Returning to the office? Here are 30 frozen meals ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest

More people are returning to the office which may mean more time spent commuting and less time to cook homemade meals. But spending those extra hours away from home doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your health and weight loss goals. 

Frozen meals can be a convenient solution, whether you need an easy meal to prepare in the office breakroom or want something quick to make at home after a long day at work. And with so many brands and cuisine types available, you can find options that fit nearly any flavor mood you're in.  

Hers looked at 30 of Amazon Fresh's bestselling frozen meals in six categories: Mexican, Asian, pasta/lasagna, American, Indian, and pizza. Then we ranked each serving size based on the following nutrition categories to see which ones are the most health-conscious. 

• Calories: Understanding how many calories you consume each day helps you balance your intake amount depending on whether you want to maintain or lose weight. A total daily energy expenditure calculator can help you estimate how many calories you typically burn per day.
• Protein: Eating more protein may lead to multiple health benefits, including benefits on body weight management and cardiometabolic risk factors.
• Trans fat: Trans fatty acids are shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
• Net Carbs: Measuring net carbs subtracts the amount of fiber from the total carbohydrates, providing a more accurate sense of how many carbs your body is processing in a serving. 
• Sugar: Research shows that overconsuming sugar is linked to an increase in diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.  

Key Findings

• Frozen Indian meals skewed healthier, with the majority appearing in the top half of the rankings due to higher levels of protein and fewer calories and sugar.
• Vegetarian options aren't always the healthiest and several rank in the bottom half often because of a higher carb content. Look closely at nutrition labels when comparing meat-free meals. 
• Many pizza and pasta meals cluster in the lower half of the list because of lower protein and higher carbs. When looking at frozen pizzas, be mindful of portion size when considering nutrition facts.

Bestselling Frozen Meals Ranked from Healthiest to Unhealthiest

1. Classic Meatloaf (Stouffer's®)

2. Chicken Tikka Masala (Deep Indian Kitchen®)

3. Simply Steamers Meatball Marinara (Healthy Choice®)

4. Chicken Tikka Masala (Saffron Road®)

5. Chicken Teriyaki (Lean Cuisine®) (tied)

5. Meat Loaf and Gravy (Marie Callender's®) (tied)

7. Classic Chicken Parmigiana Bowl (Marie Callender's®)

8. Original Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizza (Jack's®)

9. Chicken Lo Mein (P.F. Chang's®)

10. Protein Kick Four Cheese Pizza (Lean Cuisine®)

11. Chicken Tikka Masala with Basmati Saffron Rice (Aplenty®)

12. General Tso's Chicken (Aplenty®)

13. Chicken Tikka Masala Naanwich® (Sukhi's®) (tied)

13. Classic Fried Chicken (Hungry-Man Selects®) (tied)

15. Rising Crust Four Cheese Pizza (DiGiorno®)

16. Macaroni and Cheese (Amy's®)

17. Cheese Enchilada (Amy's®) (tied)

17. Chicken Chimichanga (José Olé®) (tied)

19. Cafe Steamers® Sweet Sesame Chicken (Healthy Choice®)

20. Chicken & Cheese Taquitos (El Monterey®) (tied)

20. Shrimp Alfredo (Zatarain's®) (tied)

22. Classic Crust Pepperoni Pizza (Red Baron®)

23. Naturally Rising Crust Canadian Style Bacon & Pineapple Pizza (Freschetta®)

24. Mexican Protein Bowl (Tasty Bite®)

25. Classic Lasagna with Meat Sauce (Stouffer's®)

26. Indian Mattar Paneer (Amy's®)

27. Chicken Enchilada Suiza (Lean Cuisine®)

28. Five Cheese Rigatoni (Lean Cuisine®)

29. Pad Thai (Amy's®)

30. Chicken Fried Beef Steak (Banquet®)

Get the data.

Frozen Meal Nutrition: Trends and Insights

You can include frozen meals as part of your healthy habits to create a balanced diet that fuels you from morning until night.

Which Frozen Meals Have the Least Calories?

