Smart Splurges in the Frozen Food Aisle

We all need to indulge now and then to avoid deprivation and overeating. Frozen foods can be a great way to treat ourselves - not only for taste and convenience, but for built in portion control. As the frozen food aisles continue to expand, there are many fabulous new options. That's the topic of my Today Show segment (scroll down for the video).

Here are some tips for some smart indulgences in the frozen food aisle:

1. Check out the box size - avoid those that say "hungry man"; "hearty portions" and similar large-size hints
2. Look for labels that include words like "lean","light", "healthy", and "smart"
3. Read the label to make sure of the serving size - it might look like a serving for one, but the calories listed are for 2 or more
4. Don't be confused by labels saying "sugar free" or "fat free" which don't mean "calorie free"
5. Feel free to eat LESS than the serving size - you don't need to eat four bagel bites listed as a serving; if you just want a taste pizza, stick with one or two!

We all have our frozen favorites, and it's a good idea to have some items in the freezer to turn to now and then for a special treat. Almost all frozen foods are available in single-serving portions - so great for getting the satisfaction of eating the "whole thing". The built-in portion control is a plus for a splurge, and can save hundreds of calories when compared to a restaurant take-out.

Watch the segment from TODAY Here are some smart splurges in four popular frozen sections. What are your own favorites?

PIZZA
Lean Cuisine French Bread Pizza 290 calories; 8 gm fat
Lean Pockets Pepperoni Pizza 280 calories 7 gm fat
Bagel Bites (4) 220 calories 7 gm fat

FROZEN ENTREES
"Asian": Lean Cuisine Sweet and Sour Chicken (10 oz) 300 cal; 3 gm fat
"Meat and Potatoes": South Beach meatloaf 210 cal; 9 gm fat
"italian": Michelina's Lean Gourmet Chicken Parmigiano 250 calories 4.5 gm fat

SNACKS
Home Bistro shrimp cocktail 130 cal
Tyson Grilled Chicken Strips 110 cal
Lean Pocket Whole Grain Stuffed Sandwiches 210 cal

ICE CREAM / DESSERTS
Slim-a-Bear ice cream sandwich 100 cal
Luigi's Italian Ice (lemon or cherry) - 6 ounce cups 120 cal
Skinny Cow - ice cream bars 160 cal
Fudgsicle 70 cal
Sugar Free Fudgsicle 35 cal
Sugar Free Popsicles 10 cal
Smart Ones Cheesecake 150 cal
Smart Ones Eclair 140 cal

Indulge wisely and enjoy!

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More on this topic from Madelyn Fernstrom:

• Is It Worth the Splurge? Fabulous Frozen Food Finds

Comments

I'm a big fan of VitaMuffins and VitaBrownies by Vitalicious. I'm also a big fan of making my own meals and freezing them for my own healthy version of convenience foods on another night when I don't feel like cooking.

I really like the Kashi brand frozen pizzas, but haven't tried the entrees yet. I also try to always freeze individual portions for myself when I do cook. It's great to be able to pull out one portion to take to work for lunch and pop in the microwave. Plus, then I know exactly what I'm eating.

I'm on Nutrisystem and like most of their foods - I was happy to read on NS's discussion boards about Pizza Fit n Free - 252 calories and 0 fat for a 7 inch cheese pizza. Very tasty and shipped fast. Will be keeping these stocked in my freezer especially once I meet my goal weight. Much better than typical diet pizzas!

forgot to add - you can order the Pizza Fit n Free at www.pizzafree.com - and I believe they count as 4 points on WW!

My new fav is Amy's Organic Shepard's Pie.

Good article. Pls let your readers know that they need to mind the fat content of the frozen meals

I cook on Saturday or Sunday for the whole week and i freeze it all. It minimizes your time in the kitchen for the rest of the week.

CONFIRMATION....

I enjoy Starbucks Frappuccino low fat ice cream bars. They are 120 calories and 1.5 fat. These are a great dessert.

The Lean Cuisine Pizza and the Italian ices are my favorites. Thanks for the tips. Love the Today Show segments too, whenever I can catch them.

I looked at the ingredients list in some of the products you recommended - and some contain things like trans fats and artificial sweeteners. I try to avoid those at all costs. I recently stumbled on a website that provides healhty brand name foods with no bad ingredients - www.ebrandaid.com - have you heard about it?

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Try freezing grapes that are getting old They make a great frozen treat

I have always enjoyed Lean Pockets and Lean Cuisine and usually have them in my freezer. I have cut back some on frozen foods, however; we need to take into account the sodium content that these foods have.

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Don't forget to check the sodium amount on the lables. You could have sugar free and fat free but the sodium count is over 500. Even when I look at Diet Foods such as WW or LC, I still look to see which have the least sodium in them.

Lean Cuisine's Roast Turkey with hot apples is a good choice, with low calories.

Try the Kashi entrees; they're great, especially the Rosemary Chicken.

Another thing to watch out for in frozen entrees is the sodium which is often very high.

Its really good what u r doin 4 those who want to lose weight. what i wud like to know from nutritionists and dietician is how to gain weight,i wud really like to put on some little bit on.

you should also mention salt content