The Best Food Choice When You Don’t Have Time to Cook

Feeling hungry and want food fast? Forget the drive-thru: People who eat frozen meals tend to take in fewer calories and more nutrients than those who eat at quick-serve restaurants, suggests new research presented at the 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conference.

In the study, people who nuked their meals consumed 253 fewer calories and 27 percent more fiber, 43 percent more vitamin A, and 15 percent more calcium over the course of a day than participants who chose fast-food joints.

Frozen meals’ portion sizes allow for fewer calories. Plus, if you grab a quick bite at a restaurant, you might simply eat what comes standard, says sports nutritionist Marie Spano, M.S., R.D. That can mean just a plain sandwich with nothing added to boost the nutritional value.

“But with a frozen meal, you’re going to have a fairly well-balanced meal a good part of the time,” Spano says. “There’s usually a main dish, what we think of as a side dish with some vegetables, and maybe a small dessert or fruit dish.”

However, this study—which hasn’t yet been published—used a 24-hour recall to estimate nutrient intake. That only gives you one snapshot of what people remember eating one day. It’s difficult to use that info to really get an accurate look at what the eaters’ habits looked like overall, says Spano.

Usually, you need more time to get a clearer picture—a study in The Journal of Nutrition found that 2 to 6 days are required for good accuracy. This could also help identify patterns that emerge.

For instance, since frozen meals tend to have fewer calories, they can be less filling. If that’s the case, you might end up eating more the next day to make up for it. Measuring food patterns over a longer period of time would let you see if the calories eventually even out, she says.  

If you’re starving and don’t have an hour to spend in the kitchen, frozen meals can be a fine choice—but you might have to spice things up a bit to be satisfied, Spano says. Add extra vegetables and pre-cooked protein to skimpy meals so you aren’t hungry again in a couple hours. Shoot for 30 grams total of protein.

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