The Healthiest Microwave Meals You Can Buy

Microwave meals are the pinnacle of convenience. There's truly nothing better than coming home from a long day at work, popping a meal into the microwave, and enjoying it just five minutes later. Many people tend to steer away from microwave meals, however, because they aren't known to be the healthiest for you.

The term "healthy" can be somewhat subjective, depending on your health goals. The World Health Organization constitutes a healthy diet to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They also say that a diet shouldn't include a fat intake of over 30% of your total energy intake.

When it comes to all of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), a healthy meal is one where these three are balanced. They all play an important role, and we need them to stay healthy and strong. Depending on your activity level, you may need more carbohydrates or protein to keep up with muscle growth and energy. Similarly, some people need more calories than others — based on height, weight, and if you have a goal of weight loss or not.

Overall, balance is key. A healthy meal won't have a lot of saturated fats, sugar, or unnecessary additives. Instead, it will have ingredients that provide health benefits, a fair balance of macronutrients, and a moderate calorie count. That is what we focused on when looking through the frozen meals available on the market. Keep reading to learn which ones you should pick up on your next grocery run.

Trader Joe's is known to have the best freezer section ever. In that section, it has a great assortment of microwave meals. The Baingan Bharta is a great vegetarian option. It's a classic Indian eggplant curry that has a bit of a kick to it. Customers have great things to say about the taste, including the blog Trader Joe's Rants & Raves who says, "Trader Joe's version does have a bit of the classic smoky taste this dish is well known for, and it is very nicely seasoned with lots of authentic spices and flavor."

The entire container of this meal is only 310 calories. It has 26 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, and 23 grams of fat. Although this meal is heavier on the fat, it is still made with healthy ingredients. The base is eggplant, which is a great source of fiber and antioxidants. It also has turmeric and tomatoes which are both anti-inflammatory foods. There are also no added sugars, which is a great plus.

To make this dish a bit more balanced, macronutrient wise, we would suggest putting a big dollop of low-fat plain greek yogurt on top. Not only will this complement the spicy flavor of the dish, but it will add a good amount of protein as well.

Continuing our Trader Joe's frozen meals, we have the Beef Bulgogi. This is a simple dish made of marinated beef that is thinly sliced and covered in a delicious sauce. Overall, this meal is very high in protein at 21 grams per serving. It also only has 280 calories, making it a low-calorie meal. There are 16 grams of fat and 13 grams of carbohydrates.

Many people stay away from red meat because it is higher in fat than other protein sources, however, red meat can fit into a healthy diet. As long as you aren't incorporating it into every meal, it has a lot of nutritional benefits — like having an abundance of vitamins and minerals. For example, beef has a good source of iron and zinc, which are both great for the immune system.

As for the sauce and seasonings in this dish, it's fairly straightforward. Along with simple ingredients like black pepper, garlic, and onion, there's also pineapple juice along with apple and pear puree. These ingredients don't cause any reason for concern, as they simply add to the flavor. Sesame oil is included as well, which contains good fats.

This meal is great for someone who is more active, and specifically needs a higher protein meal for muscle recovery. To round out the meal, we'd suggest adding in a whole grain on the side. A bowl of quinoa or brown rice would make this a really substantial meal.

Rounding out our Trader Joe's recommendations, we have the Chicken Shawarma Bowl. This bowl is a Mediterranean dish that has a base of basmati rice and is topped with chicken, red bell peppers, onions, spinach, pickled red onions, and a creamy garlic sauce. This dish is fairly authentic, according to a Reddit user who said, "I give this bowl [...] eight out of 10. It smells great and it is packed with flavor, like you can tell they used typical shawarma spices in this."

This bowl has 400 calories, which is substantially filling but not considered high in calories for a meal. It has 12 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein, and 52 grams of carbs. This is a fairly balanced meal, with carbohydrates holding the most calories out of the three macronutrients. This is representative of what the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests, which is 45% to 65% of daily calories coming from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are necessary for optimal brain function and overall energy. When eaten with a source of fat and protein, like in this shawarma bowl, the body is less likely to spike in blood sugar. In turn, you will be satiated longer and your body will be able to use the energy from your meal much more efficiently.

