There’s a scene in the film “Bullitt” where the star, Steve McQueen, goes into his neighbourhood grocery store, walks to the frozen food case and stacks six frozen dinners. Heading to the checkout, he has finished his weekly grocery shopping in a matter of seconds. Cool.
But it’s not so cool if you’re concerned about calories, fat consumption and sodium in your diet. And everyone should be.
The convenience of frozen dinners is undeniable. In minutes you have a hot, tasty dish and no pots and pans to clean. Healthier entrees that cater to the calorie-conscious are widely available and they are generally a better choice than high-fat fast food.
But it doesn’t mean you can stack six of ‘em and have a healthy diet. You should limit your frozen meals to one or two per week. And there’s one way to make better frozen dinner choices.
Read The Label
Even if you choose only “healthy” frozen entrees, you need to be aware of what you’re eating and how one entree compares to another of the same variety from a different manufacturer.
Check the labels below. On the left is the nutrition label from Lean Cuisine’s Glazed Chicken and on the right is the label for the same dish from Michelina’s “Harmony” line. Note that both labels refer to almost identical serving sizes of 225g and 227g respectively.
- Calories – Lean Cuisine has 27% fewer calories
- Fat – Both entrees are identical
- Cholesterol – Lean Cuisine has 33% less cholesterol
- Sodium – Michelina’s has 39% less sodium
- Carbohydrates – Lean Cuisine has 36% less carbohydrates
- Protein – Lean Cuisine has 15% more protein
- Vitamins and Minerals – Michelina’s has:
○ 25% less Iron
○ 200% more Vitamin A
○ 275% more Vitamin C
○ 50% more Calcium
Once you read the label, you see that they are not the same dishes at all. We tend to put an emphasis on calories, and Lean Cuisine comes out on top there. But if your priority is to reduce sodium in your diet, Michelina’s is the way to go.
There is one thing in common with most frozen entrees, especially the “healthier” choices. In an effort to reduce the calories in a serving, the serving size is reduced. It means that you can still feel hungry after a meal.
A good option is to add your own vegetables, raw on the side or cooked and mixed in with your dish, to help satisfy your hunger without adding significant calories. There are other healthy ways to get more from your frozen entrees and your nutritional counsellor will help you choose the right ones.
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