Healthy frozen foods?

Actually I've heard that frozen fruits and vegetables are sometimes healthier because they're still frozen with all their nutrients

Or something.

Plus they last longer so that's budget friendly!

You can also buy chicken or hamburger or pork or whatever when it's on sale and freeze it. You don't need to buy frozen.

I don't eat very many frozen dinners anymore but I always liked the healthy choice steamers. Amy's is supposed to be a good choice too but I like certain lean cuisines and high protein Eating Right (Vons/Safeway/Pavilions) dinner too.

Frozen fruits and veggies are fine. if you're wanting frozen dinners check out the Amy's stuff and the Evol stuff. Both good. Just pay attention to the nutritional information if you're trying to lose weight.

xMiracat wrote: »

I know I made a thread on healthy foods on a budget, now I'm wondering if there any healthy frozen foods on a budget (20-40$ a week) and not having time to cook cause I work part time and go to college. I know theres a lot of frozen fruits and veggies but are those really considered ''healthy?'' or should I say a healthier option for cheap people like me? What about any frozen meats? or frozen meals? What do you prefer?

Yes I know I'm very lazy when it comes to cooking but thats what microwaves are for right!? haha.
I'm also just counting calories for now and see how far that goes.

Thanks!

The two biggest things with frozen meals are the sodium content tends to be higher and they tend to be less filling. Obviously both of those are things that are going to differ from person to person.

If sodium isn't a concern for you, then you get to experiment and see what you like. I, personally, find the Smart Ones/Lean Cuisine style don't keep me full for very long. I go for slightly higher calorie meals like the Stouffer's brand. Your mileage will probably vary.

I keep a ton of frozen veggies on hand. Paired with a black bean burger or pre-cooked meat, it makes a pretty quick meal.

Some of these are SUUUPER easy.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/foods-everyone-should-learn-to-cook#.rqoB5k78w

For instance, cooking up a batch of chicken thighs (cheaper than breasts) all in one go. There you have it; your own freezer food.

Frozen black beans with salsa and chicken broth. IDK if its healthy but it goes with guacamole and chips pretty well.

I buy frozen vegetables. Luckily in this country they have no sugar, salt or other additives. We don't have a lot ( just peas, broccoli and a few mixes ) and they are not cheap starting at about the equivalent of US$ 2.- a 1-pound bag. We have no frozen meals at all. I personally would not buy any of them anyway, because I prefer to cook all my meals myself.
I have a couple in the freezer, because a bag, punctured with a fork a few times, micro zapped for 6 minutes opens the door to all kinds of meals.
My recent favorite: all kinds of rice bowls ( or, lentil, bean, or other legume/pulses ) with half a bag of frozen vegetables and chicken, tuna, sardines etc.
I get a nourishing, healthy and varied meal for about the equivalent of around US$ 1.- or even less.
I also make a baked/steamed potato ( depending on size 6-8 minutes in the micro wave ) and mix half a bag of vegetables with some Philadelphia cheese and top the potato with it and add some kind of salsa.

Amy's are yummy but expensive. Frozen tortellini are cheap and tasty, not especially healthy on their own but a good addition to a vegetable soup or the base of a cold salad with lots of veg. Dr. McDougall's soup and noodle cups are good too, they aren't frozen but are cheap, convenient and healthy!

mpat81 wrote: »

Amy's are yummy but expensive. Frozen tortellini are cheap and tasty, not especially healthy on their own but a good addition to a vegetable soup or the base of a cold salad with lots of veg. Dr. McDougall's soup and noodle cups are good too, they aren't frozen but are cheap, convenient and healthy!

Their state is neither healthy nor unhealthy. How much you eat of them is what matters - your caloric intake, and whether you are eating a balanced diet by adding in other foods withing your calorie goals.

mpat81 wrote: »

mccindy72 wrote: »

mpat81 wrote: »

Amy's are yummy but expensive. Frozen tortellini are cheap and tasty, not especially healthy on their own but a good addition to a vegetable soup or the base of a cold salad with lots of veg. Dr. McDougall's soup and noodle cups are good too, they aren't frozen but are cheap, convenient and healthy!

Their state is neither healthy nor unhealthy. How much you eat of them is what matters - your caloric intake, and whether you are eating a balanced diet by adding in other foods withing your calorie goals.

There are healthy and not so healthy foods based on the nutritional value you get for the amount of calories they contain. I do understand the CICO concept as it pertains to weight loss. I'm thinking the OP would rather not just eat a couple bags of chips or bowls of ice cream and go hungry the rest of the day.

That's the whole point - ice cream has nutritional value. It's a dairy product; it provides protein, fat and carbohydrates, all of which the body needs. Eat a serving of it, and it fits into daily calorie goals perfectly well. Potato chips - weigh out a serving, have them along with a sandwich, and you've got a nicely rounded meal that still fits into calorie goals. All of which are satiating and no one is going hungry. Do the work of learning how to eat properly while meeting calorie goals and still eating foods a person likes, and anyone can lose weight successfully, maintain the weight loss, all while enjoying the experience.

Kalikel wrote: »

mccindy72 wrote: »

mpat81 wrote: »

mccindy72 wrote: »

mpat81 wrote: »

Amy's are yummy but expensive. Frozen tortellini are cheap and tasty, not especially healthy on their own but a good addition to a vegetable soup or the base of a cold salad with lots of veg. Dr. McDougall's soup and noodle cups are good too, they aren't frozen but are cheap, convenient and healthy!

Their state is neither healthy nor unhealthy. How much you eat of them is what matters - your caloric intake, and whether you are eating a balanced diet by adding in other foods withing your calorie goals.

There are healthy and not so healthy foods based on the nutritional value you get for the amount of calories they contain. I do understand the CICO concept as it pertains to weight loss. I'm thinking the OP would rather not just eat a couple bags of chips or bowls of ice cream and go hungry the rest of the day.

