7 Unhealthiest Frozen Lasagnas on Grocery Shelves

Lasagna is the perfect blend of rich sauce, melted cheese and meat over delicious pasta noodles. It's a beloved dish by many and is the ideal shared meal for family and friend gatherings.

But not everyone has time to spend hours in the kitchen prepping and cooking. Sometimes you just don't have time to make your favorite comfort foods from scratch so popping in a frozen meal when you're short on time is a go-to option. But choosing a pre-made lasagna from the frozen section at the grocery store isn't that easy. There are so many options and many are filled with junk ingredients.

"A good frozen lasagna should have a clean ingredient list with real cheese (mozzarella, ricotta, or parmesan—not a processed "cheese blend") and a tomato sauce made from whole tomatoes, not corn syrup or excessive additives," says According to Bess Berger, RDN is the founder of Nutrition by Bess in NJ, and mom of 4 so she knows the need for convenience foods and fast dinners.

She adds, "Look for at least 10 grams of protein per serving to make it more satisfying. Also, watch out for added sugars in the sauce; some brands sneak in way more than necessary."

When shopping, here is key  nutritional information in mind:

Calories: Depending on age range and fitness goals, on average, the guidelines for calorie intake range between 1,600 to 2,000, per Cleveland Clinic. One frozen lasagna can equal an entire day's worth of calories.

Saturated fat: Saturated fat is something you'll often find in restaurant meals. According to the American Heart Association, if you're following a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, you should not have more than 13 grams of saturated fat. Too much can lead to serious health issues like high cholesterol and heart disease.

Sodium: Many frozen meals load up on the salt for flavor. While it might be tasty, you're risking your heart. The American Heart Association says too many Americans consume more salt than recommended. The organization suggests having no more than 2,300 milligrams a day, but many people have 3,500mg daily.

Sugar: According to the American Heart Association, women shouldn't have more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, which is around 100 calories, and for men, no more than 9 teaspoons or 150 calories per day.

Now that you know what to look for, here are the seven unhealthiest frozen lasagnas according to dietitians ranked in order from bad to absolutely terrible for you.

Giovanni Rana Beef and Sausage Lasagna

The Giovanni Rana Beef and Sausage Lasagna is loaded with flavor, but also saturated fat and sugar.

"In just 1 cup of this lasagna, it contains almost 50% of your daily saturated fat allotment and 34% sodium for an average American consuming 2,000 calories," says  Michelle Routhenstein, MS RD CDCES CDN, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian and Heart Health Expert at EntirelyNourished.com. "Regular consumption of excess saturated fat and sodium can increase the risk of insulin resistance and heart disease."

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Stouffer's Meat Lovers Lasagna

Stouffer's Meat Lovers Lasagna is a popular brand many love, but it lands on our list of unhealthiest because of high sodium content and saturated fat.

Described as "Lasagna noodles layered between hearty tomato sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage, and ground beef and pork", there should be no surprise that this product is going to be high in calories, sodium, and fat,  Michelle Rauch MSc RDN Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for The Actors Fund points out.

Just one cup has 780mg of salt with most of the sodium coming from processed meats.

"This variety of Stouffer's contains a significant amount of fat (8g), which meets almost half the maximum recommendation (13g) for daily saturated fats for someone consuming 2000 calories a day," Rauch notes.

"The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 6% of your total calories from saturated fat and avoiding a diet high in overall fat, especially those of saturated and trans fats which have been associated with increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and obesity," Rauch says.

If you're craving lasagna, Rauch suggests making one from scratch.

"It is easy enough to make your own using ingredients that are lower in sodium, fat, and calories.  Make it in advance and freeze it in portions that can be microwaved for a meal at one's own  convenience.  There are plenty of lower sodium and fat varieties of mozzarella and ricotta as well as leaner choices of ground meats that are available in most grocery locations."

Sweet Earth Mushroom Lasagna

While the Sweet Earth Mushroom Lasagna doesn't have processed meat since it's vegetarian, it's still loaded with fat, calories and sugar.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

"As a dietitian, my primary concern with this dish is the high amount of saturated fat, the

elevated sodium levels, and the low protein content, which makes it less filling," says  Violeta Morris, MS, RDN from Columbus, OH, The Concierge Dietitian, @conciergedietitianvioleta.

"I typically recommend that my clients consume around 30 grams of protein per meal to

promote satiety and support muscle maintenance. However, this lasagna contains only

half that amount, making it less satisfying and potentially less balanced for most people."

By Chef Ramsay Lasagna with Bolognese Meat Sauce

Gordon Ramsay's fiery approach works on TV and his passion for food shows through his cooking, but the famous chef's  By Chef Ramsay Lasagna with Bolognese Meat Sauce Bowl is one to skip according to Morris.

"The sodium content in this product, like many other frozen meals, is notably high," she says. "As a dietitian, I often remind my clients that most of their sodium intake will likely come from packaged foods like this one, rather than from table salt used in cooking or at the dinner table. With nearly half of the recommended daily sodium intake in just one serving, this meal can contribute to increased blood pressure and raise the risk of heart disease and stroke when consumed regularly."

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Guy Fieri's Flavortown Cheesy Chicken Lasagna Rollups

Another famous chef's frozen lasagna to stay away from is Guy Fieri's Flavortown Cheesy Chicken Lasagna Rollups with Marinara Sauce due to high sodium, sugar and calories.

Morris says, "As a dietitian, I believe that frozen food doesn't always mean less nutritious food,

although it's important for people to be informed and aware of what is considered

healthy and what is not."

She explains, "For example, Guy Fieri's dish contains, 420 calories,

15 grams of fat, 1070 mg of sodium, and 20 grams of protein. It also has 7 grams of

saturated fat, which, based on recommendations from the American Heart Association,

represents about half of the daily limit for an individual consuming a 2,000-calorie diet.

Additionally, the meal has 49 grams of carbohydrates, and high-carb meals like this one

can cause blood glucose spikes, especially for people with diabetes."

Michael Angelo's Three Cheese Lasagna

Michael Angelo's Three Cheese Lasagna is the top choice for pasta lovers, but while it's deliciously rich and tasty, is not the healthiest choice among other frozen lasagna options.

It's packed with too much fat and salt, plus it's high in calories, says Rauch.

Described as "three layers of cheese and pasta smothered in vine-ripened tomato sauce, then topped with Romano" and marketed as "2xs the cheese", it is no wonder that a single serving contains 22g of fat of which more than half (13g) is saturated fat, which is an entire day's worth.

"With 1,130 mg of sodium in a serving, this frozen lasagna is one to avoid," Rauch emphasizes.

"Eating a diet high in sodium is associated with developing conditions such as hypertension which is a major cause of heart disease and stroke."

Beecher's Cheese Curd Lasagna with Meat Sauce

The No. 1 unhealthiest frozen lasagna is Beecher's Cheese Curd Lasagna with Meat Sauce! It's not only loaded with processed meat and cheese, but also sodium and fat.

"This decadent lasagna is packed with four types of cheese, and three different styles of meats from pork, Italian sausage,  and pork, which amps up the saturated fat to 12 grams per serving, higher than some people should be consuming in an entire day," Routhenstein says.

She adds, "Regular consumption of excess saturated fat and sodium can increase the risk of insulin resistance and heart disease. This lasagna also contains 1,170mg per serving and 2740mg for the entire container, which can increase risk of high blood pressure."