Were those bazillion hours of cooking really worth it? Gone in less than 10 minutes, never to be seen again? We love our cooking here at Eatto and we put hours of care and attention into each and every meal produced in our kitchen but let’s face it, who really has the time to do that themselves on a daily basis? Oh, and let’s not forget about the mountain of dishes that need cleaning as a result too! As much as we’d like to cook a meal from scratch each day, in today’s busy world it just isn’t an option for a lot of us. While we can’t freeze time, there is an alternative frozen option here to help- healthy frozen food! You heard us right! Believe it or not, healthy frozen food isn’t a myth! When fruit and veggies are picked at their prime ripeness, freezing locks in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, sometimes even better than consuming them fresh! So aside from fruit and veggies, how do you determine what frozen food to choose? Here are some tips for choosing healthy frozen food:
PACKAGING
“Not all that Glitters is Gold” – Be mindful of the packaging your food comes in. The food graphics on today’s packaging may be enticing but it is the packaging itself we need to take a closer look at. When heated, some of the plastic containers used in food packaging emit harmful toxins which transfer to the food inside. Some companies may choose these options as a means of lowering their costs and creating a cheaper resulting product, but, at what cost? Try to opt for companies that offer biodegradable and sustainable packaging that is either completely compostable or recyclable. A choice like that will allow you to tuck into a healthy box of Meatballs in a rustic tomato sauce while also reducing your carbon footprint.
INGREDIENTS
Keep a close eye on the ingredient list of your frozen meals. You may be unaware of the huge list of preservatives and faux vegetables in them. Check that your box of Red Thai chicken curry is made with good quality ingredients and has absolutely no preservatives or additives in it. Take that extra minute to read through the ingredient list and pick out meals that feature vegetables and fruits in their most natural form!
PORTION CONTROL
Frozen meals are flash-frozen to lock in the goodness while conveniently putting a pause on its shelf life. While purchasing frozen meals check the portion size, often, these meals serve more than one. Ensure to buy meals for one, meals for two or meals for families, based on what you require. Ultimately, buying pre-portioned meals will help minimize food wastage but with the bonus of helping with portion control!
Hopefully, these tips help you in selecting fuss-free and healthy frozen food. An equally important thing to look out for is transparency. Try and opt for brands that are completely honest and transparent about the ingredients used in their meals. That is exactly what we do here at Eatto, not only do we batch code each meal made in our kitchen for traceability, but also provide the nutritional value for each meal. Spend less time cooking and more time with your loved ones by leaving the frozen food myths in the past. A box of well-chosen healthy frozen food will not only save your time but will allow you to do exactly that!