That's the whole point - ice cream has nutritional value. It's a dairy product; it provides protein, fat and carbohydrates, all of which the body needs. Eat a serving of it, and it fits into daily calorie goals perfectly well. Potato chips - weigh out a serving, have them along with a sandwich, and you've got a nicely rounded meal that still fits into calorie goals. All of which are satiating and no one is going hungry. Do the work of learning how to eat properly while meeting calorie goals and still eating foods a person likes, and anyone can lose weight successfully, maintain the weight loss, all while enjoying the experience.

I have done "the work of learning how to eat properly while meeting calorie goals" and if I want to get a healthy, well-balanced diet that also meets micro goals...well, it doesn't leave room for ice cream and potato chips. As it stands, I have trouble meeting my micros even without the ice cream and potato chips.

Different people have different goals and opinions. I'm not suggesting that you change your "all foods are equally healthy" opinion, but do remember that other people do think that some foods are healthier than others, huh? Also that different people have different goals and that weight loss is not where it begins and ends for everyone.

Some people believe that some foods are healthier than others and want to eat the healthier stuff. That's okay. And it certainly doesn't mean they haven't done any work.

There really is no such thing as a healthy or unhealthy food and that's what he's getting at. The only problem I can see with "unhealthy foods" is generally sodium content... and ice cream isn't very high in sodium. Sugar is the other big one but both of these are fairly easy to avoid so long as you pay attention. Micronutrients really shouldn't be a problem either, and I don't see how potatoe chips (other than possibly sodium) or ice cream could hurt your micro intake. Vitamins a & c are extremely easy to get, so is sodium, I've found that whole wheat cereals (chex or mini what's or whatever) are usually packed with iron, and calcium is a no-brainer just like vitamin a/c. The only one I usually have a problem with is potassium. But oranges/orange juice and bananas or different quick smoothies/shakes are loaded with it. But... most high potassium foods(other than a few vegetables) are also high in sugar, so you just adjust the rest of your diet a bit and your good. I really don't see how ice cream could affect you micro goals.

The thing that bothers me is the marketing of the "healthy foods". Too many idiots see all this fancy "non gmo" "gluten free" "fat free" "grass fed" "low carb" etc. etc. etc. crap, and think that it's what they need to be healthy. I can tell you for certain that "healthy one's" low calorie (yet high sodium) crap definitely won't do it for me... But I used to think it would because I wasn't educated on my own body and instead I bought the media's definition of healthy for the general overweight body of America.

Anyways, I'm sort of ranting, but there is no such thing as an unhealthy food, just too much of a good thing. Surprisingly, I actually don't get nearly enough fat/oil/sugar, so I can happily eat lots of "junk foods" along with other "healthy foods" and I'm A-ok. I actually find myself using the "junk foods" quite often to meet my micronutrient goals. But the same cannot be said for many other people so they adjust. The only reason there are "healthy foods"is because a large majority of the population is getting too much of the same thing, so "healthy"is really just a generalization. Words to live by - "everything in moderation"

Kalikel wrote: »

mccindy72 wrote: »

mpat81 wrote: »

mccindy72 wrote: »

mpat81 wrote: »

Amy's are yummy but expensive. Frozen tortellini are cheap and tasty, not especially healthy on their own but a good addition to a vegetable soup or the base of a cold salad with lots of veg. Dr. McDougall's soup and noodle cups are good too, they aren't frozen but are cheap, convenient and healthy!

Their state is neither healthy nor unhealthy. How much you eat of them is what matters - your caloric intake, and whether you are eating a balanced diet by adding in other foods withing your calorie goals.

There are healthy and not so healthy foods based on the nutritional value you get for the amount of calories they contain. I do understand the CICO concept as it pertains to weight loss. I'm thinking the OP would rather not just eat a couple bags of chips or bowls of ice cream and go hungry the rest of the day.

That's the whole point - ice cream has nutritional value. It's a dairy product; it provides protein, fat and carbohydrates, all of which the body needs. Eat a serving of it, and it fits into daily calorie goals perfectly well. Potato chips - weigh out a serving, have them along with a sandwich, and you've got a nicely rounded meal that still fits into calorie goals. All of which are satiating and no one is going hungry. Do the work of learning how to eat properly while meeting calorie goals and still eating foods a person likes, and anyone can lose weight successfully, maintain the weight loss, all while enjoying the experience.

I have done "the work of learning how to eat properly while meeting calorie goals" and if I want to get a healthy, well-balanced diet that also meets micro goals...well, it doesn't leave room for ice cream and potato chips. As it stands, I have trouble meeting my micros even without the ice cream and potato chips.

Different people have different goals and opinions. I'm not suggesting that you change your "all foods are equally healthy" opinion, but do remember that other people do think that some foods are healthier than others, huh? Also that different people have different goals and that weight loss is not where it begins and ends for everyone.

Some people believe that some foods are healthier than others and want to eat the healthier stuff. That's okay. And it certainly doesn't mean they haven't done any work.

Well first, I wasn't talking to you, at all, I was responding directly to another person. And I stand behind everything I said. Food is just food. Whether a person chooses to eat it or not is up to that person. As the person I was responding said "eating a couple bags of chips or ice cream and being hungry....:" I was responding to that. Eating a single serving of chips (which is about an ounce for 140 calories, depending on the brand and flavor), is quite possible as a choice. It's not unhealthy to eat a single serving of chips - it has no detrimental effect on the body. (That would be the definition of unhealthy. )
If you choose not to use your calories on chips, that's up to you. But don't go on about it as if no one else can do that, because a lot of people are reading these forums who never comment and they need to know that it's possible for them to make that choice if they want to. And still be healthy.