10 minute read
Can Frozen Meals Help You Get Your Health On Track?
by Michele Weinstein
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Focus on what you can do and not what you can’t as those small steps make all the difference in the end.
So quick question today… How many of you are working on becoming healthier, but unsure where to start? When you look around, you see what everyone else is suggesting doing to achieve optimal health.
-Some suggest eliminating certain food groups while others suggest moderation of all foods.
-And some suggest cross-fit while others suggest strength training.
-Some suggest adding a certain ingredient into their smoothies while others suggest that doing so is silly.
You get the point. There are so many opposing ideas of what is pertinent to optimal health. So, what do you do?
You figure out what works best for YOURSELF and take it one step at a time in order to achieve your best self! But How Do You Know What Works Best for Yourself?
While it’s not simple, it is possible. Before starting any new routine, you should start where you are.
Keep a food diary of what you eat for three days along with your workout routine. (Once you get this on paper you can have a better idea of your starting point.)
Write down what you want to change, how you want to feel, and make a list of any restrictions and/or challenges that may get in the way. (For many, this could be the time spent making meals, the lack of cooking skills, etc.)
Write down a few new exercise classes that interest you and/or foods you’d be open to trying or that you’d like to try.
Once you establish this list, start small. Try a portion of new food, recipe, or workout and/or slowly increase/decrease your intake (depending on your goal). As you try new things, eliminate what you don’t like to eat or do, and incorporate what you do like to do.
As time goes on, keep taking small steps TOWARDS a better you.
But Wait…
While this is a simplified process, you will find that many criticize the small changes that you do. A small step in the positive direction that’s hard for you, may seem “good enough” for someone else. When this occurs, it’s essential to keep doing what’s best for you…
Even if A Small Step for You Means Taking A Step to the Frozen Food Aisle
So while I’m a believer in making your own meals and prepping as much as possible, for some, like my mom this isn’t always possible. So, a small and attainable step for her was finding a variety of new products that she could pack easily and take to work. And this week, she has decided to review them for YOU. Scroll down to see her review alongside with my two cents about nutrition. The good, the bad, and the ugly up ahead.
Healthy Choice: Healthy Choice Grain Free Power Bowls Spicy Beef
Teriyaki riced cauliflower in a sweet and spicy teriyaki sauce. Healthy Choice Grain Free Power Bowls are a reliable source of fiber and protein, providing 18 – 20 grams of protein and 5 -7 grams of fiber per bowl. Each variety is grain-free, gluten-free, fits a low carb lifestyle, and provides a nutrient-dense combination of leafy greens, colorful vegetables, lean proteins, and riced cauliflower. Her Input: The first meal that she tried was this Healthy Choice meal. While she was timid about trying it, upon doing so she compared it to a “healthier Chinese” dish. A bit spicy and a bit hotter than she would have liked, she was actually pleasantly surprised by the taste and ingredients. And although it “wasn’t something that she would buy for an everyday meal”, it is something that she would buy to have on occasions where she was too busy to cook. When all is said and done, she felt as though it was a healthier alternative to mindless munching at work.
Michele’s Input: While frozen meals have a bad reputation, I was relatively impressed by the ingredients and macros of this meal.
For your reference, here’s the ingredient label:
Cauliflower, Sauce (Chicken Broth, Honey, Tamari Soy Sauce [Water, Soybeans, Salt, Sugar], Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Ginger Puree, Tapioca Starch, Chili Paste [Red Chili Peppers, Distilled Vinegar, Garlic, Salt], Garlic Puree, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Sesame Seed Oil, Balsamic Vinegar [Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must], Molasses), Seasoned Braised Beef (Beef, Water, Brown Sugar, Sea Salt, Seasoning [Onion, Garlic, Spices], Flavorings, Olive Oil, Sunflower Lecithin), Carrots, Broccoli, Red Bell Peppers, Chard, Kale, Spinach, Scallions. Contains Soy. As you can see, it’s predominantly made of cauliflower, sauce (made from chicken broth, honey, Tamara, etc.), pineapple juice, ginger puree, etc. Just a few ingredients compared to other frozen meals.
What about the Macros?
The macros, on the other hand, were lower than most frozen meals. This allows you to utilize this as a snack or as a vehicle to add other ingredients onto and make it a meal MADE for you. Meaning, you can always add regular rice, more meat, more veggies, and/or oil to make it higher in carb, protein, and/or fats. You can make it just right for your nutrition plan!
Evol Fire Grilled Steak Bowls
Description:
Braised all-natural beef with vegetables, served on top of Description: Fire-grilled steak raised without antibiotics is combined with black beans, white rice, red and green bell peppers, roasted corn and cheddar cheese mixed with an insanely tasty cilantro lime pesto sauce in this flavor-packed favorite. Did we mention it’s also glutenfree? With 18g of protein and 7g of fiber in each bowl, this dish is more than just delicious, it’s just what you need!
Her Input: The next meal that she tried was this Evol meal. She was surprised at how well it tasted and felt this was one of the best meals! It was easy to make, and the meat didn’t taste bland at all. Not like any other frozen meals that she has ever bought before!
**Her only suggestion was that it would be a little bit better with a bit of fresh avocado and salsa! **
Michele’s Input: In a similar manner to the Healthy Choice bowl, I was relatively impressed by the ingredients of this meal and their claims.