Frozen Meals With the Least Calories 

1. Chicken & Cheese Taquitos (El Monterey®): 220 calories
2. Cheese Enchilada (Amy's®) and General Tso's Chicken (Aplenty®): 240 calories
3. Chicken Teriyaki (Lean Cuisine®): 260 calories

Frozen Meals With the Most Calories 

1. Classic Fried Chicken (Hungry-Man Selects®): 970 calories
2. Classic Chicken Parmigiana Bowl (Marie Callender's®): 510 calories
3. Shrimp Alfredo (Zatarain's®): 470 calories

Which Frozen Meals Have the Most Protein?

Frozen Meals With the Most Protein   

1. Classic Fried Chicken (Hungry-Man Selects®): 49 grams
2. Classic Chicken Parmigiana Bowl (Marie Callender's®): 31 grams
3. Chicken Tikka Masala (Deep Indian Kitchen®): 24 grams

Frozen Meals With the Least Protein   

1. Chicken & Cheese Taquitos (El Monterey®): 7 grams
2. Cheese Enchilada (Amy's®): 9 grams
3. Chicken Fried Beef Steak (Banquet®) and Chicken Enchilada Suiza (Lean Cuisine®): 10 grams

Which Frozen Meals Have the Most Net Carbs?

Frozen Meals With the Most Net Carbs

1. Pad Thai (Amy's®): 65 grams
2. Shrimp Alfredo (Zatarain's®): 60 grams
3. Classic Fried Chicken (Hungry-Man Selects®): 59 grams

Frozen Meals With the Least Net Carbs

1. General Tso's Chicken (Aplenty®): 12 grams
2. Cheese Enchilada (Amy's®): 15 grams
3. Classic Meatloaf (Stouffer's®): 20 grams

Which Frozen Meals Have the Most Sugar?

Frozen Meals With the Most Sugar

1. Pad Thai (Amy's®): 30 grams
2. Classic Fried Chicken (Hungry-Man Selects®), General Tso's Chicken (Aplenty®), and Cafe Steamers® Sweet Sesame Chicken (Healthy Choice®): 13 grams
3. Meat Loaf and Gravy (Marie Callender's®): 10 grams

Frozen Meals With the Least Sugar

1. Chicken & Cheese Taquitos (El Monterey®) and Chicken Chimichanga (José Olé®): 1 gram
2. Cheese Enchilada (Amy's®) and Chicken Tikka Masala (Deep Indian Kitchen®): 2 grams
3. Chicken Tikka Masala (Aplenty® and Saffron Road®): 4 grams

Methodology: How Scores Were Calculated

Hers looked at the five bestselling frozen meals on Amazon Fresh in six different cuisine categories: Mexican, Asian, pasta/lasagna, American, Indian, and pizza, for a total of 30 meals. Using this list, we ranked each on five nutrition factors. Higher levels of protein were ranked favorably with a 3x multiplier. Calories, trans fat, net carbohydrates, and sugar content were ranked negatively and we applied a 2x multiplier to trans fat scores. 

How to Eat Healthy When Life Gets Busy

Life can get busy, whether you're returning to the office or navigating responsibilities at home. Here are some tips for eating healthy when you're short on time.

1. Find the frozen meals that support your health goals: Nutritional content of frozen meals can vary greatly, so it's always a good idea to read nutrition labels. Then you can assess which ones are best for you based on flavor as well as any nutritional categories you may be trying to boost (like protein), reduce (like sugar), or just be mindful of (like calories). 
2. Plan your grocery list: Before you head to the store, create a grocery list to help you make mindful choices that support your health and weight loss goals. Think about your meal prep plan for the week, and buy ingredients that you need so when you get home and open the fridge you have a plan you can stick to. 
3. Simplify your meals: When you do cook at home after a long day, plan for meals that are easy to prepare and clean up. Slow cooker meals and sheet pan dinners, for instance, require very little effort and only leave one main dish to wash afterward. Overnight oats are another great option for a grab-and-go breakfast you can prep the night before. Healthy meal replacement bars and shakes can also be a good option for on the go. Plus, there's plenty of online recipe inspiration for healthy meals that are high in flavor and nutritional content.

This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.