You head to the frozen food section of your local grocery store with your meal prep plan in mind. You plan to grab some frozen kale for a dinner side and frozen berries for your post-workout shake. You emerge 20 minutes later with frozen pizzas and ice cream. Hey, it happens! But not all of these foods are as innocent as they seem at first glance.
So before you take your next trip down the aisle, make sure you're armed with the best information. Here, we rounded up the worst frozen foods available so you know exactly what not to buy. And if you feel a little frustrated by this list, fear not—these best frozen foods in America can be the saviors you're looking for!
FROZEN BREAKFASTS
1
Jamba Juice at Home Smoothies, Mango-a-go-go-go
PER 8 OZ: 70 calories, 0 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 15 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (1 g fiber, 15 g sugar), 1 g protein
You might think you're making a waistline-friendly decision by picking up pre-made smoothie packs, but you could be sabotaging your weight-loss efforts. "Many prepared smoothie packs use yogurt made with added sugars and colorings," says nutritionist Kayleen St. John, RD, at New York City's Natural Gourmet Institute. "Sometimes the fruit itself is even sweetened with added sugar."
Instead, you can easily whip up something like this yourself. St. John suggests buying unsweetened frozen fruit chunks and blending them into smoothies with plain yogurt, green tea, or almond milk. For added convenience, freeze unsweetened coconut milk in ice cube trays the night before, so you can just toss them into your blender for an icy, refreshing drink.
2
Bob Evans' Sausage & Potatoes Bowl
PER 1 BOWL: 440 calories, 25 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 1,470 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 36 g protein
This bowl has pork sausage, potatoes, egg, and cheese that together, make for a dish that is way too high in sodium.
3
Lean Pockets Sausage, Egg & Cheese
PER 1 PIECE: 280 calories, 8 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 380 mg sodium, 41 g carbs (1 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 10 g protein
If you're looking to stay satiated, starting your morning with one measly gram of fiber isn't the way to go.
4
Pillsbury Apple Toaster Strudel
PER 1 PASTRY WITH ICING: 180 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 180 mg sodium, 26 g carbs (1 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 2 g protein
This toaster snack doesn't have nearly enough protein and fiber to help you start the day.
5
Kellogg's Eggo Nutri-Grain Whole Wheat Waffles
PER 2 WAFFLES: 170 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 380 mg sodium, 26 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 4 g protein
There are better fiber-rich waffles to be had.
6
Kellogg's Special K Flatbread Breakfast Sandwich Sausage Egg & Cheese
PER 1 SANDWICH: 240 calories, 11 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 700 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 14 g protein
The ingredient list is a novel, which is always a sign to stay far away.
7
Kellogg's Eggo Blueberry Waffles
PER 2 WAFFLES: 180 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 370 mg sodium, 29 g carbs (1 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 4 g protein
Real blueberries are the 15th ingredient on the list…enough said!
8
Jimmy Dean Meat Lovers Breakfast Bowl
PER 1 BOWL: 480 calories, 37 g fat (15 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,280 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (2 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 23 g protein
Start your day with this meat-packed breakfast and you'll more than half a day's worth of belly-bloating sodium.
9
Great Value Parma Melt Breakfast Sandwich
PER 1 SANDWICH: 540 calories, 27 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 1,190 mg sodium, 48 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 26 g protein
This is another breakfast sandwich you're going to want to leave in the freezer aisle. It's more than 500 calories and packing more than 1,100 milligrams of sodium. You're much better off making a breakfast sandwich yourself!
10
Hot Pockets Applewood Bacon, Egg & Cheese
PER 1 SANDWICH: 320 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 590 mg sodium, 37 g carbs (1 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 12 g protein
With this sandwich, you're starting your day with (read: nutrient-stripped) carbs in the form of a croissant crust, and with only one gram of fiber, you're going to be hungry not too long after you're done eating this.
11
Jimmy Dean Southern Style Chicken Biscuit Sandwich
PER 1 SANDWICH: 300 calories, 14 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 820 mg sodium, 33 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 10 g protein
Again, the amount of sodium you're getting in one small sandwich just isn't worth it.
