Food and Nutrition: Let’s Learn the Benefits of Healthy Frozen Meals
Modernization has brought people fast-paced living, busy with daily chores and meeting project deadlines, so there is hardly any time left for preparing and cooking healthy and delicious food. And this is the peak time when manufacturers invest in creating and innovating frozen meals to cater the needs of today’s generation. However, we had experienced a social stigma in the past about eating frozen foods associated with being “unhealthy” and “junk”. But gone are the days when people think frozen foods negatively, because basing on scientific research, deep freezing is a method of preserving the nutrients of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and lean meats, which are highly nutritious. Frozen and quick-cook food doesn’t necessarily mean processed and unhealthy food.
Remember that freezing food doesn’t take away their nutrients nor can harm foods, so freezing your own meals at home saves you much time, and you feel confident that you’re serving nutritious meals to your family. New technologies retain the high nutritional value of healthy frozen meals. Avoid buying frozen meals with any type of cheese sauce, because these meals are high in calorie content and saturated fat. An important reminder for you to always keep in mind is never refreeze any frozen food once you thaw it, so take only the amount you desire and refreeze the rest. It is also recommended to avoid buying frozen fruits and vegetables pack up in syrup.It’s also good to have a large serving of salad or your favorite fruit or some veggies along with your healthy frozen meal to meet your nutritional requirements, so you’ll feel fuller and less chances of you taking smaller snacks later on. You must remember that buying fresh fruits and vegetables but keeping them in your fridge for a long time may lose some their nutritional value, whereas buying fruits and vegetables frozen, can actually retain more nutrients. Green beans and peas are usually processes and packaged within hours after they are harvested to retain their nutritional value, until they are defrosted, cooked and immediately consumed.
There are two levels of frozen meals namely light frozen dinner and regular frozen dinner, and it advisable to read the labels to know what you want to achieve and avail between the two. Make sure that you read the portion size that are listed on the top most portion of nutrition labels. It is best to opt in for whole grains and brown rice whenever possible, and choose lean meat, chicken or fish. Even if you’re so busy and don’t have any time to prepare your own food, having a healthy frozen meal will definitely help you meet your nutritional needs and energy demands.A Simple Plan: Dinners