Frozen Foods we Love

Frozen food gets a bad wrap, but the fact of the matter is lots of healthy things come out of the freezer section – and for us fit folks, it’s the easiest way to keep healthy options in the house. Bananas on my counter top cause panic, because they spoil so quickly. However, the chicken breasts in my freezer don’t stress me out at all. I refer to my freezer as “old reliable”, cause it always has something nutritious and delicious waiting for me. If we’re out-of-town for weeks, I can count on healthy ingredients waiting for me in my freezer with no last minute-shopping required. Our list includes some basics and some branded items. We’d love for you to share your favorites in the comment section below!

Must-Have Staples

Always keep bags of frozen vegetables, fruits and lean meats on hand. If you’re hungry and don’t have fresh choices, these bags will allow you to play a simple game of mix and match to make a health meal, snack, hours devours or smoothie.

Convenient Extras

Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt This stuff is ridiculously good and at only 100 calories per cup, it’s the perfect portion size for dessert. It tastes like rich, creamy strawberry ice cream instead of weird “yogurt ice-cream”. I’d like to be clear. I do NOT enjoy the new wave of FroYo shops. To me, those frozen whatever-they-ares taste tart and completely un-enjoyable. Even my kids refuse to eat this stuff. However,  Healthy Choice hit the nail on the head. This new Greek frozen yogurt tastes like real ice cream, hits the calorie mark and offers an easy way to squeeze four extra grams of protein in your day. Available in: strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and vanilla bean.

Egg Beaters These fat-free egg substitutes do almost everything a real egg can do, except they can’t be hard-boiled, are void of cholesterol and don’t break. Keeping a carton in your freezer to be easily thawed means you’ll always have a high-protein breakfast available or that binding ingredient for recipes. I’ve been using Egg Beaters for years as a quick microwaved bowl of scrambled eggs or a lower fat option while baking. Branching out a bit, Egg Beaters now offers: Southwestern Style, Three Cheese, Florentine, 100% Egg Whites and Original flavors. Loving them all.

Boca Products For the vegetarians of omnivores among us, Boca products offer a meat-free opportunity to have a “burger”, chicken sandwich, taco or “meat sauce” in a hurry. They’re inexpensive, cook up fast, taste great and offer up a decent amount of protein and fiber. Give them a try! Available in burgers, chick’n patties, crumbles and breakfast links.

Alexia French Fries You read that right! Your fitness pro just told you to buy some fries! For all the folks who told you that “carbs are the devil”, I’m here to tell you that they’re wrong. Carbs give you energy – broccoli is a carbohydrate! So here’s the truth. Starchy carbs are traditionally higher in calories than the non-starchy type, but this doesn’t mean you can’t ever have them. Just use them wisely! Potatoes are a spectacular source of potassium and other nutrients as well. I’d much rather have you enjoy potato products than flour-based crackers any day. Keeping a couple of bags of Alexia’s all-natural potato products in the freezer allows you to quickly bake up some yummy fries at home, so you’ll be less likely to order “fried” french fries while you’re out. They hit the spot. Try both regular and sweet potato style!

Healthy Choice Baked Entrees So this is where frozen foods meet frozen meals. Healthy Choice’s new “Baked Entrée’s” are truly tasty and reasonable with calories and nutrition. This full entrée style option is great for storing food at the office or for a true grab and go meal. The only caveat I have with this stuff is the high sodium content. Would I buy them and eat them on occasion? Yes! But would I eat them every day? Probably not. If most of the food you consume is actually purchased in its raw state (which means it has zero ADDED salt) you won’t have to worry about an occasional high sodium meal. This stuff is good, but it’s not a great choice if you suffer from high blood pressure. Varieties: Four Cheese Ziti Marinara, Chicken and Rice Cheddar Bake Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, Fettuccini Alfredo Bake and more.

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What favorite foods are in your freezer?