Avoid These Unhealthy Frozen Meals At All Costs
Not everyone has the time to cook a fresh meal multiple times a day. With the day-to-day busyness of school, jobs, family, and more, it can be difficult to find the energy or time to do so. Also, grocery shopping for every ingredient isn't something everyone can afford.
This is why almost 130 million Americans regularly eat frozen food. Frozen food is relatively convenient and cheap, but it isn't usually the best for your health. These processed foods can contain high levels of sugar, salt, fat, cholesterol, and carbohydrates-- you definitely want to avoid the unhealthy frozen meals on this list!
Amy's Mexican Breakfast Bake Is High In Fat And Sodium
Almost all of Amy's products are marketed to be healthy, organic, and gluten-free, so it seems odd that some of their meals are unhealthy. For example, they have a Mexican Breakfast Bake complete with a tofu scramble, organic black beans, corn, and roasted potatoes.
This alone sounds like it would be the perfect breakfast for someone who was trying to stay healthy. But after taking a better look at their nutrition facts, it's high in both fat and sodium!
Ore-Ida Tater Tots Are Pre-Fried
While some shoppers may think buying a bag of frozen tater tots is healthier than getting them from a fast food restaurant, there actually isn't too much of a difference. Ore-Ida frozen tater tots are high in calories, salt, and fat.
Even though they can be cooked in an oven or air fryer, they are already packaged in an unhealthy way. In order to prep the tater tots, they get pre-fried, covered in harmful oil, and frozen.
Digiorno Traditional Crust Four Cheese Pizza Is Loaded With Sodium
Frozen pizza is one of the unhealthiest food items to purchase at the grocery store. For example, a single serving of Digiorno Four Cheese traditional crust pizza contains 690 calories, 29 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 1,160 milligrams of sodium, 83 grams of carbs, and 13 grams of sugar.
This equates to about half of the day's serving of sodium and sugar. The crust, cheese, and tomato sauce aren't healthy on their own, so the combination of all three makes the meal a lot worse.
Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese Has Too Many Calories
With new pasta and cheese alternatives, there are now several options of healthier alternatives to the traditional macaroni & cheese. But those who opt for Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese will end up eating one of the unhealthiest versions.
One serving contains 330 calories, 16 grams of fat, seven grams of saturated fat, 920 milligrams of sodium, and 33 grams of carbs. Pasta and cheese are very processed, which means people should not regularly consume them.
SeaPak Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp Are Fried And Fatty
Anything that's fried is generally not going to be the best thing to eat. SeaPak Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp have some of the highest calories and fat content of all-time.
One serving is equivalent to about 220 calories and each shrimp is at least 50 calories. This doesn't even include the sauce they might be dipped in. They also contain 11 grams of fat and 17 grams of carbohydrates. Instead of eating deep-fried frozen shrimp, go for a shrimp cocktail or fresh fish.
Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken Can Cause Weight Gain
One of the most popular items at Trader Joe's is their Mandarin Orange Chicken. The battered chicken is mixed with a mandarin orange and ginger sauce and can be baked or placed in the air fryer.
Just one cup of this chicken is the same as consuming 320 calories, 16 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 330 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbs, and six grams of sugar. With such high fat and carbs, people are likely to gain weight after eating it.
Healthy Choice Pineapple Chicken Has Lots Of Sugar
A meal with chicken and vegetables may seem like the "healthy choice," but Healthy Choice's Pineapple Chicken is anything but healthy. There is more sugar than protein in the meal due to the sweet pineapple sauce and rice.
While there are less than 300 calories per serving, it still contains 15 grams of sugar, 45 grams of carbs, 470 milligrams of sodium, and 4.5 grams of fat. Instead, consider getting some prepared grilled chicken breast and fresh vegetables.
P.F. Chang's Beef & Broccoli Is A Sodium Bomb
Many frozen Chinese food dishes tend to be loaded with sodium and that remains true with P.F. Chang's Beef & Broccoli. This can also apply to Chinese take-out food as well.
While this dish seems simple with a healthy vegetable and some meat, it contains 10 grams of fat, 850 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of sugar. The element that is likely making this dish so unhealthy is the sauce.
Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Has Way Too Many Calories
While ice cream can hit the spot on a hot summer's day, it really isn't that good for you. For example, a container of Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream could really do some damage.
It contains 1,400 calories, 98 grams of fat, 54 grams of saturated fat, 550 milligrams of sodium, 109 grams of carbohydrates, and 96 grams of sugar. According to Eat This, Not That!, just a couple of scoops of this ice cream has more calories than a McDonald's burger with a side of fries.
Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken Contains Large Amounts Of Sugar And Sodium
The frozen meals made by Lean Cuisine tend to be considered the healthier option, but their Sesame Chicken lacks nutrition. The dish consists of sesame breaded chicken tenderloins with pasta and vegetables.
There are high amounts of sugar with 15 grams per serving and it also contains 830 milligrams of sodium, about 330-340 calories, seven grams of fat, and 56 grams of carbs. A healthier alternative could be a fresh chicken and vegetable stir fry.
