The nutritional value of frozen foods varies greatly from one type to another. Refer to the calorie counter for your favorite frozen foods to determine the calories and nutritional value.
Vitamins and Minerals
Unfortunately, many frozen foods do not contain significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. In fact, according to the Cleveland Clinic, convenience foods like frozen foods are often very high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium without providing much (if any) nutritional value. This primarily applies to prepared entrees and frozen dinners – things like frozen vegetables, frozen fruits, and un-doctored frozen meats may contain significant amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Sodium Content
One of the main disadvantages of frozen foods- particularly frozen dinners and prepared entrees - is that they tend to be very high in sodium. While sodium is an essential mineral, high sodium consumption can lead to health problems. In many cases, a single serving of a frozen entree contains enough sodium to meet (or exceed) your daily recommended intake for sodium. Sodium plays a key role in palatability for frozen dinners but it can detract from the nutritional value.
While some frozen foods do not offer great nutritional value, some do. Frozen foods may also offer an affordable and convenient option for improved nutrition. Refer to the calorie calculator for your favorite frozen foods to determine the calories and nutritional value.
Nutritional Value
While some frozen foods – primarily prepared entrees and frozen dinners, are low in nutritional value, others are not. For example, vegetables and fruits can be frozen at the peak of nutrition to preserve their nutritional value, that is the vitamin and mineral content. This being the case, frozen fruits and vegetables can be just as healthy as fresh ones.
Affordable Nutrition
Some frozen dinners are actually made with natural or even organic ingredients which gives them good nutritional value. In shopping for frozen foods, make sure you compare the nutrient content for protein, fats, and carbs to make sure it is a balanced source of nutrition. In the case of frozen fruits and vegetables, they may not only be a good source of nutrition but they may also be more affordable than fresh produce for some people. While the price of fresh produce changes by season, the price of frozen produce generally remains the same.
