A few weeks ago I began posting healthy food reviews . I started with breakfast foods and decided to continue with frozen foods. A few of the items I chose were ones that I was already eating on a regular basis. Others I chose if they fit the healthy criteria I developed:
- Low in fat, sugar and calories
- High in fiber and protein
I also chose items based on recognizable brands and overall appeal. The difference from the last review post to now is that I am also rating the foods on a 1-5 “spoons” scale- yes, I know I am a dork! 1 spoon being unhealthy and/or unappetizing and 5 spoons being it meets the healthy criteria listed above and is scrumptious.
Alexia Sweet Potato Julienne Fries
On the first healthy food reviews post I mentioned that I got this idea from Fitness Magazine’s Healthy Food Awards . This is the only item I was able to find from their lists! I bought these fries when I was originally going to review the foods they awarded and kept them for my own healthy food reviews.
These fries have just enough of the sweet potato taste with a very subtle hint of salt (I actually added a bit more). They do not taste so far off from regular fries as the sweet potato is not overwhelming, but just enough to make it a different change of pace. Perhaps the only downfall is that I expected them to be a bit more crispy, but I’m sure that could be solved by keeping them in the oven longer. For approximately 12 fries there is 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of sugar. Not too shabby! The fiber content is 3 grams, which I think is pretty good for 12 fries.
Rating: 3 spoons
Kashi Margherita Thin Crust Pizza
The crust on this pizza is very thin, which made me skeptical at first, but it works because it ends up being so crispy. You can really taste the sauce and the tomatoes on top compliment it perfectly. I think it still has a typical pizza taste even though it is very healthy for you. Crust is my favorite part of pizza and this flaxseed crust was crispy and delicious. Sometimes it seems people think eating healthy means taste has to be compromised. This was not the case at all. It was just as good, if not better, than frozen pizza with much worse nutritional information. After trying this flavor, I have since bought other flavors because it was that yummy.
One serving (or 1/3 of the pizza) packs 9 grams of whole grains and 4 grams of fiber. That makes me feel good about eating and it kept me full for a while! There is also 14 grams of protein, which is huge for a vegetarian. Fat is 9 grams and sugar is 4.
Rating: 4 1/2 spoons
Health is Wealth All Natural Broccoli and Cheese Munchees
I had never heard of this brand before and wanted to venture into something new. There were a few different snack/appetizer type varieties, but I was drawn to the nutritional stats on these babies. For 6 it is only 160 calories and 3.5 grams of fat! In addition, there are 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of sugar. I was sold!
After taking these out of the oven, I tried to cut a piece with a fork and all of the filling squirted out! Be careful and just take a bite. The wheat shell was crisp and you could taste the broccoli flavors infused in it right away. The filling tasted exactly like broccoli and cheddar soup- yum! Broccoli cheddar wrapped in a crispy shell is hard to go wrong and with the nutritional facts I’m definitely buying these again.
Rating: 3 1/2 spoons
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Samosas
I seriously LOVE these. Buy them. Go out and buy them now! Ok I’m done yelling. I’ve posted about these before- my friend Colleen recommended them to me and I’m so glad she did because they’re outstanding. They are surprisingly spicy once you bite through the crispy shell. The inside is oozing with steamy hot vegetables and that spicy aftertaste keeps me going back for more bites.
The stats: 2 samosas are packing 170 calories and 6 grams of fat. There are 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein- woo hoo! Only 2 grams of sugar also. Healthy with understandable ingredients and a delicious, spicy taste. Can’t beat them. I may go heat some up right now.
Rating: 3 1/2 spoons
Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patties
I’ve tasted various brands of veggie burgers and I have to say Boca burgers, in my opinion, are the best tasting AND the healthiest for you. Be careful when choosing veggie burgers at the grocery store. Many brands are packed with calories and who knows what- be sure to read labels and check ingredients! So far, these are my go-to brand. You can see the bits of veggies right inside and they taste fresh. I make these for lunch several times a week- spread some hummus or avocado on top and you’re golden.
Boca veggie burgers are SO much better for you than beef burgers. Each veggie burger has only 1.5 grams of fat compared to a typical 13 grams of fat in a ground beef burger. Yuck. These veggie burgers also boast 90 calories per burger along with 5 grams of fiber to keep you full. And get this…13 grams of protein- yes!
Rating: 4 spoons
Garden Lite All-Natural Zucchini Marinara
I had never tried this brand before, but was attracted to the 110 calories per dish. Plus, I’ve been on a veggie kick lately and these zucchini strips with sautéed peppers were calling out to me. When I bought the meal, however, I had no idea how small the dish inside was. Literally- miniscule. The meal is comprised of thin zucchini strips which actual take upon a pasta-type taste when mixed with the marinara. I liked how they were a little crunchier than pasta, but they really didn’t have much of a vegetable taste. The marinara sauce is flavorful and you can see the spices throughout the sauce that really contribute to its taste. However, the marinara definitely steps into the spotlight and controls the dish- it is overwhelmingly saucy.
What I did enjoy about this brand was the very small list of ingredients filled with natural items. There are 3 grams of both fiber and protein. It is a bit high in sugar and fat grams with 6 and 5, respectively especially considering the size of the dish. I would not buy this item again for these reasons.
Rating: 1 1/2 spoons
Do you have a go-to healthy frozen food item to add to this list?
