Diet-Friendly Frozen Meals - Get the Best for Your Buck

When you're trying to lose weight, you may rely on frozen meals a little bit. They're certainly convenient -- just pop them in the microwave and you've got a pre-packaged, calorie-controlled meal. And the health value of some of these meals is improving; many are now available in whole grain (goodbye white rice!). However, the meals don't come without some caveats:

• Look at more than calories. If it's a diet meal, the calories are probably relatively low. However, be sure to watch for sodium. A lot of frozen meals are ridiculously high in sodium. Also, be sure to check the fat grams as well.
  
• Don't forget to form healthy habits. For weight loss to really stick, you've got to change your lifestyle habits. Almost any diet can help you lose weight -- but if you don't create healthy habits that will last a lifetime, how can you ever expect to keep the weight off? Little, frozen microwaveable meals might be all right for a while, but who would want to eat them for the rest of time?
  
• Watch for cost and taste. When it comes to groceries, you pay a price for convenience. Cost-wise, you're much better off cooking your own meals at home. If you just love having pre-portioned meals you can pop in the microwave, why not cook some light, nutritious dinners over the weekend and freeze individual portions? When you cook at home -- controlling the flavors and ingredients -- you're sure to end up with a more nutritious and tastier meal anyway.

There's nothing wrong with stocking your freezer with a few pre-packaged items for when you're in a rush, though. Just make sure you get the best nutrition and taste for your buck. "AOL Health" has taken the guesswork out of it -- check out this slideshow of diet-friendly frozen meals.