Summary of 8 Unhealthiest Frozen Foods at Trader Joe’s, Say Dietitians:
This article provides insight into the least healthy frozen food options at Trader Joe’s, as recommended by dietitians. The categories that tend to be less healthy are frozen desserts, breaded or fried items, frozen pizza, and ready-to-eat meals. The article provides examples of specific products and their nutritional profiles that may not align with one’s health and dietary goals. The article also emphasizes the importance of being mindful of ingredients, nutrition facts, and processing methods to make better decisions when selecting frozen foods.
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Navigating Trader Joe’s Frozen Aisle: Dietitian-Approved Tips for Finding Healthy Options
Trader Joe’s is a beloved grocery chain known for its unique product lines, including its frozen food aisle. While convenient for quick meals, not all frozen food offerings at Trader Joe’s are created equal when it comes to nutrition. To help you make informed decisions about what ends up in your freezer, we consulted dietitians to uncover the least healthy frozen food options.
Categories to Watch Out For
In general, there are a few categories of frozen foods that tend to be less healthy due to their nutritional profile. Watch out for:
– Frozen desserts: Many of Trader Joe’s frozen desserts, like ice creams and cakes, are high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and calories.
– Breaded or fried items: While convenient, breaded fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and mozzarella sticks are often heavily processed and high in unhealthy fats. They are best consumed in moderation due to their impact on heart health and overall nutrition balance.
– Frozen pizza: Many of Trader Joe’s frozen pizza options can be high in sodium, saturated fat, and calories due to processed meats, excessive cheese, and refined flour crusts.
– Ready-to-eat meals: While convenient, some of Trader Joe’s frozen meals can be less healthy choices due to their sodium content and high levels of fat.
Least Healthy Items to Watch Out For
1. Cheese Filled Fiocchetti with Pink Sauce: This delicious pasta dish is heavy in saturated fat, containing 50% of a person’s daily recommended saturated fat intake per one-cup serving. Opt for tomato-based sauces instead of cream-based ones to cut back on saturated fat intake.
2. Vegetarian Meatless Cheeseburger Pizza: Despite being meatless, one-third of this pizza contains 790 milligrams of sodium, or just over a third of the recommended daily allowance of sodium for those with high blood pressure. Look for options with whole grain crusts, low-fat cheese, and more vegetable toppings to improve the nutrition balance.
3. Korean Dish: This vegan dish contains 420 milligrams of sodium in just a one-cup serving, equivalent to approximately 20% of the recommended daily allowance of sodium for those without hypertension. In addition, a single serving contains a whopping 61 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of added sugar.
4. Breaded Fried Ravioli: This less healthy choice is high in fat and sodium, with 10 grams of fat and 630 milligrams of sodium per serving of four ravioli.
5. Mandarin Orange Chicken: This popular option is less healthy due to its added sugar content and fried breading, which contains refined oils and flours.
6. Diner Mac and Cheese: While convenient, this 14-ounce box yields two servings, which together provides about 2 total cups of mac and cheese. The whole box will give you a whopping 80% of the daily value of saturated fat and 51% of the sodium.
7. New York Deli Style Cheesecake: With 23 grams of added sugar and 17 grams of saturated fat per slice, this frozen dessert item is among the least healthy at Trader Joe’s. Opt for healthier alternatives like Mini Hold the Cone Ice Cream.
8. Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks: While tasty, these frozen snacks are high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sodium. Enjoy them sparingly and consider healthier alternatives from the Trader Joe’s snack aisle.
Final Thoughts
It’s worth noting that not all frozen foods are unhealthy. With mindfulness of ingredients, nutrition facts, and processing methods, you can find frozen foods that align with your health and dietary goals at Trader Joe’s. Remember to read nutrition labels carefully, choose whole food ingredients over processed ones, and limit your intake of unhealthy fats, sodium, and added sugars. By being mindful, you can discover the healthy and delicious frozen options of Trader Joe’s.