12
Amy's Mexican Breakfast Bake
PER 1 BOWL: 430 calories, 22 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 780 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (6 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 23 g protein
This bowl features potatoes, refried black beans, and a tofu scramble. Sounds like a winning combination, but the fat and sodium counts say otherwise.
13
Great Value Monte Carlo Breakfast Sandwich
PER 1 SANDWICH: 420 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 1,120 mg sodium, 46 g carbs (1 g fiber, 19 g sugar), 17 g protein
This sandwich sounds like something you would get in a restaurant: bacon, cheese, and strawberry jam between cinnamon French toast slices. But the sodium content alone is just excessive.
FROZEN SIDES, SNACKS, AND APPETIZERS
14
Tyson Batter Dipped Chicken Breast Tenders
PER 1 SERVING: 190 calories, 12 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 420 mg sodium, 12 g carbs (3 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 9 g protein
You know they're not kale smoothies, just how bad could they be? Pretty bad. Though often presented as "all natural" and "gluten-free," don't be fooled. "Many varieties of this breaded and fried food contain fat," says Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND award-winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of The Create-Your-Plate Diabetes Cookbook. "They tend to be high in calories, filled with preservatives and artificial fillers."
Instead, make your own!
"You can make your own baked nuggets using a touch of honey and whole wheat panko breadcrumbs, which keeps those nuggets nice and crunchy," offers Amidor.
15
Tyson Any'tizers Honey BBQ Boneless Chicken Bites
PER 1 SERVING: 190 calories, 7 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 500 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (1 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 11 g protein
Why would you want to pregame your meal with seven types of sugars and an absurd amount of preservatives?
16
Market Pantry Mac & Cheese Bites
PER 1 SERVING: 270 calories, 13 g fat (3.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 440 mg sodium, 26 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 7 g protein
If cheese is what you crave, there are far less fatty and starchy ways to get your fix.
17
Ore-Ida Tater Tots
PER 1 SERVING: 130 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 430 mg sodium, 13 g carbs (2 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 1 g protein
Hoping these are better than the drive-thru's version? Probably not. "Potatoes are a healthy vegetable, but the way they're processed they end up being high in calories, salt, and fat," says Amidor.
"Many people think since they will cook at home without a fryer, they won't be 'fried.' However, these products are already pre-fried, drenched in oil, then frozen to preserve them," says nutritionist Lisa Hayim, MS, RD. Sounds like a disaster in disguise!
18
Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Straight Fries
PER 1 SERVING: 150 calories, 7 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 190 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 1 g protein
Sweet potato has more fiber than russet potatoes, but once the food industry starts plowing fat into the produce, all bets are off. You can reap the benefits of potatoes by roasting slices in the oven with a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper.
"You can also make your own baked sweet potato fries, which taste darn delicious," says Amidor.
19
Hebrew National Beef Franks in a Blanket
PER 1 SERVING: 310 calories, 25 g fat (10 g saturated fat, 0.5 g trans fat), 590 mg sodium, 13 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 8 g protein
If you're watching your waistline, you shouldn't consume this much trans fat in an entire day—let alone from a snack.
20
T.G.I. Friday's Chicken Quesadilla Rolls
PER 1 SERVING: 210 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 300 mg sodium, 23 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 9 g protein
With questionable ingredients such as phosphates, nitrites, caramel color, and modified food starch, these cheesy rolls may actually give you rolls.
21
Trader Joe's Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
PER 2 PIECES (51 G): 190 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 320 mg sodium, 12 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 9 g protein
It's always a better option to just eat mozzarella string cheese minus the breadcrumbs!
22
Totino's Pepperoni & Bacon Pizza Rolls
PER 1 SERVING: 220 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 430 mg sodium, 30 g carbs (1 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 6 g protein
Eating bacon and pepperoni together is already a recipe for disaster but the problem with Totino's is that they're so small. It's very easy to eat a lot of these quickly, and with the high sodium count, that's not something you want to do.
23
Market Pantry Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers
PER 1 SERVING: 240 calories, 17 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 320 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (1 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 4 g protein
"Crispy breading" is a phrase you'll want to keep an eye on, as, yes, it just means that these jalapeños—that are stuffed with cream cheese, no less—are fried. No thanks!