Healthy Choice is a brand that specifically focuses on making healthy food that is convenient and tasty. They've always collaborated with the FDA, and focus on maintaining healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium. One of its delicious meals, Roasted Red Pepper Romesco Chicken Pasta, stood out to us.

This pasta dish is low in calories, with only 200 per container. It has 5 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates, and 15 grams of protein. This is almost the optimal balance of macronutrients right here for someone trying to watch their weight. MyFitnessPal recommends the following macronutrient ratio for people watching what they eat: 40-50% calories from carbohydrates, 20-30% calories from fat, 30% calories from protein. This Healthy Choice power bowl frozen meal fits perfectly into this ratio.

Other than this meal being great for weight loss, it also only has 400 milligrams of sodium, which is fairly low in the world of microwave meals. Keeping sodium levels low in each meal can help maintain good blood pressure and heart health. Excess sodium leads to many health complications, so it's important to be mindful of how much you consume within a day.

This pasta dish is also chock full of vegetables, like roasted red peppers, spinach, kale, chard, yellow squash, and green zucchini — all of which add vitamins and minerals that enhance the nutrition of this meal.

Another delicious Healthy Choice Power Bowls meal is the Cajun-Style Chicken & Sausage With Riced Cauliflower. This dish is packed with a bit more protein and less carbohydrates. One reviewer says, "I never imagined myself writing a glowing review of a microwavable entree, but your Cajun-Style Chicken & Sausage With Riced Cauliflower might be the only lunch I need to eat for the rest of my life. I didn't even think I *liked* riced cauliflower, but you may have converted me with this one."

This meal only has 170 calories, 4 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, and 17 grams of protein per bowl. For someone focused on weight loss, these macronutrient numbers are fairly good. The dish is also very rich in potassium, with 810 milligrams, or 15% of the daily recommended value. This is most likely due to the leafy greens in the dish, like kale, chard, and spinach.

The only concern about these lower calorie dishes is that more calories will be needed throughout the day to properly fuel your body. Whether you are on a weight loss journey or not, it's also detrimental to your health to not get enough calories. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips or cookies, we'd recommend having a healthy snack with this meal — like greek yogurt with fruit or an apple with peanut butter. This will round out the meal with more calories that are beneficial to your health.

Indian cuisine is very popular in the world of frozen meals. It's a great option to have in your freezer for when you want to save some money on takeout and don't want to go through the effort of cooking that full Indian meal. Deep Indian Kitchen was made by an Indian-American family who want to share India's delicious food culture with everyone.

Along with the meals being delicious, Deep Indian Kitchen makes its food without artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Its Chicken Curry is a substantially healthy meal, with 320 calories, 11 grams of fat, 32 grams of carbohydrates, and 26 grams of protein per tray. This high-protein meal will definitely keep you satisfied. There is also 4 grams of fiber per serving.

The sauce and rice are both made with turmeric, which holds a slew of health benefits. Studies have shown that this spice can help with arthritis, muscle soreness, cholesterol, and anxiety. Its anti-inflammatory properties can also help with gut health, and matched with the yogurt that is also incorporated in this dish, you'll really be treating your belly well.

Real Good Foods has one main mission: to make nutritious food more accessible. This company was founded when it noticed that many frozen foods available were highly processed, had tons of added sugar, and included artificial ingredients. It takes many commonly loved food items and uses alternative ingredients to make it healthier.

Its Orange Chicken Bowl is lightly breaded and is served with vegetables and an orange sauce. It's also gluten-free, which can be hard to find in the world of breaded chicken. Instead of using wheat flour, chickpea flour is used for the breading. Chickpea flour is a great alternative, as it contains beneficial vitamins and minerals that you may not get from wheat flour. It also has less of an effect on blood sugar levels, which can help manage food cravings.

Overall, this bowl has 200 calories, 7 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 25 grams of protein. Considering the main bulk of the meal is chicken, it's a great, lean protein source. If you were to get orange chicken at a local restaurant or fast food establishment, you would be consuming much more fat and protein than you are in this Real Good Foods dish. So, next time you're craving orange chicken, but want to remain health conscious — we definitely recommend picking up this frozen meal from your grocery store.