A few weeks ago I began posting healthy food reviews . I started with breakfast foods and decided to continue with frozen foods. A few of the items I chose were ones that I was already eating on a regular basis. Others I chose if they fit the healthy criteria I developed:
I also chose items based on recognizable brands and overall appeal. The difference from the last review post to now is that I am also rating the foods on a 1-5 “spoons” scale- yes, I know I am a dork! 1 spoon being unhealthy and/or unappetizing and 5 spoons being it meets the healthy criteria listed above and is scrumptious.
Alexia Sweet Potato Julienne Fries
On the first healthy food reviews post I mentioned that I got this idea from Fitness Magazine’s Healthy Food Awards . This is the only item I was able to find from their lists! I bought these fries when I was originally going to review the foods they awarded and kept them for my own healthy food reviews.
These fries have just enough of the sweet potato taste with a very subtle hint of salt (I actually added a bit more). They do not taste so far off from regular fries as the sweet potato is not overwhelming, but just enough to make it a different change of pace. Perhaps the only downfall is that I expected them to be a bit more crispy, but I’m sure that could be solved by keeping them in the oven longer. For approximately 12 fries there is 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of sugar. Not too shabby! The fiber content is 3 grams, which I think is pretty good for 12 fries.
Rating: 3 spoons
Kashi Margherita Thin Crust Pizza
The crust on this pizza is very thin, which made me skeptical at first, but it works because it ends up being so crispy. You can really taste the sauce and the tomatoes on top compliment it perfectly. I think it still has a typical pizza taste even though it is very healthy for you. Crust is my favorite part of pizza and this flaxseed crust was crispy and delicious. Sometimes it seems people think eating healthy means taste has to be compromised. This was not the case at all. It was just as good, if not better, than frozen pizza with much worse nutritional information. After trying this flavor, I have since bought other flavors because it was that yummy.
One serving (or 1/3 of the pizza) packs 9 grams of whole grains and 4 grams of fiber. That makes me feel good about eating and it kept me full for a while! There is also 14 grams of protein, which is huge for a vegetarian. Fat is 9 grams and sugar is 4.
Rating: 4 1/2 spoons
Health is Wealth All Natural Broccoli and Cheese Munchees
I had never heard of this brand before and wanted to venture into something new. There were a few different snack/appetizer type varieties, but I was drawn to the nutritional stats on these babies. For 6 it is only 160 calories and 3.5 grams of fat! In addition, there are 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of sugar. I was sold!
After taking these out of the oven, I tried to cut a piece with a fork and all of the filling squirted out! Be careful and just take a bite. The wheat shell was crisp and you could taste the broccoli flavors infused in it right away. The filling tasted exactly like broccoli and cheddar soup- yum! Broccoli cheddar wrapped in a crispy shell is hard to go wrong and with the nutritional facts I’m definitely buying these again.
Rating: 3 1/2 spoons
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Samosas
I seriously LOVE these. Buy them. Go out and buy them now! Ok I’m done yelling. I’ve posted about these before- my friend Colleen recommended them to me and I’m so glad she did because they’re outstanding. They are surprisingly spicy once you bite through the crispy shell. The inside is oozing with steamy hot vegetables and that spicy aftertaste keeps me going back for more bites.
The stats: 2 samosas are packing 170 calories and 6 grams of fat. There are 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein- woo hoo! Only 2 grams of sugar also. Healthy with understandable ingredients and a delicious, spicy taste. Can’t beat them. I may go heat some up right now.
Rating: 3 1/2 spoons
Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patties
I’ve tasted various brands of veggie burgers and I have to say Boca burgers, in my opinion, are the best tasting AND the healthiest for you. Be careful when choosing veggie burgers at the grocery store. Many brands are packed with calories and who knows what- be sure to read labels and check ingredients! So far, these are my go-to brand. You can see the bits of veggies right inside and they taste fresh. I make these for lunch several times a week- spread some hummus or avocado on top and you’re golden.
Boca veggie burgers are SO much better for you than beef burgers. Each veggie burger has only 1.5 grams of fat compared to a typical 13 grams of fat in a ground beef burger. Yuck. These veggie burgers also boast 90 calories per burger along with 5 grams of fiber to keep you full. And get this…13 grams of protein- yes!
Rating: 4 spoons
Garden Lite All-Natural Zucchini Marinara
I had never tried this brand before, but was attracted to the 110 calories per dish. Plus, I’ve been on a veggie kick lately and these zucchini strips with sautéed peppers were calling out to me. When I bought the meal, however, I had no idea how small the dish inside was. Literally- miniscule. The meal is comprised of thin zucchini strips which actual take upon a pasta-type taste when mixed with the marinara. I liked how they were a little crunchier than pasta, but they really didn’t have much of a vegetable taste. The marinara sauce is flavorful and you can see the spices throughout the sauce that really contribute to its taste. However, the marinara definitely steps into the spotlight and controls the dish- it is overwhelmingly saucy.
What I did enjoy about this brand was the very small list of ingredients filled with natural items. There are 3 grams of both fiber and protein. It is a bit high in sugar and fat grams with 6 and 5, respectively especially considering the size of the dish. I would not buy this item again for these reasons.
Rating: 1 1/2 spoons
Do you have a go-to healthy frozen food item to add to this list?