24
SeaPak Budweiser Beer Battered Crab Poppers
PER 1 SERVING: 260 calories, 16 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 580 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (1 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 7 g protein
Crab, cheese, and jalapeño peppers are fried in a crunchy beer batter to create these little bites. The problem with these is that it's always easy to eat quite a few bite-sized treats like this, and soon enough, you'll be consuming more than half of your daily sodium.
25
Trader Joe's Chipotle Vegetable Quesadillas
PER 1 QUESADILLA: 360 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 510 mg sodium, 47 g carbs (4 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 15 g protein
A little quesadilla action makes for a great appetizer, right? Well, you're going to want to make sure you really only indulge in this one rarely, especially because they're small. Eating two of these means you'll end up eating 50 percent of your day's worth of saturated fat and nearly half a day's worth of sodium, in just one snack before the main course.
26
Ore-Ida Onion Ringers
PER 1 SERVING: 180 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 160 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 2 g protein
Fries are almost always the better choice.
FROZEN PIZZA
27
Celeste Pizza for One, Vegetable
PER 1 PIZZA (159 G): 330 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 850 mg sodium, 43 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 8 g protein
Don't let the veggie-packed topping fool you—this pie is packed with artificial colors and fattening palm oil.
28
Michelina's Pizza Snack Rolls
PER 11 PIECES (85 G): 200 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 350 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (1 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 7 g protein
Nitrites and soybean oil, but not much good stuff.
29
Stouffer's Sausage & Pepperoni French Bread Pizza
PER 1 PIZZA: 460 calories, 21 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 930 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 16 g protein
One pizza contains more saturated fat than 6 Burger King Chicken Strips.
30
DiGiorno Traditional Crust Four Cheese
PER 1 PIZZA: 690 calories, 29 g fat (13 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,160 mg sodium, 83 g carbs (4 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 25 g protein
Opt for the whole pie and you'll consume about a half day's worth of sodium and added sugars.
31
Red Baron Thin & Crispy Pepperoni Pizza
PER 1 PIZZA: 1,170 calories, 60 g fat (30 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 3,030 mg sodium, 114 g carbs (6 g fiber, 27 g sugar), 45 g protein
Even the Baron's thin crust pies are swamped with salt and sugar.
32
Tombstone Original Supreme Pizza
PER 1 PIZZA: 1,360 calories, (28 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 3,200 mg sodium, 140 g carbs (8 g fiber, 16 g sugar), 60 g protein
Indulge in an extra slice and you'll be ingesting nearly 600 calories and a scary 24 grams of fat coming from sodium-stuffed processed meats. Yikes!
33
DiGiorno Bacon Me Crazy Bizza
PER PIZZA: 1,640 calories, 84 g fat (40 g saturated fat), 3,680 mg sodium, 136 g carbs (8 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 80 g protein
The fat and sodium in this pie are way too high! Even if you are splitting this pizza, one serving alone is nearly 1,000 milligrams of the salty stuff.
34
Red Baron Classic Crust Four Cheese Pizza
PER 1 PIZZA: 1,520 calories, 68 g fat (36 g saturated fat), 2,880 mg sodium, 160 g carbs (8 g fiber, 32 g sugar), 64 g protein
Don't be fooled and think that because this pizza isn't topped with pepperoni or bacon that it's any better of an option. Again, the calories and sodium are excessive.
35
California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza
PER 1 PIZZA: 880 calories, 32 g fat (16 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat), 1,940 mg sodium, 101 g carbs (4 g fiber, 27 g sugar), 47 g protein
The upside here is that the chicken is grilled, but there are quite a few different sugars listed on the ingredients, not something you ideally are looking for when you think of a pizza pie.
36
Screamin Sicilian Mother of Meat Pizza
PER PIZZA: 1,700 calories, 100 g fat (40 g saturated fat), 4,800 mg sodium, 125 g carbs (10 g fiber, 15 g sugar), 80 g protein
And here we have yet another meat-rich pizza that is just super high in calories, fat, and sodium. Stay away!
37
Red Baron Deep Dish Mini Pepperoni Pizzas
PER SERVING: 430 calories, 20 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 1,100 mg sodium, 48 g carbs (2 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 15 g protein
You might think choosing the mini-sized option from Red Baron isn't as bad, but that's just not the cast. One serving is four pizzas, so it's very easy to just eat all eight in one sitting, which will cost you 2,200 milligrams of sodium.
