The 4 Healthiest Frozen Meals to Stock in Your Freezer 2024

Whether you’ve just come home from a long day at work, returned from a fantastic vacation, or are just plain not feeling well, we’ve all been there. The last thing you want to do on those days is cook, right? 

In the past, you may have hesitated to stock up on frozen meals due to their notorious capacity for containing high amounts of sodium and additives you’d rather not consume regularly. 

All of that is changing, though. The frozen meal section has gotten quite the facelift in the last few years with the rise in consumer demand for healthier convenience foods. 

That’s why we’ve created this list of the 4 healthiest frozen meals you can keep in your fridge for a rainy day, including options for those on high-protein diets and vegans.

Insider Picks

Healthiest Frozen Meals Overall: Blue Zones Kitchens

Healthiest Frozen High Protein Meals: Kevin’s

Healthiest Frozen Vegan Meals: Daily Harvest

Healthiest Frozen Dumplings & Bao Buns: Laoban

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1. Healthiest Frozen Meals Overall: Blue Zones Kitchens (A+)

Blue Zones Kitchens are the only frozen meals that may add years to your life! It doesn’t hurt that they are also “maniacally delicious.”

Nutrition & Ingredients

Blue Zones Kitchen’s meal formulations are inspired by Dan Buettner’s research on the Blue Zones—areas that are home to some of the longest-lived people in the world!

Check out this article, which will teach you more about the Blue Zones, and our recent podcasts with the COO, Abigail Coleman, and Dan Buettner himself!

These meals are based on the diets of some of the healthiest and longest-lived people in the world, and we couldn’t be happier with their formulations. 

Each bowl (excluding the breakfast bowls) includes a serving of beans, which is important since eating 20g of legumes (beans, lentils, etc.) daily can reduce one’s mortality hazard ratio by 7-8%. Additionally, there are healthy servings of complex carbohydrates, vegetables, and healthy fats—everything one might need in a meal.

Since this is a plant-based frozen meal, the protein content is a bit low. This is because the Blue Zone diet promotes eating very little animal protein. However, nothing is stopping you from adding a bit of lean protein on the side, like chicken or a nice bit of wild-caught salmon.

Finally, we love that all of the ingredients used in these meals are sourced from the US, reducing the number of miles these ingredients have to travel to get to you. In some cases, the farms Blue Zones Kitchen sources from can freeze ingredients immediately after harvesting, preserving their nutritional value at the source. 

Product Experience

While at Newtopia, the all-natural products expo that took place in Denver this year (2024), we tried some of Blue Zones’ meals and were really wowed. 

This is totally in line with Dan Buettner’s belief that food has to be healthy and “maniacally delicious,” which we fully agree with. 

They currently have eight different products, including the following:

• Burrito Bowl
• Heirloom Rice Bowl
• Sesame Ginger Bowl
• Minestrone Casserole
• Korean Mixed Rice Bowl
• Adobo Mushroom Bowl
• Peach Pecan Steel Cut Oatmeal
• Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal

Value

At our local Whole Foods in AZ, each of the savory meals sells for $6.59 and the oatmeal bowls sell for $8.99.

Yes, you could make these meals yourself using the bestselling Blue Zones Kitchen Cookbook. 

However, we consider the price extremely fair, considering all of the ingredients are sourced and packaged in the US. You also need to consider that you get a highly nutritious bowl readymade for you in a convenient single-serving package.

2. Healthiest Frozen High Protein Meals: Kevin’s (A)

This ain’t your daddy’s frozen TV dinners! Kevin’s frozen bowls contain real meat, are high in protein, and are never ever lacking in taste.

Nutrition & Ingredients

You may have seen Kevin’s Heat & Serve meals—those rectangular ones usually located in the specialty food sections or end-caps. But have you spotted the release of their new frozen bowls? Well, we did! 

This is a very welcome entry into the frozen meal category. As a longtime fan of their high-protein heat-and-serve meals, I was so happy to hear they are now making a product I can toss in the freezer for a rainy day.

Each of Kevin’s frozen bowls contains 20 to 33g of protein (say what??). However, unlike other frozen meals, these ready-to-heat dishes don’t go overboard on calories or unhealthy fats and they use naturally sourced sweeteners like coconut sugar.

On the other hand, we would like to see fewer additives and less sodium. However, when it comes to frozen foods with meat, we understand extra measures need to be taken to preserve them and keep them tasty.

So, if you’re short on time but looking for a healthy meal to cook up at work or home but still have protein goals you need to hit, this is one of the best options we have seen.

Product Experience

Heating up a Kevin’s frozen bowl is pretty straightforward. Their bowls come in paper-based packaging with a thin plastic film on top, and they take about 6 minutes to heat up (in two 3-minute increments).