Did you know that their beef is raised without antibiotics, is never fed animal by-products, and sourced within North America?
To me, that’s pretty impressive for a frozen meal.
For your reference, here’s the ingredient label:
As Per Website: Cooked Black Beans*, Cooked White Rice, Bell Peppers, Grilled Beef (Beef, Water, Potato Starch, Sea Salt, Natural Flavoring, Spice), Cilantro, Corn, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Canola Oil, Lime Juice From Concentrate, Lime Oil), Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Garlic, Spices. Black beans, white rice, bell peppers, and beef… the four top ingredients. All looks and sounds great to me!
What about the Macros?
The macros, on the other hand, are a bit higher than those of the Healthy Choice. But they are only still 400 calories, which can also be further adapted to meet your needs. You can always add in more veggies, oil, and/or meat. In a similar manner, you can split this bowl in half with your spouse and put it alongside a side salad if you’d like as well
Description: Juicy plant-based chicken breaded with a kick of spice! Now with our proprietary Pea + Wheat protein, Gardein has brought a whole new wave of inspiration to the kitchen! Always certified vegan, non-GMO, dairy-free, and kosher.
Her Input: Out of all the meals, this was her least favorite. While it was good, she would rather have real “chicken” than “chick’n” tenders. In addition to the taste, she didn’t love the ingredient label. She felt that she’d skip this next time in the frozen food aisle.
Michele’s Input: So looking at the ingredient label and it’s a bit longer than the other two above. But with that being said, in order to taste like chicken tenders without having chicken, it’s to be expected. Compared to alternatives in the frozen food aisle, there are still some pros (especially for vegetarians). It is vegan certified, Non-GMO Project verified, dairy-free, meat-free, kosher, and free from the following: artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, cholesterol, trans fats, and MSG.
For reference, here are the ingredients as per the website. **Love the sentences at the bottom as it opens your eyes to the fact that the ingredients may change. Always be sure to check out the label as foods change constantly.
Ingredients
Gardein Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders Water, Enriched Wheat Flour (Enriched with Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Canola Oil, Pea Protein Concentrate, Vital Wheat Gluten, Contains 2% or Less of : Paprika, Methylcellulose, Spices, Yeast Extract, Organic Ancient Grain Flour (Khorasan
Wheat), Salt, Leavening (Cream of Tartar, Sodium Bicarbonate), Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Dried Chile de Arbol, Dextrose, Sea Salt, Potato Starch, Wheat Gluten, Organic Distilled Vinegar, Color Added, Organic Cane Sugar, Maltodextrin, Cane Sugar, Lactic Acid, Paprika Extractives, Vinegar, Yeast, Natural Flavors, Onion Powder, Caramelized Sugar (Sugar, Water), Garlic Powder, Turmeric Extractives. Contains Soy and Wheat. Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer’s discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, please refer to the product packaging.
What about the Macros?
The macros are in between that of the Healthy Choice meal and the Evol meal. Three tenders (one serving) are 200 calories, 9 grams of fat, 17 pick up out and about CAN make a difference for your health. While frozen meals oftentimes get a bad reputation, there are good things about these meals. So as always, figure out what you need to do and go from there. If a frozen meal substitution is what you need, then go for it. Do your best and keep doing better. That’s what life is all about. ~Michele Weinstein
Udi’s Sweet Potato Crust Chicken BBQ Pizza Description: Udi’s BBQ Flavored Chicken Pizza has a crust made from sweet potatoes and is topped with delicious mozzarella and smoked gouda cheese, sweet BBQ sauce, and white meat chicken. It’s glutenfree and grain-free. Go on, dig in!
Her Input: The “pizza aficionado” (AKA my mom) LOVED this meal. She liked the sweet potato crust and she liked that half satisfied her pizza craving for the week. She really enjoyed it, but her only complaint was that it was better “fresh” (AKA the first time heated) than re-heated! Michele’s Input: Out of all the options, this was the highest calorie meal. One serving, which is half the pizza, was 420 calories whereas the WHOLE pizza was 840 calories. However, half a serving also did also have 22 grams of protein alongside 35% of calcium and a bit of iron (8%) and potassium (10%). So in my personal opinion, I’d probably use this more so as something to share alongside a side salad. But we all have our own needs, preferences, and likes, so it’s always important to listen to yourself. As always, you can adapt this to your needs and preferences by either sharing it, adding olives onto it (more fats), and/or adding some veggies to the ingredients.
Founder of Not a Standard: www.notastandard.com
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Michele Weinstein is a blogger, entrepreneur, graduate of the University of Vermont with a Biology and Nutrition degree who is passionate about all things health. She founded her blog after a ten year struggle with anorexia and after growing up with both a Type 1 Diabetic and someone with many food allergies, including allergies to corn. This is a piece of her story that many see, but what many don’t realize is the fact that there were many stories in-between. This fact led her to create a new kind of online platform called Not a Standard which was dedicated to sharing our struggles in order to inspire, connect, and educate. Through her motivational posts on Instagram, her blog, and this platform, Michele hopes to inspire others to never give up on themselves. She’s been featured on several magazines this past year and she has a few things up her sleeve. Keep updated on what this girl is doing next… follow her on Instagram!
