Picking the Best Pre-Packaged Foods

Aug. 4, 2008 — -- At a time when food prices have doubled and tripled, eating right has become more difficult. The combination of costlier foods, combined with limited time, leaves consumers searching for quick, easy and inexpensive ways to balance their diets.

Women's Health magazine has compiled a list of the 125 best packaged foods for women. Check out the full list here and read below to find out which supermarket staples you can have without worry from Women's Health contributing editor Lisa Drayer.

Frozen Foods

Lean Cuisine Grilled Chicken Primavera

Grilled chicken, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes almost is way too good to be a low-calorie meal. At just 220 calories per package and 18 grams of protein, the meal is not bad at all. Plus, it promotes weight loss and doesn't taste half bad either.

Helen's Kitchen Mac & Cheese Comfort Meals

It tastes like comfort food, and that's what makes it so special. It's comfort food at its healthy best with only 320 calories for a pasta dish that tastes as good as a pasta dish you'd get in a restaurant.

Dairy

Friendship All Natural Lowfat Whipped Cottage Cheese

This is just great because it contributes to stronger bones, promotes weight loss, and helps to build muscle. You'll find the usual curds are smooth and thick and make for the perfect cream cheese substitute.

Snacks

Sun Chips French Onion

We love these because they've got two grams of fiber and two grams of protein. This will keep you satisfied more so than other chips. Also, it's pretty low in sodium. You can't beat that: low sodium with extra fiber and protein.

Back to Nature Peanut Butter Creme Cookies

We love these, too, because they're so delicious. Back to Nature does a great job turning out food with no trans fat and no preservatives. It feels like a guilty treat, but it's not and that's the beauty of it.

Vitalicious 100-Calorie VitaBrownie

It definitely is delicious and it's another guilty pleasure that's good for you, too. VitaBrownie is not the typical brownie at all -- it's healthy. Plus it's fortified with vitamins.

Soup

Healthy Choice Steak & Noodle Soup

This meal is very convenient -- just take off the lid and microwave it with no bowl needed. It really fills you up with just three grams of fat. And that's not bad, considering you've got a steak in there.

Progresso Soup 50 Percent Less Sodium Zesty Chicken

This lets you keep the zest without the sodium (Soups are typically high in sodium). This is a great option for people watching their sodium intake, reducing hypertension and preventing heart disease.

Bread and Cereals

General Mills Fiber One Honey

This General Mills cereal is a tasty new way to include more fiber in your diet -- it includes 13 grams of the healthy stuff. That's half of your daily need and it doesn't taste like typical, grainy fiber, either.

Quaker Instant Oatmeal Weight Control

Quaker's come a long way. The banana bread version, in particular, is delicious and great comfort food. You can't beat this for the extra fiber and protein. It's great if you want to skip the mid-morning snack.

Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortellini

This is so low in saturated fat at just 2.5 grams. That's pretty low for a rich, cheesy pasta. What's also great is that the cheese offers calcium and protein, as well, and it's just really, really tasty.

Minute Instant Whole Grain Rice

This is ready in 10 minutes, which is perfect for people on the go. Plus, you get all the vitamins. Normal brown rice takes 45 minutes to make. So, you get a whole grain side dish in just a few minutes.

Rice-A-Roni Savory Whole Grain Blends

Protein and fiber are the key points here. It's going to keep you satisfied more than the other brands that aren't rich in whole grains.

Fruits and Veggies

Mott's Pomegranate Plus Antioxidants

Antioxidants promote anti-aging, protecting you from disease, and this is a great low-calorie apple sauce, plus a lot of nutrition for very few calories -- just 50 per cup.

Condiments

Heinz Reduced Sugar Tomato Ketchup

You can't even tell the difference between this and regular ketchup. It still has the same savory flavor. What's missing from this version is the sugar, not the tomatoes, and this is something you can enjoy on a low-carb diet.

Hellmann's Mayonnaise with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is healthier than vegetable oil and much better for the heart. in terms of lowering bad cholesterol. It is a very tasty substitute.

Newman's Own Lighten Up! Light Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette

Innocent of fat, guilty of being delicious -- Newman's Own Lighten Up! Light Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette is great because a lot of dressings and marinades are a source for sugars and fat -- they're the hidden sources of sugars and fat -- but with this, you don't miss the fat and you don't miss the flavor, either.