We got to try four different flavors, including the following:

• Korean BBQ-Style Chicken Bowl
• Beef Bolognese
• Parmesan Basil Chicken
• Thai-Style Coconut Chicken

They also sell these bowls:

• Chicken Burrito Bowl
• Orange Chicken
• Savory Mushroom Chicken
• Roasted Tomato Chicken Pasta

Feedback from our team on the ones we tried was very positive overall. The only comment we had was that the chicken in the chicken-based bowls was a bit bland, but the sauce does save it. 

The other note we had was that the meals stay incredibly hot for a while, so we do recommend you wait until it cools down before eating.

My personal favorite, by far, was the Thai-Style Coconut Chicken. It has a ton of flavor and a great balance of calories to protein. 

Value

At our local Target, each of Kevin’s frozen meals sells for $5.99. For a high-protein, healthier alternative to your typical fast food or frozen meals, we think this is a pretty darn good option!

As I said, these are the perfect frozen meals to throw in your freezer when you’re feeling lazy but still want to eat healthy.

3. Healthiest Frozen Vegan Meals: Daily Harvest (A)

Daily Harvest provides the widest selection of frozen meals for vegans who want convenience foods delivered right to their door.

Nutrition & Ingredients

Vegetarianism and veganism aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. While this has inspired many brands to gather their best food scientists to create incredible plant-based versions of our favorite animal-based foods (say cheese!), many of these products are highly refined and considered ultra-processed. 

This is far from the case with Daily Harvest. They source high-quality, organic ingredients from around the US and globally to ensure their customers get the best food they can eat as plant-based consumers.

Here’s an example of some of the ingredients you can find in their Harvest Bowls (Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash): wild rice, sweet potato, great northern beans, tomato puree (tomatoes, citric acid), organic broccoli rice, organic avocado (organic avocado, salt, ascorbic acid, citric acid), water, organic extra virgin olive oil, sweet potato puree, organic red pepper puree, Himalayan pink salt, organic lime juice, organic sunflower seed butter, organic tomato paste, organic lemon juice, nutritional yeast, organic cumin, organic smoked paprika, organic oregano, organic maitake mushroom powder, organic onion powder.

This bowl comes out to:

• Calories: 330
• Fat: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 51g
• Protein: 11g

It also contains a healthy daily dose of iron, potassium, and calcium, keeping the sodium count relatively low for a pre-packaged meal.

We do have to acknowledge some past recalls that made the news a couple of years ago. However, after speaking with them personally at Expo West earlier this year, it’s clear how passionate the company’s leaders are about food quality. We are confident that Daily Harvest has done the due diligence to mitigate the risks of this happening again. 

Product Experience

Daily Harvest is 100% vegan, providing a wide selection of menu items from breakfast to dessert. Head to the Daily Harvest website for a full list, but some of the different frozen meal categories include: 

• Harvest Bowls: Combining fiber-filled grains (or grain-free bases) and veggies, a harvest bowl is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner that feels hearty and nourishing. We’ve loved the Gigante Bean + Savoy Cabbage and Herbed Squash + Asparagus Risotto, and the Spinach + Shiitake Grits Harvest Bowl is another top-rated meal.  
• Soups: Daily Harvest offers almost a dozen different varieties of soup, ranging from the creamy pureed Broccoli + White Bean to the hearty Sweet Potato + Black Bean Chili. 
• Pasta: One of the newer offerings, Daily Harvest, offers four pasta dishes (all gluten-free!), including the best-selling Tomato Basil + Portobello Bolognese. 
• Breakfast Bowls: Daily Harvest is ditching the eggs and toast for nutrient-dense, superfood-loaded sweet or savory oat bowls, like the Black Bean + Tomatillo Oat Bowl or the Chai Spiced Kabocha Squash + Pecans. 

One of the meals I tried was the Gigante Bean + Savoy Cabbage Bowl, which has gigante beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and tons of herbs in a pureed green sauce. I cooked this meal on the stovetop (perks of work-from-home life), but they also have microwave instructions.

Whichever way you cook it, you need to add two tablespoons of broth or water—I used broth and would recommend doing so if you can. I really enjoyed the flavor of the herby-lemon sauce and loved the gigante beans, but I found it was not filling enough for a meal (10g of protein and 230 calories). Also, despite containing 31% of your daily sodium needs, I found it still needed a dash of salt. 

As Daily Harvest is all vegan, you can add protein on the side or mix it into any bowl—which I did for the second bowl I tried, the Herbed Squash + Asparagus Risotto. Again, I cooked it on the stovetop with broth and added a fried egg, adding extra creaminess from the yolk and a bit more protein. I also thought this meal was very tasty, with its creamy kabocha squash, leeks, garlic, asparagus, peas, and sunflower seeds—tons of hearty flavors, fiber-rich veggies, and legumes!

