Nutrition labels are key to helping you select foods that are healthy for you and your family. The labels on frozen entrees may give you something of a surprise. I know they did me.
Frozen entrees can be divided into three categories. The really bad, the semi bad and acceptable. All of them have far more sodium than is strictly healthy, which is why I haven't found an edible one that falls into the excellent category. I understand why it's there...sodium is a preservative. We just consume too much of it.
The Really Bad: Individual entrees containing 700 to 1500 calories in one meal are immediately off my list of wise dining. This is even more true when the calories from fat are 22 percent of your daily quota...or more. The real kicker for me, however, is the sodium content. 1300mgs is far too much for one meal. If you have heart problems or blood pressure issues, it's over your daily limit. The same goes for the fat and cholesterol content.
The Semi Bad: Many manufacturers are cutting back on the fat and sodium in their regular entrees. The numbers are still high, but if you're otherwise healthy having one occasionally isn't such a bad thing. With an average calorie count of about 450, the biggest problems these entrees pose is with fat, cholesterol and sodium. For a healthy adult, once in a while, they're ok.
The Acceptable: Thankfully, food manufacturers are noticing that we are gravitating towards a more heart healthy diet, and several have come out with lines of entrees. Calories are mitigated, fat substituted and the biggest drawback they pose tends to be sodium. I will have to admit that some of the recipes could use a little work, but they taste decent, they're affordable and they're a great improvement over the lunch truck.
There is an alternative to the storebought TV dinner. We can actually make our own, something I've been doing for years. On the days I have time and feel like cooking, I'll make either a really big batch of dinner or several smaller entrees. I label them, complete with dates and stick them in the refrigerator. Some of them are done in individual portions and some are family sized.
Doing that has several advantages. You know what you like, so finding a weird taste is unlikely. You know what you put in it, so you know it's healthy. On top of that, it's a lot cheaper.
The answer to the question about frozen TV dinners is complex, but hopefully this information will help you make an informed decision on the frozen food aisle.
