Can Frozen Dinners Be Healthy?

by Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE  

What do you do with 10 railroad cars full of leftover frozen turkey? If your name was Swanson, you'd invent TV dinners! In 1954, a turkey TV dinner included side dishes of corn bread, dressing and gravy, butter peas, and sweet potatoes and sold for 98 cents. Fast-forward to 1999 -- when Americans spent a total of $5.3 billion on frozen dinners.

Are frozen dinners part of your weekly dinner menu? Don't feel bad -- according to the American Frozen Food Institute, frozen entrees are now among the top 10 most frequently served in-home suppers. Frozen dinners are not all made alike -- some contain enough calories and fat for two people, while others can be part of a healthy meal plan. Use our easy-to-follow tips to help you choose your next frozen delight:

Make frozen dinners a meal
Start by searching for frozen dinners that contain vegetables -- and we're not talking just a garnish! Some frozen dinners contain less than one tablespoon of vegetables, a portion fit for a one-year old! Dinner for adults should include at least one cup of cooked vegetables; if your frozen dinner doesn't measure up, add your own frozen, fresh or canned vegetables, or include a tossed salad with your meal.

Pour yourself a glass of skim milk or enjoy fat-free yogurt for dessert to add essential calcium to your meal.

It's next to impossible to find a frozen dinner that includes fruit, so add your own. Peel an orange, slice a kiwi or even open up a can of water-packed peaches to add vitamins and fiber to your meal.

Improve the nutritional value of frozen dinners Many (okay, most) frozen dinners are high in sodium. To keep sodium under control, look for meals with no more than 800 mg of sodium, 1/3 of the daily recommended maximum of 2,400 mg.

Unless you want to eat enough fat for the entire day in one fell swoop, pay attention to the total fat content of frozen dinners. The simplest method is to make sure the dinner you choose has no more than 30 percent of the daily value for total fat.

Remember that lower numbers are preferred for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. More is better when you're looking at fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron on the nutrition label. In general, dinners that are fried, wrapped in pastry or served with creamy sauces are higher in fat and sodium.

What about calories?
Less is not necessarily more when it comes to calories. Dinner should provide at least 350 calories -- and 400 to 500 calories is preferable for active people. If you don't eat enough, cravings are sure to catch up with you before the night is over.

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6 Reasons Why EXERCISE is important for a Healthier Lifestyle

1. Controls Weight

Exercise is the key to weight loss because it burns calories. If you burn off more calories than you take in, you'll loose weight.

2. Improves Stamina

Exercise improves your stamina by training your body to become more efficient and use less energy for the same amount of work. When you exercise, your body uses energy to keep going.

3. Helps Prevent Diseases

Our bodies were meant to move. Regurlar exercise is necessary for physical fitness and good health. It reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases. It will also impove your apperance and delay the aging process.

4. Strengthens and Tones

Exercising with weights and other resistance training develops your muscle, bones and ligaments for increase strength and endurance.

5. Enhances Flexibility

Improving your flexibility through exercise reduces the chance of injury and improves balance and coordination.

6. Improves Quality of LIFE

Once you begin to exercise regularly, you will find many more reasons why exercise is so important to improving the quality of your life. Exercise reduces stress, lift moods and helps you to sleep better.

*Always consult a physician and physical trainer before beginning any exercise routine. Discuss your goals and medical history.

Gourmet on the Go

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Regular Exercise

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A Healthier Lifestyle