg sodium. Ingredients: dark sweet cherries

3. Frozen edemame. These make great snacks – low in calories, high in fiber and protein.
Nutritional content: 1/2 cup (in the pod) = 90 calories, 3 gm fat, 4 gm fiber, 0 mg sodium. Ingredients: edemame

4. Frozen Quinoa. My new fav! When I don’t feel like spending30-40 minutes cooking a whole grain,  I just pop it in the microwave and it’s done in 1 1/2 minutes. Village Harvest makes several different whole grains. Yummy.
Nutritional content = 220 calories for 1/2 the bag, 2.5 gm fat, 4 gm fiber, 20 mg sodium. Ingredients: quinoa, rice bran oil

6. Frozen buffalo burgers. Stock up on these healthy buffalo and turkey burgers and you have a lean protein ready to go to for dinner.  My local health food store carries the brand The Buffalo Guys. It is free of added antibiotics and hormones.
Nutritional content: one burger = 200 calories, 11 gm fat, 0 gm fiber, 60 mg sodium. Ingredients: buffalo meat

7.Frozen turkey burgers. My favorite brand is Applegate  because it’s free of hormones and antibiotics.
Nutritional content: one burger = 140 calories, 6 gm fat, 0 gm fiber, 55 mg sodium. Ingredients: organic turkey, organic rosemary extract

8. Salmon Filets. The fish market is often closed by the time I get out work, so Orca Bay wild salmon filets are a good backup plan.
Nutritional content: one filet = 140 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 gm fiber, 55 mg sodium. Ingredients: Keta salmon

Still healthy … but a little more processed

9. Van’s whole grain waffles. Made with whole grains – a  much healthier alternative to your standard “white” ones.
Nutritional content of  2 waffles = 150 calories, 1.5 gm fat, 6 mg fiber, 210 mg sodium. Ingredients (too long to list)
*the nutritional info on the label varies from what it says on website! I took the info from the label.

10. Asian Bistro frozen meals – Wild Salmon with organic vegetables and grains. This frozen dinner is the lowest in sodium that I have across!
Nutritional content: 1 entree = 280 calories, 6 gm fat, 4 gm fiber, 135 mg sodium. Ingredients (too long to list)

11. Kashi Steam meals. Frozen meals have come a long way. While they are processed and are still somewhat high in sodium, frozen meals have come a long way. Kashi Steam Meals are one of the healthier choices as they contain whole grains and less sodium.
Nutritional content of Roasted Garlic Chicken Farfelle: 280 calories, 9 gm fat, 4 gm fiber, 490 mg sodium. Ingredients (too long to list)

12. Alexia Sweet Potato Fries Regular fries tend to be loaded with fat because they are … fried! Looking for a treat that isn’t loaded with fat? Try these tasty sweet potato fries. Sweet potatoes contain more beta carotene than white. Also, you can pre-cook the right portion size. Count out 12 (or 28) of those little fries. No more overeating!
Nutritional content: 12 pieces = 140 calories, 5 gm fat, 3 gm fiber, 140 mg sodium. Ingredients (too long to list) 

13. Gardein 7 grain crispy tenders. I found these to meat-free nuggets to be quite tasty. Kind of like a healthy fried chicken (but  not chicken and not fried!)
Nutritional content: 2 nuggets = 100 calories, 4.5 gm fat, 1 gm fiber, 240 mg sodium. Ingredients (too long to list)

What is your favorite healthy frozen food? Or maybe your not-so-healthy favorite frozen food?