Fast food can be healthy - if you know what to look for on the label when you reach for a ready meal...
Some days you simply don't have time to cook. Don't feel guilty - grab a nutritious ready meal on your way home from the gym instead.
Here's how to spot the healthy options in the chilled food section.
1. Don't fear calories
For a healthy evening meal, you can allow 600 calories (including side dishes), providing the rest of your 2,000 calorie daily allowance has been spread throughout the day.
2. Know your fats
If you see any of the following fats mentioned on a label, relax: they're the healthy kind:
- alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
- eicosapebtaenoic acid (EPA)
- docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
- linoleic acid (LA)
- gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
- arachidonic (AA)
Bad fats include hydrogenated fats or oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and trans fatty acids.
3. Do the one-second ready meal check
The average healthy ready meal should contain:
- about 600 calories (or 400 if you're trying to lose weight)
- less than 12g total fat
- less than 4g saturated fat
- less than 20g sugar
- less than 1.2g salt
Give your healthy eating a boost with our pick of the best good-for-you recipe apps for your smartphone.
