NutritionDoc

Peek into the supermarket freezer and you will find plenty of frozen breakfasts that deliver hot meals in a jiffy. But most of these pancakes, waffles, omelets and egg sandwiches come with nutritional baggage like excess sodium, sat fat and trans fats.

 

Frozen breakfasts come savory or sweet. Sweet options are typically lower in fat and calories, while savory eggs, meat and cheese choices tend to be higher in calories, fat and sodium.

 

They may be convenient, but these quick start breakfasts can easily pack in more than 20 grams of fat, half of it saturated. Frozen pancakes and waffles can be good a.m. choices, but may miss the mark on fiber and can be surprisingly high in sodium. Some even contain trans fat. Your best options for frozen pancakes or waffles are those that are low fat and are made with multigrain flour or whole wheat to boost fiber (Kellogg's Eggo and Aunt Jemima).

 

Helpful suggestions:

 

Make vegetarian options your first choice; they tend to be lower in sat fat and cholesterol, while higher in fiber than choices with meat.

 

Check the Nutrition Facts panel for sodium content and compare brands.

 

Look for whole grain ingredients in pancakes, French toast and waffles.

 

Pay attention to listed serving sizes. some products appear more healthful than others simply because their nutrition information is based on a small serving size.

 

Top pancakes or waffles with fresh fruit, fruit spread or nut butter, not butter and syrup.

 

Keep in mind that pouring a bowl of ready to eat, whole grain breakfast cereal is quicker and more healthful.