Reading 77 1/22/07
A Cold Case
Meals prepared with frozen foods are fast, tasty,
and healthier than you think
By Leslie Goldman
If you're like many health-conscious runners, you usually zip right past the frozen-food
aisle (unless you're looking for Ben & Jerry's). Such a move made sense back when frozen
meals were limited to TV dinners loaded with fat, sodium, and mysterious-sounding
ingredients. But times have changed, and today healthy, natural, and organic foods are
a growing segment of the $28 billion frozen-food market. While there are still plenty of nutritional disasters available, a careful
consumer can select such guilt-free frozen options as whole-grain rice, vegetable medleys, precooked lean meats, and even sushi and
sweet-potato pancakes--products that make preparing a quick, nutritious meal a matter of simply reaching into a well-stocked freezer.
Eating frozen foods, especially fruits and vegetables, makes sense for runners looking for the best nutrient bang for their buck, says
Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, particularly in winter, when fresh options
are limited. "Produce is picked when ripe, then flash frozen, which preserves nutrients," she says. In fact, some frozen fruits and
vegetables may be better for you than their fresh counterparts, because in the five to eight days it takes for most produce to go from
harvest to your table, nutrient levels begin to drop. "Broccoli and strawberries lose some of their vitamin C and antioxidants," says Bonci.
"And leafy greens like spinach can lose most of their nutrients within eight days." A study out of the University of Illinois found that
after three days in the store and three days in a refrigerator, fresh green beans retained 36 percent of their vitamin C, while the
frozen version retained 77 percent.
Plus, what made TV dinners popular with 1950s housewives holds true for runners dashing from workouts to the kitchen today: Frozen
foods save time. You can skip the week's second trip to the store for fresh foods, and there's no need to wash and chop vegetables, mix
marinades, or wait 40 minutes for chicken to broil. "It's minimal effort and maximal benefit," says Bonci.
Cold (Short) Cuts
So what's the secret to healthy frozen meals? The principles are the same as when shopping for other products. "Frozen or not, be
mindful of calories, fat, and sodium," says Molly Kimball, R.D., of the Center of Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. Look for frozen
entr? with less than 10 grams of fat per serving and 1,000 milligrams or less of sodium. Check the ingredients list, too. "If you're buying
frozen waffles, make sure whole wheat is the first ingredient, and choose frozen fruit with no added sugar," says Kimball. (For a day's
worth of options, see "Heat and Eat")
And don't be fooled by frozen varieties of traditionally fried food. "A lot of people mistakenly think because they're taking fries out of
the freezer and putting them in the oven that they're having oven-baked fries," Kimball says. "But they were fried and then frozen." The
same goes for breaded shrimp and chicken nuggets. Kimball also shuns frozen hamburgers. "They can be so high in fat--up to 28 grams per
patty."
But do consider foods you might not normally choose. Kimball is a fan of frozen protein-dense edamame. These nutty-tasting soybeans
offer a nice mix of carbs and protein, making them "a good afternoon snack if you're running in the evening." Look for resealable bags that
let you grab a handful at a time and defrost in the microwave. Kimball also likes frozen fish that comes vacuum-sealed so you can cook one
fillet at a time.
To keep foods well frozen, and therefore well preserved, set your freezer's temperature at 0*F and avoid overloading it. Keep foods
toward the rear of the freezer because every time the door opens, warm air causes tiny bits to defrost; for this same reason, avoid
storing foods on the door. And place foods you want to freeze near the bottom, where temperatures are coldest.
When selecting produce, steer clear of bags with big ice clumps; they're a hint that the contents may have thawed and refrozen. After
you open them, Bonci recommends double bagging to prevent freezer burn, which is a form of dehydration and alters texture and taste.
Put the original bag in a resealable freezer bag and squeeze out extra air before sealing. And use all items in your freezer within six
months to ensure the best taste. Of course, if that bag of frozen peas ends up sitting around for over a year, don't toss it: You can
always use it as an icepack.
