The Foods to Kick Out of Your Freezer Right Now
The freezer is truly a kitchen necessity. So many foods make their way to this beloved appliance, as it can store premade meals until the time comes that you want to eat them. And that makes the freezer super valuable! Plus, there are plenty of already frozen foods that are staples in most kitchens—morning smoothies would be lost without all those frozen fruits. But like anything else, some foods are better for you than others, and there are others that simply should not be in your freezer.
To help you be sure you're eating the best foods to keep you on track with those healthy eating goals you set for yourself, we rounded up some foods that really should never find their way to your freezer. If you happen to have these in your freezer currently, we suggest getting rid of them. Sorry, but it's better you know the truth, right? While you're at it, be sure to stock up on any of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now, too.
Frozen Pizza
Sometimes the pizza craving hits and you might not feel like waiting around for the delivery guy to show up with a pie. So you keep some frozen pizzas on hand for these emergency moments. But you'll want to toss those, as they're not helping you drop any unwanted pounds. Take a close look at the nutrition labels, and you'll uncover the fact that many frozen pizzas are fat and sodium bombs.
Take, for example, DiGiorno's Croissant Crust Three Meat Pizza. The whole pie is more than 2,000 calories and has 4,200 milligrams of sodium. If you're able to stick to just one serving, that's still 840 milligrams of the salty stuff. See, The American Heart Association recommends the average person consume no more than 2,300 milligrams each day of sodium, so it's easy to see why these pizzas could be problematic. Instead, you're better off making your own pizza!
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
OK, so it really isn't much of a shock that ice cream isn't considered a healthy food. While there are plenty of light ice cream options out there that are are perfect for indulging, there is one ice cream flavor you're going to want to keep away. It's (sadly) none other than peanut butter ice cream. The pints you'll commonly find of PB flavored ice cream are often some of the most caloric and are drowning in sugar. Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup comes in at 1,400 calories per pint, 98 grams of fat, and 96 grams of sugar. That's as much sugar as you would get from nine and a half Original Glazed Krispy Kreme donuts!
Then there's Tillamook's Double Nutty Peanut Butter ice cream, which comes in at more than 1,3o0 calories per pint, and a whopping 102 grams of fat. And Häagen-Dazs' Peanut Butter Salted Fudge ice cream has as many calories as two McDonald's Quarter Pounders with cheese.
You're much better off eating actual peanut butter, perhaps alongside homemade chocolate-covered banana bites?
Frozen Chicken Dinners
Frozen dinners are obviously convenient, but there are certain meals you're going to keep out of your freezer, no matter what. Fried chicken based frozen meals tend to be some of the worst options.
Need proof?
Well, Hungry-Man's Double Chicken Bowl Boneless Fried Chicken meal is made of two fried chicken patties that are served with mac and cheese. It's serving up 760 calories and more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium. Another questionable Hungry-Man frozen meal is the Golden Battered Chicken with Cheese Fries, is made up of golden battered chicken and fries that are swimming in a cheese sauce. It's coming in with 1,620 milligrams of sodium.
If you're often eating high-sodium foods, you can start to gain weight and you're ultimately putting yourself at risk for more serious health concerns, as a high sodium intake is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.
Frozen Pies
A pie you find in the frozen aisle seems like a sweet deal. You don't have to bake anything yourself and when it comes time for dessert, you either pop it in the oven, or let it sit out and thaw, depending on the type of pie. However, this is yet another example of how you're better off putting in that extra time to make your own, as you're in control of the ingredients that way. The Sara Lee brand's Lemon Meringue Crème Pie is serving up 51 grams of sugar per slice, or as much of the sweet stuff as you would get from 17 Oreo Thin Cookies.
Frozen Sandwiches
Whether it's a turnover style sandwich like a Hot Pocket or a breakfast sandwich loaded up with sausage, cheese, and pancakes as the buns (yes, those exist, thanks to Jimmy Dean!), ready-in-minutes sandwiches can be dangerous. A Buffalo Style Chicken Hot Pocket, for example, is serving up 1,170 milligrams of sodium. No thanks!
Looking for more helpful tips? Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here!
Frozen Pastries
Munching on a Toaster Strudel you expertly drizzled that white frosting over might be a beloved childhood memory, but that's where it should stay. These are just sugar-filled, fiber-less foods that will have you crashing after the sugar rush, looking for something else to eat soon after, as you'll be hungry again. Plus, eating too much added sugar can lead to belly fat and increase your risk of dying from heart disease. Just toss them from your freezer and don't bother looking back. Your waistline will thank you.
