If you feel like you’re carrying extra weight from months of quarantining, you might want to consider giving frozen meals a try. They can be a good option when you're trying to lose weight (like that “quarantine 15”) and are too busy to shop and cook — and despite what you may have heard, they can be nutritious, too. “Frozen meals can absolutely offer a healthy option for any meal throughout the day,” says Atlanta-based Kristen Smith, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and creator of 360 Family Nutrition.
While you may be drawn to comfort food during these tense pandemic times, frozen meals can help you stick to healthier fare and avoid overfilling your plate. “What I love most is that frozen meals contain built-in portion control — that is important for many people,” says Amy Shapiro, RDN, founder of Real Nutrition in New York City.
There are other perks if you make healthy choices. "They’re easier and healthier than ordering in, because takeaway can have more fat and sodium than you might have planned on,” Shapiro says, adding that frozen meals can be loaded with important vegetables that provide valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Getting ample veggies is a good thing: A review published in May 2017 in the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology found that plant-based diets may help treat and possibly prevent obesity.
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Plus, they don’t require you to have to do any complicated nutrition tabulations. “Frozen meals provide an option that takes the guesswork out of calculating calories and other macronutrients, and lower-calorie frozen meals provide a convenient, calorie-controlled option that may aid with weight loss,” adds Smith.
Here are top choices from the freezer case.
Kashi Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl
Calling all quinoa fans! This bowl from Kashi features a bed of quinoa and brown rice with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and kale piled on top. If you aren’t a fan of quinoa yet, know this: While quinoa is technically a seed, it’s classified as a whole grain, and it is a good source of plant protein and fiber, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Fiber, which adds bulk to your diet and promotes fullness, according to MedlinePlus, is jam-packed into this meal, with 12 grams (g), making it an excellent source of the nutrient. “Look for meals with at least 5 g of fiber to help keep you full,” advises Carol Aguirre RDN, owner of Nutrition Connections in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A heads-up: The meal contains 270 calories, and Aguirre recommends that most people aim for roughly 350 to 600 calories per meal. Pair this option with a plant-based side dish to up your calories and protein, so you’re not hungry an hour later.
Calories: 270
Fat: 6 g
Sodium: 280 milligrams (mg)
Carbohydrates: 48 g
Protein: 9 g
Total sugar: 11 g (4 g from added sugar)
Fiber: 12 g
Performance Kitchen Mediterranean-Style Salmon Pasta
You get to reap all the health benefits of salmon with this frozen meal, courtesy of Performance Kitchen. Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids, which according to the Mayo Clinic, offer a number of health perks, from making your blood less likely to form clots to helping decrease your triglyceride levels (a fat in your blood). Salmon also provides protein — and this meal has a lot of it, with 25 g, making it an excellent source. And the amount of protein in your meal is important. “Ideally a meal should have 15 grams of protein per serving,” says Aguirre. Eating protein from healthy sources like salmon can decrease your odds of developing diseases and an early death, per the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Calories: 460
Fat: 27 g
Sodium: 480 mg
Carbs: 31 g
Protein: 25 g
Total sugar: 4 g
Fiber: 5 g
Saffron Road Thai Red Curry Chicken
This Thai curry dish via Saffron Road comes loaded with flavor — and nutrition. Win-win! The red peppers and green beans deliver fiber and vitamins, while the chicken ups the meal’s protein. And though the fiber is on the lower side, there’s a fix for that. “Don’t stress if the frozen meal does not contain an adequate amount of veggies — you can always add raw veggies, like carrots or broccoli, or a small salad on the side,” says Smith. For example, try pairing this meal with a walnut-topped salad, since walnuts contain both protein and fiber, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), or a piece of fruit.
Calories: 350
Fat: 13 g
Sodium: 580 mg
Carbs: 45 g
Protein: 14 g
Total sugar: 5 g
Fiber: 1 g
Evol Foods Balance Bowl
If you love ordering grain bowls, consider an at-home version by Evol Foods. It’s made with grilled chicken, red rice, and ½ cup of vegetables (including asparagus) in a basil pesto sauce. And it falls in the nutritionist-approved sodium range. “Try to stick with frozen meals that contain less than 700 mg of sodium per serving,” advises Smith. “If you have been given a more severe sodium restriction, try to find a frozen meal closer to 500 mg per serving and limit yourself to only one frozen meal per day.” Decreasing your sodium may help lower your blood pressure or prevent you from developing high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA recommends no more than 1,500 mg of sodium for most adults, especially those with high blood pressure. To up this meal’s protein, try topping your bowl with a hard-boiled egg (6.2 g protein, according to the USDA) and ½ cup of broccoli for extra fiber (2.8 g, according to the USDA).