Meals prepared with frozen foods are fast, tasty,
and healthier than you think
By Leslie Goldman
If you're like many health-conscious runners, you usually zip right past the frozen-food
aisle (unless you're looking for Ben & Jerry's). Such a move made sense back when frozen
meals were limited to TV dinners loaded with fat, sodium, and mysterious-sounding
ingredients. But times have changed, and today healthy, natural, and organic foods are
a growing segment of the $28 billion frozen-food market. While there are still plenty of nutritional disasters available, a careful
consumer can select such guilt-free frozen options as whole-grain rice, vegetable medleys, precooked lean meats, and even sushi and
sweet-potato pancakes--products that make preparing a quick, nutritious meal a matter of simply reaching into a well-stocked freezer.
Eating frozen foods, especially fruits and vegetables, makes sense for runners looking for the best nutrient bang for their buck, says
Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, particularly in winter, when fresh options
are limited. "Produce is picked when ripe, then flash frozen, which preserves nutrients," she says. In fact, some frozen fruits and
vegetables may be better for you than their fresh counterparts, because in the five to eight days it takes for most produce to go from
harvest to your table, nutrient levels begin to drop. "Broccoli and strawberries lose some of their vitamin C and antioxidants," says Bonci.
"And leafy greens like spinach can lose most of their nutrients within eight days." A study out of the University of Illinois found that
after three days in the store and three days in a refrigerator, fresh green beans retained 36 percent of their vitamin C, while the
frozen version retained 77 percent.
Plus, what made TV dinners popular with 1950s housewives holds true for runners dashing from workouts to the kitchen today: Frozen
foods save time. You can skip the week's second trip to the store for fresh foods, and there's no need to wash and chop vegetables, mix
marinades, or wait 40 minutes for chicken to broil. "It's minimal effort and maximal benefit," says Bonci.
Cold (Short) Cuts
So what's the secret to healthy frozen meals? The principles are the same as when shopping for other products. "Frozen or not, be
mindful of calories, fat, and sodium," says Molly Kimball, R.D., of the Center of Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. Look for frozen
entr? with less than 10 grams of fat per serving and 1,000 milligrams or less of sodium. Check the ingredients list, too. "If you're buying
frozen waffles, make sure whole wheat is the first ingredient, and choose frozen fruit with no added sugar," says Kimball. (For a day's
worth of options, see "Heat and Eat")
And don't be fooled by frozen varieties of traditionally fried food. "A lot of people mistakenly think because they're taking fries out of
the freezer and putting them in the oven that they're having oven-baked fries," Kimball says. "But they were fried and then frozen." The
same goes for breaded shrimp and chicken nuggets. Kimball also shuns frozen hamburgers. "They can be so high in fat--up to 28 grams per
patty."
But do consider foods you might not normally choose. Kimball is a fan of frozen protein-dense edamame. These nutty-tasting soybeans
offer a nice mix of carbs and protein, making them "a good afternoon snack if you're running in the evening." Look for resealable bags that
let you grab a handful at a time and defrost in the microwave. Kimball also likes frozen fish that comes vacuum-sealed so you can cook one
fillet at a time.
To keep foods well frozen, and therefore well preserved, set your freezer's temperature at 0*F and avoid overloading it. Keep foods
toward the rear of the freezer because every time the door opens, warm air causes tiny bits to defrost; for this same reason, avoid
storing foods on the door. And place foods you want to freeze near the bottom, where temperatures are coldest.
When selecting produce, steer clear of bags with big ice clumps; they're a hint that the contents may have thawed and refrozen. After
you open them, Bonci recommends double bagging to prevent freezer burn, which is a form of dehydration and alters texture and taste.
Put the original bag in a resealable freezer bag and squeeze out extra air before sealing. And use all items in your freezer within six
months to ensure the best taste. Of course, if that bag of frozen peas ends up sitting around for over a year, don't toss it: You can
always use it as an icepack.
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