Are Healthy Choice meals good for you? Frozen meals have long been a mainstay of the modern, fast-paced lifestyle where there is simply no time to cook. Traditionally, the problem that most of them have had is that they are extremely unhealthy, full of fat, and in many cases simply do not taste good. In recent years, several companies have come out with alternative TV dinners that are aimed at the health-conscious crowd, as ConAgra has done with its line of Healthy Choice frozen dinners. Today we’ll be breaking down these frozen meals to determine whether or not they have a place in a healthy lifestyle.
Varieties of Healthy Choice Dinners
Healthy Choice offers frozen meals in several different lines.
- Select Entrees – Select entrees are based on traditional meals such as Salisbury steak or turkey medallions that are designed to contain plenty of protein and fiber while being low in fat.
- Complete Meals – Complete Meals all include at least 5 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein, a full serving of vegetables, and a fruit-based dessert. Their main selling point in terms of their health value is that they have been certified by the American Heart Association.
- Cafe Steamers – Cafe Steamers include a steamer tray for a non-traditional cooking method that intends to preserve the fresh taste of the ingredients. They offer Mediterranean and Asian-inspired varieties.
- Steaming Entrees – These meals are smaller-sized portions of food that have large chunks of ingredients that stand out. They are intended to be eaten for lunch, hence their smaller size.
- All Natural – All natural meals aim to preserve the freshness of the ingredients while including plenty of fiber, antioxidants, and olive oil. They also offer vegetarian options.
Dependence on Pasta
One common thread that flows through almost every Healthy choice meal is the dependence on pasta. This is done because people like pasta, pasta is cheap, and pasta is low in fat. In the 1980s and 1990s, the health industry became fixated on the concept of fat being bad for you. When this happened, a large portion of fat and sugar in the diet was replaced with sugar and starch. Somehow, obesity levels rose even more quickly.
The problem wasn’t dietary fat then any more than dietary carbohydrates are the problem now. The problem is that we are, more and more, consuming highly processed, refined foodstuffs that do not contain much actual nutrition. A diet full of vegetables, whole grains, and healthy meat is a much more balanced way to eat. Unfortunately, the majority of Healthy Choice options are filled with sugar and starch.
Can You Call Them A Meal?
One thing that defines Healthy Choice frozen dinners, as well as similarly marketed tv dinners, is that they are very low in calories. When you want to eat healthy, you obviously don’t want to overindulge, so the idea of a healthy, low-calorie meal is sound. When it comes to Healthy Choice meals, they take this a little too far.
Most Healthy Choice TV dinners contain between 250 and 350 calories, with a few outliers that contain a little less or a little more. Unfortunately, for most of us, this simply is not enough calories to be satisfied with the meal. This makes it more likely that you will either still be hungry after eating it or will be even hungrier when your next mealtime arrives. This can make it more difficult to lose weight.
Salt, Salt Everywhere
It’s common knowledge that processed food, in particular frozen meals, are loaded with sodium. The amount of sodium per meal varies somewhat depending on which meal you choose, but the number hovers around 600 mg or so.
When you take into account that the American Heart Association recommends that adults consume no more than 2,300 mg per day and many have argued that that number should be a much lower 1,500 mg per day, 600 mg of sodium or more per meal is just too high. High levels of sodium in the diet contribute to water retention and high blood pressure.
Verdict
I’ve sampled several varieties, and while some of them are very tasty and I really like the idea behind their All Natural line, I think there are still some things that need to be addressed. While they are certainly fast, easy, and convenient, I can’t recommend Healthy Choice frozen meals as a dietary staple for a few important reasons.
- First, while some of them have a respectable amount of dietary fiber, they tend to be based primarily around pasta, which is made up primarily of simple carbohydrates. I would like to see something a little more balanced, with more meat and vegetables in relation to the pasta.
- Second, and I realize this goes against the idea of a “healthy” meal, they are too small to make a satisfying meal and don’t contain enough calories in order for me to consider them a full meal. Most of them are between 250 and 400 calories, and a meal should be more like 400 to 600, even for someone who wants to lose weight.
- Finally, and this is true of most processed, prepackaged, and frozen meal products, the level of sodium is simply too high for what you get.
Overall, there are certainly much less healthy things that you could eat than Healthy Choice tv dinners, particularly when it comes to frozen meals, but I still think that you’re better off cooking a little extra for dinner the night before and saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Are Healthy Choice meals good for you? There’s a lot of potential there that I hope ConAgra addresses. They’ll have a great product when they do.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Tim, that was quite a comprehensive review! The only thing I might add is that I avoid frozen meals because very few are organic, most contain GMO ingredients, most contain lots of chemicals I’d rather avoid, most have way too much garlic (probably garlic powder) as well as sodium. And a simple sandwich prepared with love (and quality ingredients) is eversomuch more satisfying than any commercial frozen food.
That was a very informative review of Healthy Choice dinners. I want to thank you for the information. A co-worker was telling me today at lunch that they were not good for health-wise but I just had to see for myself. So I have a question, it may sound dumb or lazy to some, but I am not a cook so what do one propose one do who do not like to cook or is not a good cook and don’t like cold sandwiches??????
Cordially,
Paulette