Healthy Choice "Nothing Artificial" Meals

When representatives of ConAgra Foods contacted me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing some new Healthy Choice products, I felt more than a little nostalgic.

There was definitely a period in my life, specifically junior and senior year in high school, in which I relied on Healthy Choice meals as terrific alternatives to the garbage vended by my high school cafeteria. I used the microwave in the Yearbook Room (yes, my school had an entire room devoted to yearbook) to reheat my meal of choice, which I would eat while cramming for whatever test or presentation I had that day.

Back in the day, the majority of the frozen pizzas, pasta, and noodle dishes I consumed from Healthy Choice may have been low in calories, sodium, and fat, but definitely contained some hard-to-pronounce ingredients and were very carb-heavy.  Now, Healthy Choice offers some new options that are more balanced in their components and use nothing artificial, e.g. a Sweet & Spicy Asian Noodle Bowl and an "Unwrapped" Burrito Bowl, both of which I tested.

The Asian noodle bowl gets high marks for a sauce that doesn't rely on salt for flavor and for offering noodles that were tender yet vegetables (edamame, carrots) that weren't soggy. Try it for lunch on Meatless Mondays, or do as I did, and toss in some shrimp for a heartier weeknight dinner.

Colorful but missing something...

The burrito bowl was fine but bland, devoid of any discernible seasoning. I was tempted to dump a cup of queso on the steamed rice, legumes, peppers, and corn to liven up the dish; however, a ladle of fatty dairy is probably incongruous with the whole "healthy" theme. While this straightforward, no-frills meal is perfect is you're simply seeking fuel, those who live to eat rather than eat to live, may be disappointed.

Healthy Choice offers many more options than these and I have no doubt there is one to satisfy every palate.