These Keto-Friendly Frozen Meals Get The Stamp Of Approval From Nutritionists

If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, the phrase “frozen dinner” probably conjures up images of bland food sectioned into plastic containers and served lukewarm in front of the TV.

Appetizing, right? Yeah, not so much. Even though frozen meals have come a long way since the TV dinner days, some are still packed with high amounts of added ingredients like sugar, sodium, and artificial flavors. But they're not ALL bad, and if you're following a diet that typically requires a lot of meal prep (cough, keto, cough), frozen meals can be a godsend on crazy weeks when you need food fast.

“Research shows that keto diets can improve insulin resistance and promote weight loss [but] the biggest reason this diet fails is because long term adherence is challenging,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies. “Frozen meals that fit your keto diet can help with compliance by making it easier to stay on track, especially on those busy days when you just don't have time to prep,” says Palinski-Wade.

How to choose a keto-friendly frozen meal

Surprise, surprise: not all frozen meals are created equal. Palinski-Wade says that for frozen meals to truly fit into your keto diet, you should aim for ones that are as low in carbs as possible (e.g., less than 10 grams of net carbs). Also look for little to no added sugars, dietary fat from unsaturated sources, and sodium that comes in under 30 percent of the daily value.

Lastly, remember the golden rule: Just because it’s labeled “keto” doesn’t make it healthy. “Focus on meals that contain ‘clean’ keto ingredients, such as plant-based fats and lean proteins over ‘dirty’ keto ingredients, like bacon and pork rinds, which are rich in saturated fat and sodium,” says Palinski-Wade.

Here are 22 keto-friendly frozen meal options, recommended by dietitians and available at grocery stores like Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart, and Whole Foods. These meals won’t derail your diet when meal prepping just isn’t gonna happen—and they're probably available at a spot near you.