FROZEN PASTA ENTREES
38
Bertolli Shrimp Scampi & Linguine
PER PACKAGE: 675 calories, 37.5 g fat (12.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,500 mg sodium, 80 g carbs (7.5 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 22.5 g protein
Bertolli takes a heavy-handed approach with sauce, as demonstrated by the exorbitant glut of saturated fat in this dish.
39
Marie Callender's Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
PER 1 MEAL: 350 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 920 mg sodium, 54 g carbs (6 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 17 g protein
This is as good as the pasta you'd find at a Marie Callender's restaurant. Unfortunately, it's also as caloric.
40
Stouffer's Three Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce
PER 1 ENTRÉE: 310 calories, 12 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat) 1,030 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (3 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 14 g protein
If you're craving cheese-stuffed pasta, save 885 milligrams of sodium and 7 grams of fat with 365 Everyday Value's Organic Four Cheese Ravioli.
41
Michelina's Tuscan-Inspired Garlic Chicken
PER 1 PACKAGE: 270 calories, 6 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 510 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (2 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 11 g protein
The nutrition panel doesn't look too bad, but this Italian chicken dish's ridiculously long ingredient list may scare you away.
42
Smart Ones Three Cheese Ziti Marinara
PER 1 ENTRÉE: 300 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 590 mg sodium, 43 g carbs (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 12 g protein
Marinara is typically the safest of the pasta sauces, but that rule fails to hold as soon as Smart Ones buries the plate under a rubbery quilt of cheese.
43
Stouffer's Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
PER 1 PACKAGE: 570 calories, 27 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 850 mg sodium, 55 g carbs (5 g fiber, 5 g sugar) 26 g protein
Alfredo sauce contains any of the following: oil, butter, cream, and four types of cheeses. In other words, it's a full-fat assault.
44
Stouffer's Classics Macaroni & Cheese
PER 1 ENTRÉE: 350 calories, 17 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 920 mg sodium, 34 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 15 g protein
"Macaroni and cheese can potentially be healthy, but the frozen varieties tend to be laden with calories and fat," says Amidor. "If you're craving macaroni and cheese, make a fresh batch using real cheese, and you can even mix in some fresh cauliflower or butternut squash."
45
Trader Joe's Shells With Brie And Asparagus
PER 1 PACKAGE: 680 calories, 40 g fat (20 g saturated fat), 780 mg sodium, 60 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 22 g protein
This dish will go ahead and knock out an entire day's worth of saturated fat in just one meal!
46
Stouffer's Four Cheese Mac and Bacon
PER CONTAINER: 440 calories, 19 g fat (11 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 920 mg sodium, 47 g carbs (1 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 21 g protein
Although this dish doesn't seem all that bad at first glance, it's packing quite a lot of sodium and carbs for one small dish that is supposed to fill you up, which this surely won't.
47
Lean Cuisine Chicken Carbonara
PER CONTAINER: 330 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 690 mg sodium, 39 g carbs (2 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 22 g protein
A pasta dish swimming in salt? Not ideal.
48
Stouffer's Bowl Fulls Cheesy Chicken Parmesan
PER CONTAINER: 520 calories, 16 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,100 mg sodium, 67 g carbs (5 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 27 g protein
Chicken parm is one of those dishes to always be cautious of and this version isn't any different!
49
Trader Joe's Pepperoni Pizza Mac And Cheese Bowls
PER CONTAINER: 580 calories, 26 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 1,500 mg sodium, 60 g carbs (2 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 28 g protein
Pepperoni pizza and mac and cheese join forces in this frozen pasta dish for a meal that is high in fat and sodium. It's a no from us!
FROZEN FISH ENTREES
50
Van De Kamp's Crunchy Fish Fillets
PER 2 FILLETS: 210 calories, 10 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 690 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (1 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 9 g protein
Throw these back. "Buying fish frozen is a great way to always have a good source of protein in the house. They last long, and can be flavored the way you want them," says Hayim. But avoid anything breaded, or with labels like "battered" and "crunchy," which pack on extra calories, fat, and sodium.
"Opt for either the fresh fish section or grilled filets," suggests Hayim.
Frozen shrimp without any additives is also a good bet. And speaking of seafood, check out every popular fish—ranked for nutritional benefits!