Calories: 460
Fat: 27 g
Sodium: 350 mg
Carbs: 43 g
Protein: 13 g
Total sugar: 4 g
Fiber: 3 g
Daily Harvest Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Hash Harvest Bowl
You’ll get your fill of veggies from this Daily Harvest bowl, which comes with tomato, avocado, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms, plus beans and wild rice. Shapiro loves Daily Harvest, a company that delivers ready-to-make meals made with whole foods, for their simple and veggie-forward ingredient list. “I love to encourage individuals to enjoy frozen meals that are filled with plants,” says Shapiro, adding that Daily Harvest offers everything from smoothies to harvest bowls to flatbreads, and it is all organic and vegan. Because this meal doesn’t hit that 15 g protein target, think about adding more beans or an animal protein.
Calories: 310
Fat: 9 g
Sodium: 390 mg
Carbs: 49 g
Protein: 12 g
Total sugar: 12 g
Fiber: 10 g
Amy’s Mexican-Inspired Veggies and Black Beans
This dish from Amy’s Kitchen delivers on veggies: Zucchini, sweet potatoes, and corn on a bed of riced cauliflower make it a fiber-packed pick. The meal has a simple ingredient list as well, which is key, says Shapiro. “Just because the nutrition facts label looks good doesn't mean there aren't unhealthy ingredients included like artificial sweeteners, stabilizers, and fillers,” she cautions. Be sure to always check a frozen meal’s ingredient list. Because this dish doesn’t reach 15 g of protein, you might want to consider adding another source, like leftover grilled chicken, or if you’re vegetarian or vegan, consider sprinkling on cashews, which may complement the dish’s chipotle and cashew cream sauce.
Calories: 270
Fat: 10 g
Sodium: 580 mg
Carbs: 36 g
Protein: 9 g
Total sugar: 8 g (no added sugar)
Fiber: 7 g
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Lean Cuisine Korean-Style Rice and Vegetables Bowl
You’ll get ample fiber (7 g) from this Lean Cuisine bowl that contains 1 whole cup of veggies, including shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, and kale. You’ll also score protein from the edamame soybeans, which are considered a healthy plant-based protein source, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. To up the protein total of 12 g, you may want to add tofu, which Harvard describes as another health-promoting protein source.
Calories: 370
Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Carbs: 64 g
Protein: 12 g
Total sugar: 7 g
Fiber: 7 g
Green Giant California-Style Harvest Protein Bowl
Though this bowl by Green Giant also doesn’t contain meat, you’ll still receive big rewards when it comes to the protein content (14 g). The dish includes edamame soybeans, lentils, sunflower seeds, and quinoa, which all provide protein; plus veggies including grilled red bell peppers, corn, carrots, peas, and kale. Also, this meal has only 1.5 g of saturated fat. “Ideally you’ll want no more than 5 g of saturated fat,” says Shapiro. Overall, the less fat, the better. According to MedlinePlus, saturated fat is an unhealthy fat that in excess can harm the heart.
Calories: 280
Fat: 8 g
Sodium: 530 mg
Carbs: 40 g
Protein: 14 g
Total sugar: 7 g
Fiber: 9 g
Gardein Chick’n Fajita Bowl
Not only is this vegan fajita bowl from Gardein on the lower end of the sodium spectrum, but it also contains a solid amount of protein (15 g, for an excellent source). What’s more, you’ll land 4 g of fiber, thanks in part to the black beans. According to North Dakota State Universit, beans are a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, and per the Mayo Clinic, a high-fiber diet can help you maintain a healthy weight. To get an even bigger fiber punch from this meal, top the dish with avocado slices: Half an avocado contains 5 g of fiber, which is a good source, according to the USDA.
Calories: 250
Fat: 3.5 g
Sodium: 360 mg
Carbs: 41 g
Protein: 15 g
Total sugar: 7 g
Fiber: 4 g
Healthy Choice Barbecue Seasoned Steak With Red Potatoes
You get the decadent taste of barbecue steak, plus an impressive 16 g of protein, an excellent source, for only 300 calories in total with this Healthy Choice meal. To get the fiber up to the 5 g mark, think about adding a plant-based side, like green beans (1 cup contains almost 4 g of fiber, for a good source, according to the USDA). Also worth noting: The meal’s whiskey BBQ sauce adds flavor but also increases the sugar total. Shapiro advises looking for meals that are less than 11 g of sugar, and the American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 g of added sugar per day. So if you do go for this option, you’ll likely want to skip dessert.
Calories: 300
Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Carbs: 49 g
Protein: 16 g
Total sugar: 16 g (all from added sugar)
Fiber: 4 g
Kelly Kennedy, RDN, LDN
Medical Reviewer
Kelly Kennedy is a licensed dietitian-nutritionist with over 14 years of experience in digital media. She previously managed and oversaw nutrition content, recipe development, meal planning, and diet and nutrition coaching at Everyday Health. She developed and reviewed various meal plans, books, slideshows, and online tools, and oversaw the creation of more than 500 unique recipes. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a master's degree from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.
Kennedy enjoys anything that takes her outside, from gardening and playing in the yard with her kids to hiking and even feeding her pet chickens.