Banquet Salisbury Steak Is Too Big Of A Meal
There's a lot going on with the Banquet Salisbury Steak meal. Not only does it come with the chicken, pork, and beef hunk of meat, but also contains creamy mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet corn, and a dessert of cinnamon apples.
This hearty meal includes 15 grams of sugar, 39 grams of carbs, 1,320 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of fat, six grams of saturated fat, and 350 calories. Most of these are at least half, if not more, the recommended allotment per day.
Glutino Gluten-Free Cheese Pizza Isn't Healthy
There have been more gluten-free options popping up in the freezer section. Although it may be gluten-free, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a nutritious option. One example is Glutino's Gluten Free Duo Cheese pizza.
One of these pizzas comes in at 440 calories, 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 670 milligrams of sodium, 58 grams of carbohydrates, and eight grams of sugar. This brand may not be the best for people who can't or choose not to eat gluten, but there are still some other versions that use substitutes such as cauliflower.
Marie Callender's Spaghetti With Meat Sauce Lacks Nutritional Value
There is almost no nutritional value in pasta and bread, which is why Marie Callender's Spaghetti with Meat Sauce meal is so unhealthy. The dish comes with pasta covered in a meaty tomato sauce and a piece of garlic bread.
Eating this meal means someone would consume seven grams of sugar, 54 grams of carbs, 920 milligrams of sodium, seven grams of fat, two grams of saturated fat, and 350 calories.
Pillsbury Strawberry Toaster Strudel Is Spiked With High Fructose Corn Syrup
Breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, which means it needs to be both filling and nutritious. Pillsbury Strawberry Toaster Strudel with icing deprives your body of nutrients.
These are filled with high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil, which contributes to weight gain and other health issues. A serving of these pastries is equivalent to 350 calories, 13 grams of fat, five grams of saturated fat, 300 milligrams of sodium, 53 grams of carbs, and nine grams of sugar.
Totino's Takis Fuego Mini Snack Bites Are Obnoxiously Salty
Totino's took it up a notch with their new take on the popular chips, Takis. They created a snack called Takis Fuego Mini Snack Bites, which are hot chili pepper-flavored on the outside and include a mozzarella cheese filling.
While these seem very tempting, they are packed with a ton of carbs and sodium. One serving of these snack bites have two grams of sugar, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 640 milligrams of sodium, nine grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, and 230 calories.
El Monterey XXLarge Bean & Cheese Burrito Is Not Worth The Carbs
Fresh burritos are one of the most carb-filled food items, so a frozen version is even worse. One of the unhealthiest frozen burritos is the El Monterey XXLarge Bean & Cheese Burrito.
This Tex-Mex dish comes in at 540 calories, 15 grams of fat, three grams of saturated fat, 690 milligrams of sodium, 83 grams of carbs, and one gram of sugar. Instead, skip the burritos altogether and try a burrito bowl or taco salad.
Jamba Juice Frozen Mango-A-Go-Go Smoothie Comes With Added Sugar
A smoothie may seem like a good choice for someone trying to be health conscious, but it's important to read the ingredients of the frozen, prepared smoothie options. Jamba Juice's frozen Mango-a-go-go smoothie actually contains a lot of added sugar.
This is because it's mixed with a sugar-filled yogurt and the fruit inside is sweetened with more sugar. Eight ounces of a Mango-a-go-go smoothie adds up to 70 calories, 15 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 15 grams of sugar.
Hebrew National Beef Franks In A Blanket Contain A Lot Of Fat
Hot dogs are one of the most processed foods of all-time and adding a bun or pastry to them only makes them unhealthier. This applies to Hebrew National Beef Franks in a Puff Pastry Blanket.
They are filled with fat and can increase your risk of heart disease. A serving of Hebrew National's version of pigs in a blanket comes with a gram of sugar, 13 grams of carbs, 590 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, and 310 calories.
Be Mindful Of The Sauce In Michelina's Tortellini Alfredo
Since the size of Michelina's Tortellini Alfredo isn't too large, it can make consumers think that it could be an okay meal to eat. This is actually very misleading.
The tortellini pasta is stuffed with a blend of ricotta, parmesan, and Romano cheese, which is topped with a creamy alfredo sauce. In total, the meal comes to 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, seven grams of saturated fat, 1,110 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbs, and four grams of sugar.
Hungry-Man Selects Battered Chicken With Cheese Fries Can Ruin Your Arteries
Simply seeing the box of Hungry-Man Golden Battered Chicken with Cheese Fries wouldn't fool anyone about how unhealthy it is in real life. According to Eat This, Not That!, one of these meals has five times the amount of calories as an order of McDonald's McNuggets.
This Hungry-Man meal also includes over half of the day's recommended amount of sodium and 86 percent of the day's recommended amount of fat. Someone who eats this meal regularly could be doing damage to their heart and arteries.
