Grocery Store Series: Freezer Aisle

Grocery Series: The Freezer Aisle

The final tip of my grocery series will cover the freezer aisle. There are many bad things about the freezer aisle and some good ones. Frozen foods should not be feared, rather embraced as part of a healthy diet. Here are the frozen foods you want to stock up on and the ones you want avoid.

Frozen Foods Gone Bad

There is an endless list of unhealthy frozen foods. It is mostly contained to your frozen meals and pizza. Both of these foods are loaded with salt, fat, and a long list of preservatives, chemicals, and additives. Even the so called “healthy” entrees aren’t very good. They are still filled with salt. Get rid of them in your freezer and avoid them at the grocery store.

Frozen meatballs, chicken tenders, French fries, burgers, appetizers, and similar items should also be limited in your diet. Again, these items are going to be loaded with sodium and fat. Breakfast items like waffles and pancakes should be consumed in moderation without all the syrup.

What the freezer aisle got right…

Some of my favorite foods come from the freezer aisle. Certain foods found frozen can be more nutritious and convenient than fresh foods. For example, frozen vegetables that are plain (not flavored) are quick, easy, and nutritious. These are a staple in my household. Also a favorite is the steamable rice products available. They are whole grain, cook in just minutes, and have no added salt or preservatives. These are a much healthier alternative to the flavored rice pilaf and similar boxed rice products. If you are a smoothie person, you can find a variety of frozen fruits that won’t go bad in a couple days like fresh fruits. Just make sure there are no added sugars in your fruit. Lastly, you can find some great whole grain breads made with a variety of different grains and seeds. These breads don’t come with all the preservatives and sugars of your traditional breads so they are much better for you. They also tend to have more fiber and protein making them more nutritious than the bread aisle.

In summary, the key to finding healthy foods in the freezer section is to make sure there isn’t a ton of salt, saturated fat, and unknown additives. Read your ingredients list and make sure you know what you are actually eating. That is the key to every food item you find in the grocery store.