13 Healthy Frozen Dinners
The freezer aisle has come a long way in the 60 years since the first TV dinners entered the scene. Instead of Salisbury steak and sad, rubbery peas, today's microwavable meals are likely to include kale and organic chicken. "The quality and variety are so much better than they were just a few years ago," says Libby Mills, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "More people are demanding food that is both healthy and environmentally sound, and companies are responding." In fact, organic and "natural" ready-to-eat meals are projected to become a 2.2 billion business in the U.S. by 2017. But what good is nutritional cred if the offerings taste like airplane food? No worries We tested dozens to pinpoint the ones you'll actually want to eat again and again. HEALTH.COM 12 Foods That Control Your Appetite, Evol Fire Grilled Steak, Power ingredients Steak, black beans, cilantro-lime rice, roasted red and green bell peppers and Cheddar cheese with a cilantro-lime pesto Tester's take "Yum! It was just like a takeout burrito bowl but has only 400 calories." Key nutritionals 400 Calories, 3.5g Saturated Fat, 20g Protein, 9g Fiber, 520mg Sodium 99/12 pack amazon.com, Luvo Chicken Chile Verde, Power ingredients Chicken, polenta and black beans in a punched-up green chile sauce Tester's take "The chicken somehow tasted freshly cooked, and the black beans had a nice al dente quality. The only downside was that it could use something green. Next time, I'll steam some spinach to serve on the side." Key nutritionals 320 Calories, 4.5g Saturated Fat, 27g Protein, 6g Fiber, 470mg Sodium 58/10 pack amazon.com, HEALTH.COM Best and Worst Foods to Avoid Bloating, Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake, Power ingredients Plantains, black beans, sweet potato, kale, Kashi 7 Whole Grains  Sesame Pilaf, amaranth and polenta in a spicy ancho sauce Tester's take "The sweet plantains in the sauce had a nice oomph to them. And the pilaf added a satisfying texture to the meal." Key nutritionals 340 Calories, 2g Saturated Fat, 9g Protein, 8g Fiber, 380mg Sodium For stores visit kashi.com, Saffron Road Chicken Biryani, Power ingredients Chicken, basmati rice and caramelized onions in Biryani spices Tester's take "It tasted so fresh that I couldn't believe it came out of a box." Key nutritionals 400 Calories, 2g Saturated Fat, 25g Protein, 3g Fiber, 590mg Sodium 51/8-pack amazon.com, Saffron Road Chana Saag, Power ingredients Chickpeas and spinach seasoned with ginger and traditional Indian herbs and spices over cumin rice Tester's take "This meal smelled, looked and tasted as if it had come straight out of the kitchen of an Indian restaurant. And it was filling to boot." Key nutritionals 420 Calories, 1.5g Saturated Fat, 12g Protein, 8g Fiber, 590mg Sodium 45/8-pack amazon.com, HEALTH.COM 16 Calorie-Free Flavor Boosters, Lean Cuisine Spa Collection Sesame Stir Fry with Chicken, Power ingredients Chicken, edamame, broccoli and whole-wheat vermicelli in a sesame sauce Tester's take "Overall, it was fresh and satisfying." Key nutritionals 280 Calories, 1g Saturated Fat, 19g Protein, 5mg Fiber, 480mg Sodium Available in select Walmart stores, Cedar Lane Eggplant Parmesan, Power ingredients Eggplant filled with roasted vegetables and cheese in a sun-dried-tomato sauce Tester's take "Surprisingly delicious! The eggplant was satisfying, and the sauce was creamy but not at all heavy." Key nutritionals 280 Calories, 5g Saturated Fat, 13g Protein, 5g Fiber, 590mg Sodium 5 amazon.com, Luvo Spinach Ricotta Ravioli, Power ingredients Ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta in a turkey Bolognese sauce Tester's take "This one is a win-win filling and low-calorie. The turkey Bolognese was nicely seasoned and hearty. The ravioli weren't bad either! I'd say this meal was actually restaurant-good." Key nutritionals 310 Calories, 2g Saturated Fat, 18 Protein, 4g Fiber, 470mg Sodium For stores visit luvoinc.com, Blake's Meatloaf Dinner Casserole, Power ingredents Meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes, peas and gravy Tester's take "The flavors simmered together so nicely. It was hearty but not a ton of food, so I added a side salad." Key nutritionals 310 Calories, 9g Saturated Fat, 11g Protein, 3g Fiber, 350mg Sodium Available in select Target stores, Artisan Bistro Grass-Red Beef in Mushroom Sauce, Power ingredients Beef and French lentils with a mushroom sauce, edamame, sugar snap peas, sweet potatoes and onions Tester's take "A high-quality meat-and-potatoes dish, it's perfect for when you walk through the door feeling famished." Key nutritionals 350 Calories, 3.5g Saturated Fat, 23g Protein, 4g Fiber, 580mg Sodium Available in select Whole Foods stores, Luvo Orange Mango Chicken, Power ingredients Roasted white-meat chicken and mango chunks in a sweet orange sauce with rice, kale and broccoli Tester's take "You might want to season the veggies, but the chicken and mango smothered in a tasty sauce made this meal." Key nutritionals 420 Calories, 1g Saturated Fat, 21g Protein, 4g Fiber, 380mg Sodium 58/8-pack amazon.com, HEALTH.COM 12 Unhealthy' Foods Nutritionists Eat, Artisan Bistro Wild Salmon with Pesto, Power ingredients Wild Alaskan salmon in a basil pesto with chickpea pilaf, zucchini and green beans Tester's take "Reheating frozen seafood in the microwave is tricky, but this worked. It helped that the fish was drizzled with a yummy pesto sauce!" Key nutritionals 310 Calories, 2.5g Saturated Fat, 16g Protein, 3g Fiber, 370mg Sodium Available in select Whole Foods stores, Kashi Steam Meal Chicken Chipotle BBQ, Power ingredients Chicken, green beans, mango, bell peppers and onions in a whole-grain pilaf Tester's take "These steam meals are brilliant. Everything cooked right in the bag and stayed super crisp in the process. On top of that, the sauce had a smoky, spicy flavor that hit all the right notes." Key nutritionals 310 Calories, 1g Saturated Fat, 15g Protein, 6g Fiber, 620mg Sodium For stores visit kashi.com