Frozen meals trump QSR meals for nutrition

What’s healthier: a frozen meal or a meal from a quick-service restaurant (QSR)? According to new research, the frozen meal wins out in terms of dietary fibre, potassium, calcium and protein - and it has fewer calories and less saturated fat.

These details were outlined in a presentation at the 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo. (See below for an infographic on the results.)

“The analysis shows adults (19+ years) who reported eating frozen meals have higher daily intakes of more than 12 important nutrients - including protein, dietary fibre, potassium, calcium, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, choline, magnesium and copper - than those who reported eating quick service restaurant meals, and they do it with 253 fewer calories and 2.6 grams less saturated fat a day,” said Dr Victor L Fulgoni, co-author of the analysis and vice president of Nutrition Impact, LLC.

Compared to those eating QSR meals, frozen meal consumers:

• consume 8.5 grams more protein per day - the equivalent of 1.5 eggs;
• eat 3.9 grams more dietary fibre - as much fibre as one cup of cooked instant oatmeal;
• have 511 mg more potassium (as much potassium as a medium banana);
• consume 135 mg more calcium - equivalent to half a cup of milk;
• eat 2.6 grams of saturated fat less per day;
• eat 253 fewer calories per day.

“This research is further evidence that frozen meals can play an important role in helping Americans obtain key nutrients of concern highlighted in the US Dietary Guidelines while maintaining calorie and fat levels,” said Kim Krumhar, PhD, Scientific Advisor - Nutrition, Nestlé.

This data follows on from a separate presentation delivered at the 2014 Experimental Biology Conference, which indicated that people who choose frozen meals over QSR meals have better diet quality and come closer to meeting recommendations for intake of fruits, vegetables, dark green and orange vegetables, greens and beans, whole grains and total protein foods.

For more information about the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo scientific abstracts, visit www.eatright.org/FNCE.

The poster presented at the Conference & Expo: Consumption of Frozen Meals as Compared to Quick Service Restaurant Meals is Associated with Better Nutrient Intakes in Adult Participants of The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (203-2010).