How to Choose Healthy Frozen Foods

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1Buying Frozen Produce

2Reading Frozen Meal Labels

3Purchasing Specific Frozen Items

4Making Healthy Decisions

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Tips and Warnings

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Frozen foods are a quick, easy, and reasonably priced way for busy individuals and families to eat. Buying frozen foods does not mean that you have to give up on eating a healthy and well-balanced diet. In fact, many frozen foods are actually just as nutritious as fresh foods. In order to ensure that you are making healthy decisions when selecting frozen foods, consider buying frozen produce, carefully read all of the labels, and choose well-balanced and organic options.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Buying Frozen Produce

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   Look for packages of 100% vegetables or fruits. Frozen fruits and vegetables can actually be very healthy. In fact, they can be more nutritious than fresh fruits and vegetables because they are frozen immediately after harvesting and their nutrients stay at their peak. To ensure you are buying healthy frozen produce, make sure that the only ingredient listed on the package is the vegetable or fruit.

   • For example, buy 100% corn, or 100% peas. You can also buy 100% frozen strawberries, or mango.
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   Avoid frozen vegetables with added, cheese, sauce, pasta, or rice. Some packages of frozen vegetables and fruits can include additional cheese, sauce, pasta, rice, or sugar. These packages contain more calories and more sodium.

   • For example, a cup of frozen broccoli contains 30 calories, no fat, and 20 milligrams of sodium. The same amount of frozen broccoli with cheese contains double the calories and upwards of 600 milligrams of sodium.
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   Ensure vegetables have not frozen together in a lump. When you are shopping for frozen produce feel the package and make sure that there is not a large lump or clump of frozen food attached together. This often means that the vegetables or fruit have been thawed and refrozen. When vegetables and fruits are thawed they lose some of their nutritional value.
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   Purchase frozen produce in resealable bags. Resealable bags can help prevent freezer burn or ice crystals developing on the produce. This can impact both the taste and nutritional value of the produce.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Reading Frozen Meal Labels

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   Choose meals with fewer ingredients. When you are shopping for frozen meals, it is extremely important that you read the list of ingredients. As a general rule the fewer the ingredients, the better. If you are looking at a package and see a lot of unrecognizable scientific terms, then the meal is probably highly processed and high in added sugars.
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   Look for meals with identifiable ingredients. When you are reading the label of a frozen food package, you want to see identifiable foods. For example, a meal that lists “corn, rice, chicken, soy sauce, and olive oil” does not contain a lot of processed foods. This means that will be relatively healthy in comparison to some of the more processed options with lots of added chemicals and sugars.
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   Avoid saturated and trans fats. You should avoid purchasing frozen meals that contain more than 2 grams of saturated fats. It is also recommended that you avoid all meals that contain trans fats. Read through the ingredients list carefully to ensure that there are no trans fats. Companies can state 0 trans fats on the box as long as there are 0.5 grams or less of trans fats. That may mean that some meals that are advertised as having no trans fats actually include trace amounts of trans fats.

   • For example, if you see the ingredient “partially hydrogenated oil” on the ingredient list then the product does contain trace amounts of trans fat. Avoid all meals with partially hydrogenated fats and oils listed on the ingredients.
   • Instead, look for olive oils and canola oils on ingredients lists. These are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
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   Look for low-sodium options. Many frozen meals are extremely high in sodium content and some meals have well over 1,000 milligrams of sodium per serving. An average healthy person should not consume more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. This means that some frozen meals contain approximately half of the daily sodium intake. In order to make a healthy choice, look for meals that contain no more than 600 milligrams of sodium.
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   Pick meals that contain 350 to 500 calories. When you are shopping for frozen meals, you may notice that some products boast that they contain less than 200 calories per meal. Although this may seem healthy, it is deceiving. A meal that contains less than 200 calories is actually just a snack and does not include enough nutrients and vitamins to equate to a meal.

   • If you select one of these low calorie options you are more likely to indulge in an unhealthy snack later on in the day.
   • You can supplement these meals by preparing a vegetable- or grain-based side dish to make a well balanced meal. Other healthy side options include a green salad, a piece of fruit like an orange or banana, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Purchasing Specific Frozen Items

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   Buy frozen fish. Frozen protein such as fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids is another healthy option for frozen meal planning. For example, you can buy fish that was frozen immediately after it was caught. This allows the fish to maintain its nutritional value and flavour.

   • Frozen fish that has been fried or breaded is less healthy than fresh frozen fish.
   • Choose frozen fish that has a low mercury content. For example, choose salmon or tilapia.
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   Select healthy frozen desserts. The frozen food aisle in a grocery store also contains a number of frozen dessert options. Frozen desserts can contain a few healthy options. For example, avoid selecting a large tub of ice cream that contains a lot of added sugars. Instead, look for low calorie frozen yogurts. You can also find popsicles made with real fruit or dairy-free sorbet.

   • Look for single-serving desserts rather than big cartons of ice cream. Look for products with about 100 calories per serving, like small ice cream sandwiches or fruit popsicles.
3. 
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   Find a healthy frozen pizza. Frozen pizzas are a popular meal option and come in a wide variety of flavors. They also vary in health content. When you are shopping for a frozen pizza, look for a one with a thin, whole grain crust. You should avoid pizzas that contain extra cheese and always pay attention to the serving size on the food label when you are shopping.

   • For example, a pizza that may look like a single serving may actually contain multiple servings.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Healthy Decisions

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   Find well balanced meals. If you need to rely on frozen meals, make sure that you choose a meal that is well-balanced, equivalent to a home-cooked meal. For example, the product should contain ½ cup of fruits or vegetables, ½ cup of grains and some form of protein source that is approximately 14-21 grams. You should also look for products with at least 5 grams of fiber.

   • If the frozen meal you prefer does not contain enough vegetables, you can always supplement it by preparing your own fresh vegetables.
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   Look for organic, vegetarian, or gluten-free options. You can find frozen foods that are organic, gluten-free and vegetarian to suit your dietary needs. These specialty items are typically labeled on the package. Organic labels refer to the way in which food was grown and processed. These meals can be healthier because they often include ingredients such as grass-fed beef or wild salmon.
3. 
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   Check that your options are healthy. When you buy frozen foods that are labelled organic, you should still read the ingredients carefully to avoid high sodium and fat content. Some organic frozen food options can be unhealthy because they contain a lot of sodium.

   • The same is true when buying vegetarian and gluten-free options. In order to enhance the flavours, these meals can often contain a lot of cheese, and high sodium sauces.
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Tips

• Frozen fruits and vegetables can last up to two months after being opened.
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• Frozen foods are often less expensive than their fresh counterparts.
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• Use frozen fruits to create smoothies. They are super easy and delicious.
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Warnings

• Avoid eating frozen meals on a daily basis. Although they are fast, convenient, and healthier options do exist, they often contain far more unhealthy fat and sodium than home-cooking.
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