51
Mrs. Paul's Fried Clams
PER 1 SERVING: 240 calories, 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 380 mg sodium, 31 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 8 g protein
Spoiling clams with partially hydrogenated oils and kidney-damaging phosphates is an abomination.
52
P.F. Chang's Home Menu Shrimp Lo Mein
PER 1/2 PACKAGE: 420 calories, 13 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 930 mg sodium, 58 g carbs (4 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 17 g protein
Chang's sauce is polluted with four kinds of oils.
53
SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cakes
PER 1 CRAB CAKE WITH 1 OZ SAUCE: 240 calories, 13 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 830 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (1 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 11 g protein
These crab cakes almost deliver more starchy filler than actual shellfish. Somewhere, a Marylander is shaking his head.
54
SeaPak Shrimp Scampi
PER 1 SERVING, 6 SHRIMP: 340 calories, 31 g fat (12 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 480 mg sodium, 3 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 12 g protein
Shrimp are essentially pure protein, so it's puzzling to find that protein accounts for just 13 percent of this entrée's calories.
55
SeaPak Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp
PER 1 SERVING: 220 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 340 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 12 g protein
Each shrimp delivers more than 50 calories, and nearly half of that comes from unnecessary fats.
56
Gorton's Roasted Garlic & Italian Herb
PER 1 SERVING: 240 calories, 13 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 620 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (1 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 9 g protein
It's always better to eat fish fillets that don't have breadcrumbs…
57
SeaPak Beer Battered Cod
PER 1 SERVING: 320 calories, 15 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 700 mg sodium, 32 g carbs (1 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 15 g protein
The beer batter strikes again, serving up tons of sodium and fat. Not the best way to eta fish, that's for sure!
58
Stouffer's Classics Tuna Noodle Casserole
PER 1 PACKAGE: 450 calories, 20 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 990 mg sodium, 45 g carbs (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 22 g protein
Tuna is always a great source of protein you can cook up many ways, but this casserole dish brings on tons of fat, sodium, and carbs. Instead, just have some canned tuna with veggies such as celery and peas as a side, without the creamy sauce weighing it down.
59
Gorton's Beer Batter Shrimp
PER 1 SERVING, 5 SHRIMP: 250 calories, 14 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 650 mg sodium, 23 g carbs (0 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 7 g protein
Each Gorton's shrimp is serving up 50 calories as well and with all that sodium, your best bet is to skip purchasing these crispy beer battered critters.
FROZEN CHICKEN ENTREES
60
Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken
PER 1 CUP: 320 calories, 16 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 330 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (1 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 21 g protein
While a fan favorite, this TJ's staple is one better left in the freezer section. Thanks to the sauce, you're treated to 16 grams of fat, which is not ideal if you're trying to watch your weight.
61
PF Chang's Orange Chicken
PER 1 SERVING: 410 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 910 mg sodium, 52 g carbs (5 g fiber, 33 g sugar), 19 g protein
This bag has nearly a half-day's sodium and more sugar than three Krispy Kreme donuts packed in.
62
Banquet Chicken Breast Patties
PER 1 PATTY: 150 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 330 mg sodium, 10 g carbs (1 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 10 g protein
Banquet's breading adds excess calories and zero value. It also gets demerits for using inflammatory soybean oil.
63
Michelina's Teriyaki Chicken
PER 1 PACKAGE: 310 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 790 mg sodium, 56 g carbs (1 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 9 g protein
Just because they're touted as portion-controlled and low-calorie, doesn't mean you should stock up on these. "Many frozen prepared entrees pack a surprising amount of sugar," says St. John. "Be especially cautious of the meals with sweet sauces—think teriyaki and sweet-and-sour."
Instead of opting for pre-made, purchase frozen meal ingredients separately.
"Buy frozen plain quinoa, frozen edamame, and frozen broccoli, and add you own sauces and flavorings so you know all the ingredients going into your dish," suggests St. John.
64
Chili's Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl
PER 1 PACKAGE: 380 calories, 10 g fat (3.5 saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 960 mg sodium, 51 g carbs (5 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 19 g protein
Made with more rice than chicken, there's nothing fun about this party in a bowl.
