green is universal

The Search for the Healthy Frozen Dinner

Posted at 01:38 PM on January 30, 2008 comments (0)

By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com

Remember the allure and thrill of being a kid in the '70s and getting a frozen TV dinner? There was something in the way the food manufacturers so consistently cared... so organized and so perfectly arranged every single time with the turkey/stuffing/gravy in one compartment, the neon red cranberries, the orange puree of some mystery vegetable and those whipped potatoes that would get a little brown on top in the oven. Nobody read labels back then so little did Mom know that she was feeding her children a sodium-rich, nutritionally depleted meal. We just felt loved.

Well, kids still love their frozen dinners and busy Moms today still rely on them so thankfully there are some healthier options.

With the excuse that a New Yorker has few options for January local and seasonal produce, I embarked on a mission of eating as many frozen/prepared dinners as I could this month. I also shared frozen meals with friends and colleagues with kids to get a broader point of view.

Here are our favorite frozen food finds: Scale ratings from 1-10
1. Taste: 1 = dislike, 10 = love
2. Ease of preparation: 1 = hard, 10 = easy
3. Would recommend: 1 =never, 10 = YES!

- Amy's Organic Bean and Cheese Burrito: 1=10, 2=10, 3=10
- Annie Chun's Organic Soy Ginger noodles: 1=8, 2=10, 3=10
- Amy's "Bistro Burger" a veggie burger made with rice/grains: 1=8, 2=9, 3=9
- Amy's Organic Vegetable Pot Pie with 100% whole wheat pie crust: 1=9, 2=10, 3=10
- Amy's Organic Frozen Mac and Cheese: 1=9, 2=10, 3=10
- Kashi's Sweet & Sour Chicken with natural chicken and whole grain pilaf: 1=8, 2=8, 3=9
- Annie Chun's Pad Thai Noodle Bowl: 1=6, 2=9, 3=7

Since navigating the frozen food aisle can be tricky, I consulted my husband who is a doctor who specializes in nutritional medicine and here is his general advice on what to look for and what to avoid:
- whole grains
- organic (natural doesn't mean organic)
- no white sugar (including cane syrup)
- no synthetic preservatives or additives (no MSG!)

Let us know what you've discovered in the natural frozen food aisle that both pleases your taste buds and your feeds your nutritional goals.

Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
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