by Susan Kristoff

Created on: November 10, 2009

When you're following the Weight Watchers weight loss plan, it can sometimes be challenging to create delicious, filling, and balanced meal selections, particularly when you are busy and don't have the time to spend hours preparing meals. One option for busy Weight Watchers members is to choose low-fat low-calorie frozen dinners for quick meals. Unlike TV dinners from decades past, there are many delicious options for pre-packaged frozen meals that can appeal to any palate and food preferences.

Available Frozen Meal Brands

There are three major brands of low-fat, low-calorie frozen meals: Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers' Smart Ones, and Healthy Choice. All three of these brands have a large variety of meal options available, including pastas, seafood meals, low-carb meals, and larger meals that include a dessert. Most of these meals have between 250 and 500 calories and contain a balanced amount of fat, fiber, and protein.

The Smart Ones meals tend to have the lowest amount of calories, while Lean Cuisine offers larger frozen meals with higher calorie values. All of the brands offer options with rice, pasta, vegetables, pizzas, and even sandwiches.

Turning a Frozen Meal into a Complete Dinner

Many frozen meal packages contain a balance of lean protein, starches, and vegetables. A frozen meal can be the perfect size for lunch, but may be less than satisfying as a dinner meal. By adding a few healthy options to your basic frozen meal, you can turn it into a complete and satisfying dinner.

* Add a tossed salad with fat-free dressing, and finish the meal with fresh fruit or fat-free pudding for dessert.

* For meals that consist of a vegetarian pasta selection, add a 1/2 cup of diced cooked chicken breast or other lean meat to fill out the dish.

* For frozen meals that do not include a separate vegetable, add 1/2 of cooked carrots or 1 cup of fresh carrot sticks

Another hint: turn out your frozen meal onto an actual plate rather than eating it out of the plastic packaging tray. This will make it feel more like a home cooked meal than a quick frozen option.

Concerns about Frozen Meals

Many pre-packaged foods, including frozen meals, contain a large amount of sodium. If your health conditions require you to monitor your sodium intake, be sure to review the nutritional information on each frozen meal package to make an informed decision about what to choose.

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