Jul 2, 2009 9:49 am US/Eastern
Healthy Choice Puts New Spin On Frozen Food
TV Dinners Going Healthy With Whole Grains, More Vegetables, No Trans-Fats
Reporting
Cindy Hsu
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
TV dinners such as roast turkey or hot brownies with caramel sauce may taste great, but often fail to provide buyers with proper nutrition – which is why new Healthy Choice All Natural Entrees is giving them an extreme makeover.
Good Housekeeping nutrition director Samantha Cassetty explained that Healthy Choice All Natural Entrees are different than what would be traditionally classified as TV dinners.
"This line is more gourmet than grocery store," Cassety said. "It has better premium ingredients, like olive oil, barley, and more interesting vegetables, like asparagus tips and portabella mushrooms."
Cassety credits Healthy Choice frozen dinners as the trend-setter in pre-made, but still nutritious, entrees.
"They are low in calories," Cassety said. "About 270-380 per meal."
Healthy Choice's wide variety of meals, which include portabella spinach parmesan, sweet Asian pot stickers and Mediterranean pasta, left taste testers quite impressed.
"The pasta is cooked well," said sampler Todd Kent. "The peppers taste fresh. They have a nice flavor."
Cassety added most producers of TV dinners are starting to jump on the healthy bandwagon.
Manufacturers such as Amy's Organics, Kashi and Lean Cuisine are also popular among Americans seeking a healthier frozen dinner, and many new meals contain at least 15 grams of protein and five grams of fiber per serving.
Nutritionists also found that an increasing number of food manufacturers are making frozen meals with less sodium, more vegetables, zero Trans-Fats and even 100 percent whole-grains.
Entrees typically sell for approximately $2 to $5 apiece.
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