Meals to Live: Healthy Frozen Entrees for Diabetics

The frozen food aisle can be a forbidden realm for anyone on a diet or participating in a healthy lifestyle. Meals to Live frozen entrees want to change that perception with meals targeted specifically at diabetics who lead an active lifestyle and may not always have time to cook a fresh meal.

Based out of Dallas, Texas, Meals to Live boasts a team of nutrition experts and chefs that help to tailor their frozen entrees to provide nutritional value while still having a fulfilling taste. Currently there are eight frozen flavors available ranging from a White Chicken Burrito, to Turkey Meatballs to a Spinach Omelet as a breakfast option. They also market a pixie-stick like powder called Glucose Quick Sticks. They come in Sour Apple and Watermelon flavor and can be used to prevent low sugar episodes.

Meals to Live is currently available at over 1,100 stores with local retailers like Walgreens, Meijer and Kroger in twelve states. Their website has a store locator option to find one nearest to you. If you would like to request this product in your area there is a form available to give to your local retailer. Amazon.com also sells the Meals to Live products on their website.

You should not have to sacrifice taste for nutrition and Meals to Live exceeded my expectations for a frozen dinner.  All the important nutritional facts are displayed on the front of the box as well as the amount of carb choices the particular meal contains. Carb choice scores range from 0 to 5 in one-half increments where zero is 0-5 grams of carbohydrates and 5 is 71-80 grams per serving. The idea behind carb choices is to encourage diabetics to choose lower numbers to keep their overall carbohydrates for the day at less than 130.

The portions were great, and I was very surprised at how much food was given for the amount of calories. The portion sizes were adequate and if I added a piece of fruit would be an overall well-balanced meal. For example, their Grilled White Chicken was only 200 calories but had 14 grams of protein and contained chicken, red potatoes and green beans that are seasoned and delicious.

My biggest concern with any frozen meal is the sodium. Diabetics usually have high blood pressure and their medications may cause them to retain water so any extra sodium needs to be tightly monitored. The sodium for all Meals to Live meals is under 500 mg which is fantastic compared to other frozen meals. Diabetics should be having less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day. They also contain fiber which is believed to help better control blood sugar and the combination of protein and fiber help people feel fuller longer.

I would not recommend someone eat Meals to Live frozen entrees three times a day as a part of their meal plan, but the occasional quick meal is fine. I work 12 hours days and sometimes do not have time to cook for both my lunch and dinner. This would be a great choice for one of those meals that I wouldn’t feel guilty about. I would recommend these as a quick option over fast food or other frozen meal options for my diabetic patients.

While Sarah was provided Meals to Live product to review, it in no way influenced her review.