Frozen meals have a few notable advantages, such as their convenience and economical nature, but they're ultimately not the best choices for aiding weight loss. According to HelpGuide.org, frozen meals and processed foods tend to have higher amounts of calories, cholesterol, sugar, sodium and fat than whole foods or home-prepared meals, and they may also provide fewer vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Types
Dozens of frozen meals are on the market, many of which are available at large grocery stores. Most are not intended to help with weight loss or fit into a calorie-controlled diet. However, some brands and weight-loss companies purposely formulate meals that have low-calorie amounts to help you drop pounds and control portions. Look for meals that are marketed as healthy or fresh, marked "low calorie" or "low sodium" and contain large amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains or lean proteins.
Nutrition
Always check nutrition labels on a frozen meal before throwing it in your grocery cart. Pay particular attention to serving size; if a meal contains two servings but you eat the whole package, you're consuming double the amount of calories, fat, sugar and sodium. Note daily value percentages on labels as well. According to the FDA, such percentages are calculated based on a 2000-calorie daily diet, so if you're eating fewer calories than that per day, you may need to estimate a new, greater percentage.
Limitations
According to registered dietitian Jane Schwartz Harrison, some frozen meals that are intended for weight loss may actually have too few calories to nourish your body and could spur you to binge on other snacks to make up the difference. Harrison also points out that frozen meals tend to be low in fruits, vegetables and fiber -- all of which are important for maintaining a balanced diet and losing weight safely. Supplement the frozen meals you do eat with daily servings of fresh fruits and veggies as well as fiber-rich whole grains, cereals, beans or legumes.
Considerations
Even if your schedule is packed and you don't have time to cook from scratch, frozen meals aren't your only option. You can also choose to pick up on-the-go fresh meals, which may have more fruits and veggies, from delis and grocery stores. Another option is to prepare your own frozen meals. When you have time on weekends or weeknights, prepare large batches of healthy, low-calorie soups, stews, casseroles or other dishes. Place them in individual servings and freeze each one for later use.
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