Value

As for the value, there’s no getting around the higher price tag compared to others on this list. For example, the harvest bowl above costs $9.79 directly from their website. The other meals are priced pretty similarly, with soups and smoothies costing a bit less (around $8.49)

You can order bundles, but after doing the math, it doesn’t seem like this will result in a better deal.

If you’re ballin’ on a budget, it might make more sense to just meal prep these bowls at home, especially if you’re short on time to cook during the week. 

However, if you’re on a plant-based diet and want to splurge on some easy and convenient meals or are looking for something easy to prepare while on Whole 30 (for example), this might be a good short-term option.

4. Healthiest Frozen Dumplings & Bao Buns: Laoban (A+)

Your search for the best (and healthiest) frozen dumplings ends here. Laoban’s dumplings and bao buns were a hit at the TNI office!

Nutrition & Ingredients

If you love dumplings but don’t have the time (or, let’s be honest, the skill) to make them or don’t want to go out to a restaurant every time to eat them, get ready to run to Whole Foods! 

Not only is Laoban tasty, but it’s also pretty darn healthy. Each product contains all-natural ingredients and a really good balance of macronutrients (high protein, minimal fat). 

Laoban currently has eight product options they offer—five dumpling flavors and three types of bao buns:

Dumplings:

• Mala Beef Dumplings
• Livin’ on the Vedge Dumplings
• Pork Soup Dumplings
• Ginger Chicken Dumplings
• Pork and Chive Dumplings

Bao Buns:

• Chinese Style BBQ Pork Bao Buns
• Sesame Chicken Bao Buns
• Spicy Beef Bao Buns

I won’t list out the ingredients and macros for each one but, for example, their brand new Mala Beef dumplings contain the following ingredients: Filling: Grass-fed Ground Beef, Daikon, Scallions, Cilantro, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Garlic, Ginger, Canola Oil, Water, Dried Chili Peppers, Salt, Ground Sichuan Peppercorn, Ground Black Pepper Dough Wrapper: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Potato Starch, Canola Oil, Salt, Lye Water.

This is pretty much what I would imagine goes into a homemade dumpling! Here are the nutrition facts for one serving (3 dumplings):

• Calories: 150
• Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 14g
• Protein: 7g

One thing I’d like to note, though, is that Laoban’s Mala Beef and Ginger Chicken dumplings do not contain sesame. As a sesame allergy sufferer, this is a big win, and I’m sure it will be welcome news for others who deal with the same.

Product Experience

Many team members (and partners of team members) who tried these dumplings and bao buns were blown away by their deliciousness. Knowing they are also relatively healthy doesn’t hurt, either.

Though I have a steamer basket, I opted to cook the dumplings in a pan, which turned out amazing. The bottoms were perfectly crispy, and the tops were soft and easy to chew but held up well without falling apart. All of our other testers had similar experiences.

Some of our favorites were the Mala Beef Dumplings, the Pork Soup Dumplings, and the Spicy Beef Bao Buns. 

Some of our testers did note that the Spicy Beef Bao Buns had kind of an odd flavor that was not reminiscent of Asian flavors. However, this was the one and only complaint we could find about Laoban’s products. Otherwise, it was 10’s across the board!

Value

Last but not least, what is the price for these yummy dumplings, you ask? Well, lucky for us, our new obsession will not break the bank. Each bag of frozen dumplings costs around $7.29, while the Bao Buns costs $8.99. 

With each box containing around 3.5 servings, we think this is a pretty darn good deal, especially considering the quality of the ingredients and the product itself.

The Nutrition Insider Methodology

Here at The Nutrition Insider, we utilize bespoke selection and testing criteria to help us find products that we believe are the best the market has to offer.

Some of these products are from our trusted brands, which we have reviewed in the past and can subsequently count on to offer high-quality products.

Others we’ve found in an extensive search using good old-fashioned search engine sleuthing, perusing internet forums, and consulting consumer reviews.

Here’s a breakdown of how this selection and testing process was carried out.

Selection Criteria

I selected each of these brands based on the quality of ingredients, ingredient sourcing, and nutritional value. In particular, I looked for products that were low in sodium since this can be pretty high for frozen meals. 

Finally, I also tried to find products that use minimally processed ingredients—basically, looking for products containing whole foods.

Testing Methods

Testing methods were fairly straightforward. Multiple team members were involved in the testing process this time and I had each team member contribute a number grade (0-100) towards the taste, smell, texture of the food and the packaging accessibility, based on the guidelines in our rubric. 

How We Determine Our Grades

For each product category, we utilize unique rubrics that contain product attributes graded on a 0-100 scale. This number is then turned into a letter grade which we feel is a more quickly digestible metric for readers. 

For the food product category, we base our grades on the following attributes: nutritional value, ingredient quality, taste and flavor, texture, packaging, transparency and labeling, accessibility, and value.

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