You’ve sworn to cook more at home. You resolved to stop with the takeout pizza orders, already. Yet here you are, another weeknight that’s arrived seemingly without warning, and you need to feed the family in a hurry.
But never fear — there is a land between your goal of from-scratch cooking and your stand against too much takeout. Your next-best choice is a nutritious frozen meal that you keep on hand just for nights like this.
We talked to nutritionists about the best choices for emergency dining, and they provided options that are tasty, full of good-for-you ingredients and guaranteed to keep everyone happy. So, turn on the oven or air fryer and add some of these to your shopping list.
Advertisement
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability are subject to change.
1
Amazon
Amy’s Chili Mac & Cheese Family Size
“This meal serves four people, and each serving provides 15 grams of filling protein,” registered dietitian nutritionist Amy Gorin told HuffPost. “While it’s definitely on the decadent side, l like that it combines rice pasta with tofu and red beans. I recommend serving this with a side salad.”
Get it from your local store.
Get it from your local store.
2
Amazon
Caulipower Veggie Pizza
“I’m a big fan of cauliflower pizza, especially since it’s typically lower in calories than traditional pizza, and it’s gluten free,” Gorin said. “Each serving of this pizza provides 10 grams of protein and is a good source of bone-helping calcium. I love pizza served with Caesar salad, but you could also roast or steam some veggies to serve on the side.”
Get it from Amazon for $7.49.
Get it from Amazon for $7.49.
3
Amazon
Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Vegan Pizza
“I really do love Amy’s products,” RDN Sharon Palmer said. “They taste so good, and there are so may plant-based options. The nutrition lineup is great, too.”
Once you’ve checked out Palmer's pizza suggestion, she suggested Amy’s Mexican beans, Moroccan wraps and Thai and Indian curries. “The frozen dinners are hearty, and if we need to fill up more, then I just toss together a salad to get more veggies in the meal,” she said.
Get Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Vegan Pizza from Amazon for $8.99.
Once you’ve checked out Palmer's pizza suggestion, she suggested Amy’s Mexican beans, Moroccan wraps and Thai and Indian curries. “The frozen dinners are hearty, and if we need to fill up more, then I just toss together a salad to get more veggies in the meal,” she said.
Get Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Vegan Pizza from Amazon for $8.99.
Advertisement
4
Amazon
Sweet Earth Frozen Pizza
Palmer is also a fan of Sweet Earth plant-based frozen products. In addition to the company's pizza, she also loves the bowls, plant-based burgers, grounds and sausages. The Pepperoni Lover’s Pizza, for example, is made with a whole wheat psyllium crust, plant-based pepperoni, and has 13 grams of protein per serving.
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
5
Hilary's/Alexia
Hilary’s Organic World’s Best Veggie Burger & Alexia Sweet Potato Fries
“I typically don’t buy frozen meals, but I do buy lots of components to make mealtime easier,” RDN Sara Haas said. One of her favorite pairings is this burger and fry combo. “I add whole-grain buns for a meal,” she said.
Get the burgers from FreshDirect for $4.99.
Get the fries from Target for $4.89.
Get the burgers from FreshDirect for $4.99.
Get the fries from Target for $4.89.
6
Amazon
Perdue Simply Smart Organics Whole Grain Chicken Breast Tenders
These were recommended by Haas, who suggested pairing them with a “big salad and an array of salad dressings for dipping and drizzling.” The organic, non-GMO tenders have 13 grams of protein per serving. “They come together fast for a nourishing meal, and everyone can put them together how they like. For example, my daughter loves to dip the chicken fingers and eat the salad separately, but I like to put mine right on top for a protein-boosted entree salad.”
Get them from Amazon for $9.49.
Get them from Amazon for $9.49.
Advertisement
7
Target
DiGiorno Meatless Monday Sausage Frozen Pizza
“Because my kids love pizza, I’m a big fan of this product,” RDN Andrea Mathis said. “It’s a great alternative to the average frozen recipe, and it contains a good amount of veggies and plant-based protein. This hearty pizza contains 14 grams of protein per serving, which helps keep my kids satisfied a little longer between meals.”
Get it from Target for $7.99.
Get it from Target for $7.99.
8
Amazon
Caulipower Chicken Tenders
Registered dietitian Marissa Meshulam is a fan of this brand, which claims to be the only baked, never fried, tender in the freezer aisle. “They’re healthified chicken tenders that come together in minutes,” she said.
Get them from from Amazon for $9.99.
Get them from from Amazon for $9.99.
9
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe’s Paneer Tikka Masala
As far as RDN Amanda Frankeny is concerned, “Trader Joe’s reigns supreme for frozen meals.”
“I like this hearty microwavable dish made from chicken, authentic and warming Indian spices and basmati rice. Though typically it’s a meal in itself, you can bulk everyone’s plate by loading the chicken and rice onto a bed of lettuce and topping with a heaping spoonful of yogurt.”
Get it from your local Trader Joe’s.
“I like this hearty microwavable dish made from chicken, authentic and warming Indian spices and basmati rice. Though typically it’s a meal in itself, you can bulk everyone’s plate by loading the chicken and rice onto a bed of lettuce and topping with a heaping spoonful of yogurt.”
Get it from your local Trader Joe’s.
Advertisement
Before You Go