Lean Cuisine is another brand that people who are trying to watch their weight gravitate towards. People love the brand because it helps them with portion control while still eating the types of foods that they genuinely enjoy.

Its Protein Kick Unwrapped Chicken Burrito is a bowl that will satisfy your craving for a burrito without the excess fat and calories. The bowl has 310 calories, 6 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 grams of protein. That is an objectively good balance of calories and macronutrients, based on what is recommended by MyFitnessPal and the FDA's daily recommended intake.

If you were to build a similar bowl at Chipotle, you would be getting about seven times the amount of fat and double the amount of carbohydrates. The serving size of this popular menu item at Chipotle is definitely bigger, but it would take some serious self control to not eat the whole thing in one sitting. Besides that, its ingredients are much more fatty than this Lean Cuisine version. This is a great meal to have on hand for when that Chipotle craving hits.

Another brand that was specifically designed for healthier eating is Smart Ones. Its Chicken With Broccoli Red Peppers & Creamy Basil Parmesan has a top score of 100 on Kroger's Opt Up Nutrition Rating. This rating analyzes ingredients in food, and gives higher ratings to meals that include things like vegetables, protein, fiber, whole grains, and healthy fats.

It's another meal that is incredibly low in calories, with only 180 per container. Within those calories, there are 3 ½ grams of fat, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 18-19 grams of protein. Since this is such a high protein meal, it would be great to have after a workout to help with muscle recovery.

The meal is bulky in vegetables, filled with broccoli and red bell peppers. Both of these vegetables are great to incorporate into your daily diet due to their high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants. It's also very tasty, according to reviewers on Kroger. One says, "My absolute favorite!! Hands down. Nothing more to say. Honestly, I can't stress how good this is. Bon appétit."

Similar to the other low-calorie options we've listed, we do recommend pairing a meal like this with a healthy snack. Adding some fruit on the side will add more health benefits like carbohydrates that will give you more energy for your day.

Another popular food delivery or takeout cuisine is Thai food. Saffron Road is a company that makes meals inspired by cultures around the world. Its Chicken Pad Thai is a fan favorite with one customer raving, "I love Thai restaurants and especially pad thai. This frozen dinner is very, very close to restaurant quality. The taste is delicious."

Besides this dish having incredible taste, it also is a great meal that will fuel your body and leave you satisfied. At 430 calories per bowl, this is one of the more filling microwave meals that we've found. That calorie amount is still low, especially when compared to the average 2,000 calorie per day diet. Of course, every person's needs are different, but 430 calories for a meal is an amount that won't overstuff you and will keep you satisfied longer.

As for macronutrients, this meal has 11 grams of fat, 64 grams of carbohydrates, and 19 grams of protein. Although there is a higher amount of carbohydrates in this meal compared to other microwave meals — it comes from a healthy source: rice noodles and carrots. Rice noodles are a great alternative to wheat noodles, especially for people who can't tolerate gluten. They are high in selenium, which is great for immune and thyroid function, and are easy to digest.

Having a good breakfast is a great way to start your day on the right foot. However, many people find that they don't have the time or energy to cook a meal before they head out the door. Enter Jimmy Dean: a company that offers tasty prepared breakfast meals.

Its Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl is incredibly convenient. It only takes about three minutes of microwaving to cook, and can be served in the bowl that it comes in. No clean up time is a huge plus with microwave meals like this. As for health, this is definitely a great option.

Starting your day with substantial protein is recommended to keep you fuller longer, assist with controlling blood sugar, and gives you energy to start your day. With 270 calories per bowl, it also has 19 grams of protein. Along with that, it has 12 grams of fat and 22 grams of carbohydrates — which are necessary for good health as well. 

Turkey sausage is a great alternative to pork sausage, as it has less saturated fat but still has an adequate amount of protein. This meal is chock full of turkey sausage, along with eggs, potato, and cheese. We recommend picking up a few of these at your next grocery run.

When deciding which microwave meals to include, we took into account fat content, added sugars, calorie count, and macronutrient balances. We acknowledge that every person needs different amounts of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats — so we took the general recommendations from the FDA as well as MyFitnessPal as a baseline. We kept our eye out for meals that included vegetables, whole grains, alternatives to unhealthier ingredients, and companies that didn't use any additives or ultra-processed ingredients.