If these high-sodium frozen foods are part of your diet, this is your sign to spot!

Trust me, I understand how busy you are taking care of everyone around you and forgetting about your needs. It’s not easy to do your job, run errands, cook healthy and nutritious foods weekly, run errands, and help those around you. It’s hard and the best you can do sometimes is to go to the grocery store and pick up ready-to-eat meals. While it can save you time and sometimes even money, it’s not the smartest option for your health goals.

If you get frozen meals, for instance, you’re more likely to wake up bloated and puffy the next morning. That’s because the majority of them are packed with sodium, a mineral that can enhance texture and flavor and is used as a preservative to keep them fresh and tasty. Nutritionists wanted to know more about these high-sodium frozen foods, so they ran a couple of tests. The results shocked them! Many of these tasty meals contain more sodium than a bag of pretzels, so you can imagine how harmful they are to your health.

If you don’t want to increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, or cancer, it might be best to kick these high-sodium frozen foods out of your diet now. Here’s what you should say goodbye to:

1. Hungry Man XL Buffalo-Style Chicken Mac N’ Cheese

This meal might sound like an excellent idea on a busy night when you’re not in the mood to cook dinner. It tastes good, is comforting, creamy, and flavorful, high in protein, but is still a high-sodium frozen meal at the end of the day.

Even though it contains only 470 calories and 5 grams of saturated fat (according to the American Heart Association the daily limit of saturated fat is 13 grams), it contains over 2,000 milligrams of sodium, which is far too much to consume in one meal. If you still want to indulge in this, make sure you don’t eat it more often than once every few weeks.

2. Marie Callender’s Meatloaf and Country Fried Chicken

This food screams cozy and cold night, but hold up because it can mess with your health. It’s best to go for the hills when you spot a frozen “duo” that includes meatloaf and country-fried chicken in one package. Delicious indeed, but what about the nutritional values?

Speaking of that, this high-sodium frozen food doesn’t seem all that horrible, with 25 g of protein, 37 g of carbs, 28 g of fat, and 500 calories, but when you see its alarming 2,370 milligrams of sodium, you’ll want to turn around as soon as you see it in the freezer aisle.

…If you crave this meal, I recommend you make it at home. It’s better for your health and the flavor will be exquisite!

3. Banquet Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Mega Bowl

This high-sodium frozen food might be an all-time favorite, but hold up because your stomach and blood pressure won’t be happy with your meal choice. The Banquet Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Bowl might be an excellent option when you crave a delicious fried chicken sandwich, but the salt content is way overboard.

This meal fills your body with 20 g of protein, 19 g of fat, 48 g of carbs (fiber: 4 g, sugar: 10 g), and only 450 calories; but it doesn’t make up for the 1,380 mg of sodium. Just think about it: you indulge in this comfort food, and all of a sudden you’re more than halfway through your daily limit.

However, don’t forget that moderation is key, and if you want to eat this high-sodium frozen food, make sure you don’t do it too often! Depending on your diet and lifestyle, having it once every two weeks should be just fine!

4. Marie Callender’s Cheesy Bacon Chicken

This flavorful Marie Callender’s Cheesy Bacon Chicken might be a tasty and comforting meal option at the end of a busy day. You might also think it’s good for your muscles because it contains 26 g of protein, 20 g of fat, 40 g of carbs, and only 450 calories. If you generally watch your salt intake and don’t go overboard, you can enjoy this meal guilt-free.

Otherwise, if your doctor recommends you lower the salt quantity you consume in a day, this cheesy bacon chicken should only be saved for special occasions because it has no less than 1,240 milligrams of sodium.

…What’s your all-time favorite meal? The one that never fails to put a smile on your face, nourish your body and soul, and is always a hit? Let us know in the comments below!

5. TGI Fridays Buffalo Style Chicken Wings

Is there someone who doesn’t like chicken wings? I can say without a doubt that I’m not one of those people. However, lately, I’ve been more focused on nourishing my body with all the right things, and if you’re like me, you should probably say pass on this high-sodium frozen food.

You probably think that you’re making a healthier and more affordable choice by going for the frozen chicken wings over the fresh thing you’d usually get from TGI Fridays. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not the case. Of course, you’ll only consume 240 calories, 10 g of carbs, and 14 g of protein, but let’s not forget that this is still a high-sodium frozen food. These crunchy yet soft wings contain 1,280 milligrams of sodium per serving, which is more than half of what doctors recommend in a day.

6. Banquet Mega Meats Original Crispy Chicken with Homestyle Mashed Potatoes

Chicken is a star when it comes to simple, flavorful, and healthy meals, but adding too much sodium won’t make your tummy happy. With two pieces of fried chicken and mashed potatoes, this Banquet Mega Meats meal will send your sodium levels over the roof at 1,540 mg.

Yes, it also contains 31 g of protein, 33 g of carbs, 28 g of fat, 4 g of fiber, and only 2 g of sugar, but do you really want your blood pressure to go crazy? Probably not. If you want to indulge in some crispy chicken and mashed potatoes, you can cook this meal at home. It will be more delicious, healthier, and way better for your body! To make the chicken extra crispy and flavorful, I recommend cooking it in the air fryer. If you don’t have a gadget like this in your kitchen, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. Check it out here!

7. Benihana The Japanese Steakhouse Frozen Yakisoba Chicken

With this frozen Yakisoba chicken, you can bring Benihana right into your kitchen. But be prepared—this dish packs more than 1,230 mg of sodium! While it offers an exquisite taste, it still provides over half of your daily recommended sodium intake. And it doesn’t stop there—nutritionists say restaurant versions are often even saltier than frozen ones.

This meal contains 23 g of protein, 10 g of fat, 3 g of fiber, 11 g of sugar, and 60 g of carbs, all for just 420 calories. However, if you don’t want to upset your tummy, it’s always a good idea to look up recipes and cook at home. You’ll save money, get creative in the kitchen, and fuel your body with exactly what it needs!

Do you know of any other high-sodium frozen foods we should all avoid? Let us know in the comments below! And don’t forget—we’re always here to offer the best nutritional tips. If you have any questions or suggestions on what you’d like to read next, we’d love to hear from you! If you found this article helpful and want to check out more from Nutrition in USA, here’s another great read for you: Turning 50? These 5 Foods Should Be Off the Menu