The 8 Best Pre-Made Meals, According to Dietitians

Feeling a bit uninspired in the kitchen? Been there, felt that. Coming up with new ideas — and the motivation to cook and clean up after — can be challenging, especially when you're making three meals a day, seven days a week, for months on end.

Supermarket frozen meals can be a handy, quick fix, but they're often loaded with sodium and preservatives to allow for a long shelf life.

Enter: These heat-and-eat meals that are fully prepared but made with a keen eye on nutrition. Order a la carte or snag a meal plan for those weeks (or months) when you're super busy or not in the mood to cook from scratch.

We spoke to registered dietitians for their favorite heat-and-eat meals as well as had the LIVESTRONG.com team test some of the options below. We then chose the best meals based on the following criteria:

• Taste
• Ingredient quality
• Options for many eating plans and diets
• Price

The rotating menu of meals always includes choices that are certified gluten-free and peanut-free.

"Every meal is free of processed sugars and excludes more than 85 'banned ingredients' that you might find in standard supermarket frozen meals," says Mary Stewart, RD, a registered dietitian and the owner of Cultivate Nutrition in Dallas.

The single-serving heat-and-eat dishes, such as Homestyle Chicken With Butternut Mac and Cheese and Super Pesto and Sausage Penne, will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, and most average around 500 calories.

Vegetarians and vegans, this one's for you.

"Veestro is a 100-percent plant-based heat-and-eat meal company that uses colorful, organic ingredients, no preservatives and can easily be filtered by dietary preferences like high-protein, gluten-free, low-calorie, nut-free, soy-free and kosher," Stewart says.

Choose your chow either a la carte or subscribe to a "chef's choice" or "weight loss" weekly plan that's chosen for you. Recipes range from Golden Chickpea Stew and Eggplant Casserole to Pad Thai and Pasta Bolognese.

"Due to the focus on plants, these meals are full of fiber and antioxidants to support your health goals, immune system and gut health," Stewart says.

These chef-made meals are the closest you'll get to takeout. Choose from delectable options such as the Basil-Crusted Cod and Chicken Avocado Casserole — we taste-tested both and found them to be perfectly flavorful and filling!

The CookUnity chefs prioritize sustainably sourced, seasonal ingredients and you'll never find artificial preservatives in any of the meals (which means the meals can last for 4 to 7 days in the fridge). There are numerous meals to fit multiple types of diets, including gluten-free, paleo, keto and more.

The meals are delivered fresh, so all you have to do is pop them in the fridge until you're ready to heat and eat.

Choose from more than 50 fresh, fully-prepared meals or snacks and have them delivered to your door tomorrow.

Sort by calorie level or choose recipes that are "lean" (such as the Buffalo Shrimp), "mean" (think: Salmon Burger Poke Bowl) or "clean" (such as the Turkey Taco Bowl) according to your health goals.

Just be sure to watch the portion size of the protein and the sodium content, as some recipes overdo it on both accounts. "The amount of protein in one meal could be more than necessary depending on your unique needs," says Stweart. Eat Clean Bro is especially great for people on a muscle-building diet.

With responsibly sourced ingredients from sustainable producers and farms, meals from The Good Kitchen can hang out in your freezer for up to six months.

Sort by diets including keto, Paleo, gluten-free, low-fat, Whole 30 or AIP (Autoimmune Protocol), and then select meals from their rotating menu. Take a quiz and they'll customize a subscription box for you, or select a sample pack of five meals — like Pulled Pork With Collard Greens or Beef Shepherd's Pie — to get a taste.

Think you can't support local while ordering from a large meal delivery company? Not with Territory.

Helmed by nutrition consultants, this brand teams up with local chefs in each market they serve to create meals centered around local flavors, ingredients and inspiration.

All recipes are free of dairy, gluten and added sugars, and are ready to eat within 90 seconds of unboxing. Meals are delivered up to twice a week to ensure freshness, and with every order, Territory donates a pound of food to help combat hunger with Feeding America.

Designed to help you "eat like a world-class athlete," Trifecta is the largest all-organic meal delivery company in the U.S. Grass-fed meats, wild-caught seafood and lean vegetarian proteins ensure that each meal will help you maintain your muscle.

Choose from keto, Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, clean or classic meal plans or order a la carte. Regardless of what plan you choose, all recipes are free of soy, dairy and gluten. The classic option, with entrees like Salmon With Brown Rice and Mixed Vegetables, is a nice example of a balanced meal.

Each meal comes with 4 ounces of protein, 4 ounces of meat or fish and 4 ounces of carbs.

Each of Kevin's recipes, including Teriyaki Chicken and Cilantro-Lime Chicken, is a dream for most with food allergies and intolerances. Expect no preservatives, artificial ingredients, refined sugar, wheat, soy, legumes or dairy in any of the meals.

They come in portions that feed two, with about 8 ounces of food (6 ounces of meat and 2 ounces of sauce) per person. Because they're cooked sous vide, or via vacuum, they can last up to 55 days in the fridge before cooking.

Kevin's only supplies the protein, so you'll have to whip up a few sides to round out the chicken. To make this a balanced meal, pair it with veggies (pop a pack of frozen broccoli into the microwave) and a whole grain (whole-wheat bread is a quick, nutritious option).

"The heat-and-eat meals we selected put a significant emphasis on clean, real food," Stewart says. Many of these heat-and-eat meal programs allow you to sort by diet type — for instance, gluten-free, vegetarian or high-protein.

All of the brands clearly list every ingredient and complete nutrition info to allow you to select a macronutrient ratio that fits within your daily goals.

"The best way to make the healthiest choice is to do your research! Read the ingredients list and ask questions about how your food is prepared," Stewart says. Bonus points if the brand shares details about how and where they source their ingredients.

As a general rule, when evaluating if a heat-and-eat meal is well-balanced and nutritious, look for:

• ‌At least 8 grams of fiber.‌ That will get you about 1/3 of your daily dose in one meal. (P.S. Here's why fiber is so important for weight loss.)
• ‌A dose of healthy fats.‌ Olive oil, avocado and nuts will boost the satisfaction level and flavor of even lower-calorie meals.
• ‌A source of lean protein.‌ Beans and legumes, poultry, seafood, eggs, beef, pork and tofu are all strong options.
• ‌At least three colors.‌ "This will amplify the nutrient density since each color represents different nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals that will enhance your health," Stewart says.

"The average supermarket freezer meal has a laundry list of ingredients that likely won't support your health," Stewart says.

Many popular heat-and-eat meal brands are "cleaner," but there can still be some less-than-fit options in the mix. Steer clear of:

• ‌Added sugars.‌ These can be hiding in sweet breakfasts, but many dressings, condiments and sauces, too.
• ‌Trans fats from hydrogenated oils.‌ Even though trans fats were banned from the food supply as of January 1, 2021, some foods can still contain them so long as the amount is less than a half-gram. Trans fats are linked to higher bad cholesterol levels and increased chronic inflammation. Avoid products that list hydrogenated oils on their ingredient list (note that "partially hydrogenated oils" are not trans fat and are OK in moderation).
• ‌Preservatives, artificial flavors and artificial colors.‌ The more natural, whole foods, the better.
• ‌More than 800 milligrams of sodium.‌ "Salt is often used as a preservative, so it's not surprising that the sodium content in packaged products can be high," Stewart says. "Salt isn't bad for our health — it's actually essential — but the amount of salt you consume makes a difference," Stewart says. Aim to get 2,300 milligrams of sodium or less per day, so try to seek out meals that offer 1/3 or less of that.