65
Healthy Choice Pineapple Chicken
PER 1 MEAL: 290 calories, 4.5 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 470 mg sodium, 45 g carbs (3 g fiber, 15 g sugar), 16 g protein
This bowl contains more sugar than protein—it has nearly as much of the sweet stuff as a half-cup serving of Breyers Chocolate Ice Cream.
66
Healthy Choice Café Steamers Sweet Sesame Chicken
PER 1 MEAL: 300 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 460 mg sodium, 43 g carbs (3 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 16 g protein
This poultry bowl stuffs in almost a half day's worth of added sugars.
67
Banquet Chicken Fried Chicken Meal
PER 1 ENTRÉE: 330 calories, 14 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,100 mg sodium, 40 g carbs (4 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 11 g protein
Never settle for a frozen dinner with about a half-day's worth of blood-pressure-spiking salt.
68
Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken
PER 1 PACKAGE: 350 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 690 mg sodium, 54 g carbs (3 g fiber, 15 g sugar), 15 g protein
There's nothing lean about breaded chicken tossed with 15 grams of sugar.
69
Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken
PER 1 MEAL: 390 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 550 mg sodium, 65 g carbs (3 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 18 g added sugars), 12 g protein
With ingredients such as kidney-harming phosphates and potentially trans fatty modified food starch, we're wondering how this meal was labeled "healthy choice."
70
Marie Callender's Cheesy Chicken & Bacon Pot Pie
PER 1 PIE: 1,020 calories, 64 g fat (28 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,440 mg sodium, 82 g carbs (6 g fiber, 14 g sugar), 32 g protein
This cheesy and meaty meal serves up plenty of scary ingredients such as nitrites, caramel color, and interesterified soybean oil. Pass up this pot pie.
71
Hungry-Man Selects Golden Battered Chicken with Cheese Fries
PER MEAL: 770 calories, 36 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,810 mg sodium, 78 g carbs (8 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 28 g protein
Golden battered chicken served up alongside fries that are swimming in a cheese sauce makes for one highly caloric dish.
72
Stouffer's Classics Honey-Chipotle Chicken
PER MEAL: 430 calories, 19 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,120 mg sodium, 42 g carbs (3 g fiber, 17 g sugar), 23 g protein
Here, chicken is cooked in a barbeque sauce, served up next to cheesy potatoes that are baked with bacon. These are all savory aspects of a meal but that sugar count says otherwise, thanks to the sauce.
73
Stouffer's Bowl Bulls Fried Chicken Mashed Potatoes
PER 1 MEAL: 470 calories, 19 g fat (8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,260 mg sodium, 51 g carbs (3 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 23 g protein
This fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and gravy bowls is essentially the frozen version of the KFC's Famous Bowl. Sorry to break it to you, but you should stay away from both of these meals!
74
Hungry-Man Double Chicken Bowl Boneless Fried Chicken
PER MEAL: 760 calories, 34 g fat (10 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 2,090 mg sodium, 76 g carbs (4 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 39 g protein
In this meal, you're getting two pieces of fried chicken that is served with mac and cheese for a meal that is just drowning in sodium and carbs.
75
Chili's Chicken Bacon Ranch
PER 1 MEAL: 380 calories, 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,280 mg sodium, 46 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 19 g protein
While adding bacon to meals makes anything taste better, it's proving to be an addition that is actually a salt bomb. Instead, you can easily whip up a grilled chicken and veggie rice bowl yourself!
FROZEN BEEF ENTREES
76
Johnsonville Grillers Steakhouse Onion Seasoned Patties
PER 1 PATTY: 350 calories, 29 g fat (10 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 860 mg sodium, 5 g carbs (0 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 17 g protein
Thinking you'll nestle a lean frozen burger patty in a lettuce wrap and top it with spinach and a scoop of guacamole? Sounds healthy in theory, but in practice, "One hamburger patty can enable you to ingest more than half of the daily recommended maximum for saturated fat and cholesterol as well as chronic-disease-enhancing steroids and carcinogens created upon cooking," says Julieanna Hever, MS, RD, CPT, a plant-based dietitian and author of The Vegiterranean Diet and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition.
