Healthy frozen meals can be more convenient than cooking from scratch, and they can even help you lose weight — if you know which ones to buy. “For many people, frozen meals can absolutely offer a healthy option for any meal throughout the day,” says Kristen Smith, RDN, the Atlanta-based creator of 360 Family Nutrition.
While you might think of frozen food as chicken fingers or pot pies, frozen meals can help you stick to healthier fare and avoid overfilling your plate. “What I love most is that frozen meals contain built-in portion control — that is important for many people,” says Amy Shapiro, RDN, founder of Real Nutrition in New York City.
There are other perks too, if you make healthy choices. “They’re often easier and healthier than ordering in, because takeaway can have more fat and sodium than you might have planned on,” Shapiro says, adding that frozen meals can be loaded with important vegetables that provide valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Plus, they don’t require you to have to do any complicated nutrition tabulations. “Frozen meals provide an option that takes the guesswork out of calculating calories and other macronutrients, and lower-calorie frozen meals provide a convenient, calorie-controlled option that may aid with weight loss,” adds Smith.
Here are top choices from the freezer case.
Kashi Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl
“Look for meals with at least 5 g of fiber to help keep you full,” advises Carol Aguirre, RDN, owner of Nutrition Connections in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A heads-up: This meal contains 270 calories, and Aguirre recommends that most people aim for roughly 350 to 600 calories per meal. Pair this option with a plant-based side dish to up your calories and protein, so that you’re not hungry an hour later.
- Calories: 270
- Fat: 6 g
- Sodium: 280 milligrams (mg)
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Total sugar: 11 g (4 g from added sugar)
- Fiber: 12 g
Performance Kitchen Mediterranean-Style Salmon Pasta
- Calories: 400
- Fat: 26 g
- Sodium: 590 mg
- Carbs: 29 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Total sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 5 g
Saffron Road Thai Red Curry Chicken
This Thai curry dish via Saffron Road comes loaded with flavor — and nutrition. Win-win! The red peppers and green beans deliver fiber and vitamins, while the chicken ups the meal’s protein. And although the fiber is on the lower side, there’s a fix for that.
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 13 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Carbs: 45 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Total sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
Evol Foods Balance Bowl
If you love ordering grain bowls, consider an at-home version by Evol Foods. It’s made with grilled chicken, red rice, and half a cup of vegetables (including asparagus) in a basil pesto sauce. And it falls in the nutritionist-approved sodium range. “Try to stick with frozen meals that contain less than 700 mg of sodium per serving,” advises Smith. “If you have been given a more severe sodium restriction, try to find a frozen meal closer to 500 mg per serving, and limit yourself to only one frozen meal per day.”
- Calories: 460
- Fat: 27 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Carbs: 43 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Total sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 3 g
Daily Harvest Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Hash Harvest Bowl
You’ll get your fill of veggies from this Daily Harvest bowl, which comes with tomato, avocado, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms, plus beans and wild rice. Shapiro loves Daily Harvest, a company that delivers ready-to-make meals made with whole foods, for their simple and veggie-forward ingredient list.
“I love to encourage individuals to enjoy frozen meals that are filled with plants,” says Shapiro, adding that Daily Harvest offers everything from smoothies to harvest bowls to flatbreads, and it is all organic and vegan. Because this meal doesn’t hit that 15 g protein target, think about adding more beans or an animal protein.
- Calories: 330
- Fat: 11 g
- Sodium: 470 mg
- Carbs: 50 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Total sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 9 g
Amy’s Mexican-Inspired Veggies and Black Beans
This dish from Amy’s Kitchen delivers on veggies: Zucchini, sweet potatoes, and corn on a bed of riced cauliflower make it a fiber-packed pick. The meal has a simple ingredient list as well, which is key, says Shapiro. “Just because the nutrition facts label looks good doesn’t mean there aren’t less healthy ingredients included like some artificial sweeteners, stabilizers, and fillers,” she cautions.
Be sure to always check a frozen meal’s ingredient list. Because this dish doesn’t reach 15 g of protein, you might want to consider adding another source, like leftover grilled chicken, or if you’re vegetarian or vegan, consider sprinkling on cashews, which may complement the dish’s chipotle and cashew cream sauce.
- Calories: 270
- Fat: 10 g
- Sodium: 590 mg
- Carbs: 36 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Total sugar: 8 g (no added sugar)
- Fiber: 7 g
Lean Cuisine Korean-Style Rice and Vegetables Bowl
You’ll get plenty of fiber (7 g) from this Lean Cuisine bowl that contains 1 whole cup of veggies, including shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, and kale. You’ll also score protein from the edamame soybeans, which are a healthy plant-based protein source. To up the protein total of 12 g, you may want to add tofu.
- Calories: 370
- Fat: 7 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Carbs: 64 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Total sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 7 g
Green Giant California-Style Harvest Protein Bowl
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 9 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Carbs: 39 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Total sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 9 g
Gardein Chick’n Fajita Bowl
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Carbs: 41 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Total sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 4 g
Healthy Choice Barbecue Seasoned Steak With Red Potatoes
So, if you do go for this option, you’ll likely want to skip dessert.
- Calories: 300
- Fat: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Carbs: 49 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Total sugar: 16 g (all from added sugar)
- Fiber: 4 g
The Takeaway
- Frozen meals can support weight loss when they’re balanced, portion-controlled, and rich in protein and fiber.
- Choosing options with whole ingredients and minimal added sugar or sodium can improve overall nutrition.
- High-protein frozen meals can help promote fullness and preserve muscle while you’re losing weight.
- Reading nutrition labels carefully is key to finding frozen meals that align with your weight loss goals.
Karen E. Todd, RD, CSCS, EP-C, CISSN
Medical Reviewer
Karen E. Todd, RD, CSCS, EP-C, CISSN, is a registered dietitian and strength and conditioning specialist committed to evidence-based education in lifelong wellness, sports nutrition, and healthy aging.
With more than 30 years of experience in nutritional education, dietary supplements, functional foods, and exercise performance, she specializes in nutrition and exercise performance communications, providing expert insights to both media and consumers. She serves as a nutrition communicator, speaker, spokesperson, and brand consultant, and currently works in nutraceutical ingredient innovation and development, focusing on how nutrients and ingredients support health, performance, and wellness across the lifespan.
Karen also runs TheSupplementDietitian.com, a free online resource dedicated to helping consumers navigate the world of dietary supplements. The site provides science-based education on how supplements are regulated, how to identify safe and effective products, and how to fill nutritional gaps when diet alone isn’t enough.
Her experience spans clinical nutrition, exercise performance, and product development, giving her a broad perspective on the scientific, practical, and regulatory considerations that shape the supplement and functional food industries. Karen is a contributing guest blogger for Psychology Today’s “Feed Your Brain” column, a scientific advisory board member for Agro Food Industry Hi Tech, and a board member for Council for Responsible Nutrition, a leading professional organization in the nutraceutical space.
She is widely recognized for her ability to translate complex research into clear, evidence-based insights that help students, practitioners, and consumers make informed decisions about nutrition and supplementation.
