Your Frozen Dinner Guide
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My favorite meal of the day is dinner. After a long day of classes and assignments, all I want to do is go home, grab my favorite book or catch up on my shows, and eat dinner. The problem arises when I either don’t know what to make, or I am too tired to cook. One way to prevent constantly having ice cream or potato chips for dinner is making a quick and healthy meal using frozen foods.
Premade frozen dinners are usually not the healthiest options because they are often loaded with preservatives, sodium and fat, especially saturated and trans fats. You can avoid buying dinners like this by carefully reading the nutrition facts found on the back of the food’s package. According to the (AHA), sodium consumption per meal shouldn’t exceed 2,300 mg (1 teaspoon) a day, but it’s recommended to have 1,500 mg (¾ teaspoon) a day. AHA recommends looking for labels that say low sodium (140 mg per serving) or reduced-sodium (less than 25 percent per serving). As more people are becoming health conscious, many manufacturers are more mindful about their sodium content and are working to reduce it. Check the label often; sometimes you may be surprised as to how low the sodium may be in the food item, said Valerie Agyeman, a registered dietitian.
Saturated fats are important for your organs to function properly, and the body naturally produces enough to meet those needs. It is okay to have saturated fats, but try to limit your saturated fat consumption to 10 percent of your day’s calories, as the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends. Another important thing to consider with frozen dinners is the serving size, which is also listed on the food label. Many frozen meals contain more than one serving size, so be mindful of this when looking at the nutrition label.
Agyeman also mentioned that frozen dinners don’t just mean prepackaged, ready-to-eat meals – they can include components of meals, such as mixed vegetables, chicken or fish. She said that frozen options like these can be healthier than prepackaged meals. Leena Daniel, a human nutrition graduate student at John Hopkins University, said that frozen vegetables are very convenient, as they only take her 30 minutes to make and still have the same nutrients and fiber as fresh vegetables do.
One misconception about frozen foods is that they aren’t as healthy as their fresh counterparts. For instance, some people think that frozen fruits and vegetables are less healthy than fresh produce. “Frozen produce can actually be even healthier than fresh fruits and vegetables,” Agyeman said. “Those fruits are often picked at the peak of their ripeness, then flash-frozen within six to ten hours. Frozen produce might have even more nutrients than out-of-season fresh veggies.”
Frozen mixed vegetables paired with chicken and a grain, like rice or quinoa, is a perfect frozen dinner option that can be made in 30 to 45 minutes. “After a long day, a dinner I can make in 30 minutes is what I need,” said Nicole Barriga, a senior dietetics student. Another convenient dinner option is to make your own frozen food by preparing some extra food and putting it in the freezer to microwave as needed.
I know that cooking after a long day sounds daunting, but it really doesn’t have to be. Cooking can be a great way to get creative and maximize the food in your refrigerator. Here are five healthy dinner recipes that utilize frozen ingredients to get you started in the kitchen:
A Chicken Pot Pie Recipe from Pillsbury
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This is a great way to incorporate frozen vegetables and chicken into one meal. Not only can it be made in under 40 minutes, it is also filling and can last in the fridge for up to five days. The recipe calls for 1 cup of butter or margarine, 1 cup of chopped onion, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of shredded cooked chicken or turkey, and thawed frozen mixed vegetables. The directions for this recipe from Pillsbury can be found here.
A Sticky Teriyaki Salmon Rice Recipe from BBC Good Food
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This entire meal can be made from frozen foods, using rice, fish and vegetables of your choice. It can also be made in just 30 minutes. The best part is that other dinner options can be made using the same ingredients to avoid meal repetition. The ingredients include 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce,1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce,1 salmon fillet, 2 cups of rice,1 head of pak choi (or vegetable of choice), 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds, 2 spring onions, 1 bunch of coriander, and a 1 tablespoon of lime. The directions for this recipe from BBC Good Food can be found here.
A Stuffed Pepper Casserole Recipe from Inspired Eats
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This is a great option if you want to make a lot of food that will last in the freezer for a long time. This can be made with frozen chicken and rice. You will need: 1 tablespoon of oil of your choice, raw chicken, 1 yellow onion, 1 diced bell pepper, ½ cup of minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 cup rice, 1 can of diced tomatoes,1 cup of chicken broth, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and black pepper. This can last in the freezer for three to four months. The directions to this Inspired Eats recipe can be found here.
A Quick Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe from Smart in the Kitchen
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This is one of my favorites because you can get creative with stir fry. You can eat it with rice or beans, with another filling or by itself. It can also be a vegetarian dinner option. The ingredients are 1 tablespoon of the oil of your choice, 1 package of frozen mixed vegetables, 5 green onions, 1-inch of ginger -peeled and then finely grated, ⅓ cup of tamari,1 tablespoon of garlic, and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds. It takes 30 minutes to make. The directions to this stir fry recipe from the Smart in the Kitchen blog are linked here.
A Penne Alla Norma Recipe from Olive Magazine
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Pasta lovers, this is for you. This can also be made vegan. It takes 35 minutes to prepare, and it is very easy and flavorful. This can be made with frozen pasta. The ingredients are: 1 small aubergine (eggplant), 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil, ½ an onion, 1 clove of garlic,1 teaspoon of dried chili flakes,1 can of tomatoes (400 g), 1 package of penne (pasta) and 1 cup of parmesan (or a veggie alternative). The directions to this Olive Magazine recipe are linked here.
The best part of all these recipes is that their ingredients can be substituted for other things, so let your creativity run wild! Frozen foods can be healthy – sometimes even healthier than fresh foods. Read the nutrition labels to help you make healthy choices.