"There are myriad options in the freezer section for all sorts of nutritious veggie burgers, some made with beans, grains, nuts, soy foods, and/or vegetables," she says. Just make sure that your veggie burger alternatives aren't loaded with sodium, fillers, and unfamiliar ingredients.
77
Banquet Beef Pot Pie
PER 1 PIE: 380 calories, 23 g fat (9 g saturated fat, 0.5 g trans fat), 710 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (3 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 8 g protein
A pot pie crust is essentially an oversized pastry, which is to say lots of carbs glued together with saturated and trans fats.
"Instead, try a non-dairy, vegetable-filled pie from companies like Amy's. They also have a Shepherd's Pie and Tamale Pie," says Hever.
78
P.F. Chang's Home Menu Beef with Broccoli
PER 1 SERVING: 270 calories, 10 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 850 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (5 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 19 g protein
Chang's bagged meals suffer from the same sodium saturation that plagues its restaurant fare.
79
Hungry-Man Home-Style Meatloaf
PER 1 PACKAGE: 650 calories, 32 g fat (10 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,450 mg sodium, 64 g carbs (6 g fiber, 23 g sugar), 22 g protein
Word of advice to the calorie-conscious: Purge Hungry-Man from your freezer for good. This is consistently the worst brand in the frozen-foods aisle.
80
Smart Ones Smart Anytime Mini Cheeseburgers
PER 1 MINI BURGER: 190 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 360 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 9 g protein
There's a lot of bun around these mini burgers, and if you bite into more than just one, you're looking at a meal that will potentially cost you over 16 grams of fat.
81
Healthy Choice Café Steamers Barbecue Seasoned Steak with Red Potatoes
PER 1 MEAL: 260 calories, 3.5 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 470 mg sodium, 39 g carbs (4 g fiber, 18 g sugar), 17 g protein
With over a handful of different sugars, this meal will probably cost your waistline more than dessert ever would.
82
Trader Joe's Steak & Stout Pies
PER 1 PIE: 800 calories, 46 g fat (25 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,180 mg sodium, 64 g carbs, (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 34 g protein
Heat up one of these beer-spiked pot pies and you'll consume as much fat as nearly three medium bags of McDonald's fries.
83
El Monterey XXL Spicy Red Hot Chimichanga
PER 1 BURRITO: 650 calories, 31 g fat (11 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat), 820 mg sodium, 75 g carbs, (7 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 19 g protein
The double XL Mexican burrito is fried in vegetable oil and packs in a whole day's worth of heart-disease-causing trans fats.
84
Trader Joe's Grass Fed Angus Beef Burger
PER 1 PATTY: 290 calories, 23 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 75 mg sodium, 0 g carbs (0 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 19 g protein
For being 80 percent lean, these grass-fed patties are just full of fat. Yikes!
85
Lean Cuisine Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes
PER MEAL: 240 calories, 7 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 870 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (3 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 20 g protein
Here, you're treated to a classic combo of meatloaf with gravy and a side of mashed potatoes. This dish is rather low in calories, a big plus, but the sodium is something you need to be careful of here. Sneaks up on you!
86
Banquet Salisbury Steak Meal
PER MEAL: 350 calories, 14 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,340 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (4 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 12 g protein
This meal is made up of steak that is smothered in gravy and served alongside creamy mashed potatoes, sweet corn, and a cinnamon apple dessert. That is just far too much sodium and carbs to justify this one!
87
Stouffer's Bowl Fulls Slow-Roasted Steak & Potatoes
PER MEAL: 370 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,250 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (4 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 22 g protein
The focus of this meal is slow-roasted steak and vegetables, a winning pair! But it happens to be served over mashed potatoes and is slathered in gravy, which leaves you with 15 grams of fat and more than half of your daily sodium allotment.
88
Hungry-Man Bourbon Beef Strips
PER MEAL: 500 calories, 14 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1,210 mg sodium, 73 g carbs (5 g fiber, 33 g sugar), 20 g protein
Yes, that is 33 grams of sugar in your beef, veggies, and potatoes meal. That is more sugar than you'll find in one Hershey's Chocolate Bar!
ICE CREAMS
89
Cool Haus Aunt Gladys Yellow Cake Batter Ice Cream
PER CONTAINER: 840 calories, 33 g fat (21 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 210 mg sodium, 126 g carbs, (12 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 108 g protein
This ice cream option might seem harmless as there are rum raisins and candied ginger mixed into the yellow cake batter ice cream. Raisins and ginger can't be all that bad! But as you can see, it's serving up a ton of sugar.
