Good Food Made Simple: Healthy Frozen Food?

Our supermarket's frozen food section is filled with frozen foods that are marketed as "healthy" options, but they are usually filled with sodium and preservatives.

Good Food Made Simple recently sent me some samples of their frozen food line. They claim to use all natural, simple ingredients just like someone would make the foods at home.

But, are they really as wholesome as they claim?

They offer three varieties of steel cut oatmeal and since this is one of my usual breakfast choices, I was happy to see how they compared to my homemade version.

Fruit and Berry Oatmeal

Serving Size: 8oz (227g)

Ingredients: Filtered water, steel cut oats, sweetened cranberries, sweetened blueberries, currents, sweetened cherries, vermont maple syrup, brown sugar, sea salt.

2.5 minutes in the microwave and the oatmeal was hot and ready to serve. It was creamy, tasty and I loved the berry combination. As for the ingredients, it is just like I would make it at home minus the vermont maple syrup. However, I use fresh fruit or non-sweetened dried fruit. 15 grams of sugar isn't bad, but I would suggest that if they would use non-sweetened fruit, they could get this number down a tad more.

Vermont Maple Syrup Oatmeal

Serving Size: 8oz (227g)

Ingredients: Filtered water, steel cut oats, vermont maple syrup, brown sugar, sea salt.

Again, same as above and great tasting. I could have still enjoyed it a little less sweet. Perhaps they could eliminate the brown sugar and just use the maple syrup. 10 grams of sugar isn't bad though.

Plain Oatmeal

Serving Size: 8oz (227g)

Ingredients: Filtered water, steel cut oats, sea salt.

If you want to add your own amounts sugar, stevia, or berries, then this plain oatmeal variety is perfect. I would probably pick this one because I like to add frozen blueberries to my oatmeal and just a pinch of brown sugar.

Good Food Made Simple has two types of frozen egg patties available.

Whole Egg Patties

Serving size: 2oz (57g)

Ingredients: Whole eggs, egg whites, whole milk, cornstarch, sea salt, pepper

These took about a minute to heat in the microwave and are just like I would make eggs at home except for the cornstarch. I tried them plain and with some cheese. Even plain, they had a good taste, but the texture was a tad rubbery although impressive for a frozen egg product.

Egg White Patties

Serving size: 2oz (57g)

Ingredients: egg whites, whole milk, cornstarch, sea salt, pepper

For those on a low cholesterol diet, these are perfect. Again, they are a little rubbery, but still tasty even by themselves. I would question 0 grams of fat since whole milk is used. They probably have less than 1 gram so it's not required to be listed.

Good Food Made Simple lives up to their claims as far as I'm concerned with only natural, wholesome ingredients and their products were easy to eat. Should someone with time to make their own oatmeal and eggs at home choose this product? Well, only if you have extra money to burn because making your own is way more inexpensive.

However, for busy people on the go, Good Food Made Simple provides some nice healthy, frozen breakfast options.

View the original article here

Simple Steps to Pack a Healthy Lunch

We all know that bringing a lunch everyday will save us calories and money, but it is all about sticking to it and making healthy choices.

You must plan ahead, spend an extra five to ten minutes packing the lunch, and then transport the lunch safely.

I bring my lunch to work almost everyday, so I will share with you some quick tips that I've learned.

Decide what you will eat for lunch. A few of my favorite lunches are: Salad with tuna or garbanzo beans and a light vinaigrette dressingHigh fiber wrap with hummus and vegetablesLeftovers from dinner in a reheatable container or leftovers placed on top of salad greensHomemade soup/stewSandwich thins or whole wheat bread with nitrite free turkey and a thin spread of pestoInterchange your snacks or sides. Try Greek yogurt, fruit, small handful of nuts, baby carrots/raw vegetables, hummus, whole grain crackers, reduced fat cottage cheese, and low fat string cheese.Make a shopping list of items you need for your lunch. On your weekly shopping trip, make sure to pick up the necessary items.Pack your lunch the night before. You will be much more likely to stick to packing your lunch if you don't have to do it during the morning rush.Use a lunch bag that is insulated and always pack an ice pack. Food will stay safe for up to four hours when left in the temperature danger zones. Using an ice pack and insulated lunch bag will help to extend this time slightly. I use a collapsible lunch bag that I can fold up and put in my purse for convenience.

These are just the basics. The hardest part is changing your habits and behaviors. Just remember that there is a greater payoff for bringing your lunch to work everyday. If your goal is weight loss, you may save a couple hundred calories resulting in a pound lost by the end of the week. If you goal is to eat healthy, packing a lunch could help to increase your fruit and vegetable intake.

Do you pack a lunch, and if you do, do you have any lunch ideas for the rest of us?

View the original article here

Simple Steps to Pack a Healthy Lunch

We all know that bringing a lunch everyday will save us calories and money, but it is all about sticking to it and making healthy choices.

You must plan ahead, spend an extra five to ten minutes packing the lunch, and then transport the lunch safely.

I bring my lunch to work almost everyday, so I will share with you some quick tips that I've learned.

Decide what you will eat for lunch. A few of my favorite lunches are: Salad with tuna or garbanzo beans and a light vinaigrette dressingHigh fiber wrap with hummus and vegetablesLeftovers from dinner in a reheatable container or leftovers placed on top of salad greensHomemade soup/stewSandwich thins or whole wheat bread with nitrite free turkey and a thin spread of pestoInterchange your snacks or sides. Try Greek yogurt, fruit, small handful of nuts, baby carrots/raw vegetables, hummus, whole grain crackers, reduced fat cottage cheese, and low fat string cheese.Make a shopping list of items you need for your lunch. On your weekly shopping trip, make sure to pick up the necessary items.Pack your lunch the night before. You will be much more likely to stick to packing your lunch if you don't have to do it during the morning rush.Use a lunch bag that is insulated and always pack an ice pack. Food will stay safe for up to four hours when left in the temperature danger zones. Using an ice pack and insulated lunch bag will help to extend this time slightly. I use a collapsible lunch bag that I can fold up and put in my purse for convenience.

These are just the basics. The hardest part is changing your habits and behaviors. Just remember that there is a greater payoff for bringing your lunch to work everyday. If your goal is weight loss, you may save a couple hundred calories resulting in a pound lost by the end of the week. If you goal is to eat healthy, packing a lunch could help to increase your fruit and vegetable intake.

Do you pack a lunch, and if you do, do you have any lunch ideas for the rest of us?

View the original article here