90
Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey
PER CONTAINER: 1,200 calories, 74 g fat (40 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 150 mg sodium, 123 g carbs (0 g fiber, 113 g sugar), 18 g protein
One bite of this ice cream and you're treated to banana ice cream packed with fudge chunks and walnuts but for all that fat, saturated fat, and sugar you get, it's just not worth it.
91
Magnum's Double Cookie Crumble Ice Cream Tub
PER CONTAINER: 1,060 calories, 68 g fat (37 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat), 230 mg sodium, 104 g carbs (5 g fiber, 87 g sugar), 13 g protein
Open this pint and you'll see a hard chocolate coating with decadent sweet ice cream and more bits of chocolate and chocolate cookie sauce waiting underneath. It's as decadent as it sounds, so it comes as no surprise that this pint clocks in more than 1,000 calories in a single pint.
92
Blue Bunny Blu's Birthday Party
PER CONTAINER: 190 calories, 10 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 60 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (0 g fiber, 20 g sugar), 3 g sugars
Titanium dioxide (an ingredient found in sunblock) and eight other artificial dyes are just some of the scary ingredients in this tub.
93
Talenti Belgian Chocolate
PER CONTAINER: 870 calories, 36 g fat (21 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 180 mg sodium, 120 g carbs (0 g fiber, 114 g sugar), 12 g protein
Even this Belgium-imported cocoa isn't worth the belly fat.
94
Graeter's Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip
PER CONTAINER: 1,320 calories, 84 g fat (48 g saturated fat, 1.5 g trans fat), 360 mg sodium, 132 g carbs (0 g fiber, 111 g sugar), 15 g protein
One serving of this stuff has as much sugar as you'd find in seven sugared donuts from Dunkin Donuts. And that's just one serving, not even factoring in the entire pint, which is very easy to eat.
95
Magnum's Milk Chocolate Almond Ice Cream Tub
PER CONTAINER: 1,090 calories, 69 g fat (37 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat), 170 mg sodium, 104 g carbs (4 g fiber, 91 g sugar), 18 g protein
The amount of sugar in this pint is equal to that of three standard bags of milk chocolate M&M's. Yikes!
96
Tillamook's Speculoos Cookie Caramel Ice Cream
PER CONTAINER: 1,110 calories, 60 g fat (39 g saturated fat, 1.5 g trans fat), 390 mg sodium, 135 g carbs (0 g fiber, 111 g sugar), 15 g protein
Yes, you read that right—there are 111 grams of sugar in this ice cream. That's as much sugar as is in 28 packets of sugar.
97
Häagen-Dazs' Peanut Butter Salted Fudge Ice Cream
PER CONTAINER: 1,190 calories, 81 g fat (39 g saturated fat, 1.75 g trans fat), 525 mg sodium, 91 g carbs (4 g fiber, 84 g sugar), 21 g protein
You can eat just as many calories in two McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese as you get in one pint of this ice cream. And with the burgers, you would be consuming less fat as well. Just something to keep in mind…
98
Tillamook's Double Nutty Peanut Butter Ice Cream
PER CONTAINER: 1,380 calories, 102 g fat (36 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 750 mg sodium, 93 g carbs (6 g fiber, 81 g sugar), 33 g protein
Tillamook's Double Nutty Peanut Butter ice cream is filled to the brim with fat, coming in at 102 grams.
99
Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby
PER CONTAINER: 1,380 calories, 84 g fat (45 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 650 mg sodium, 134 g carbs (1 g fiber, 106 g sugar), 29 g protein
The Chubby Hubby ice cream flavor is one of the most popular and while it might taste amazing, it's important to keep in mind that this mix of fudge, peanut butter, and pretzels is high in saturated fat, carbs, and sugar.
100
Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup
PER CONTAINER: 1,400 calories, 98 g fat (54 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat), 550 mg sodium, 109 g carbs (0 g fiber, 96 g sugar), 28 g protein
Eat two scoops of this and you'll take in more calories than you would with a McDonald's burger with a small side of french fries. So sad!
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