Achieve the Dietary Guidelines for Americans with Frozen Foods
Americans are striving for nutritious and affordable meal options that are easy to prepare. To evaluate the feasibility, nutritional value and affordability of a weekly menu consisting primarily of frozen foods, menu modeling was used to bring recommended U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food patterns to life with frozen foods.
Frozen Foods are Nutritious
Daily menus met more than 90% of most primary nutrition targets.
26g Fiber
5,483 IU Vitamin A
3,219 mg Potassium
Frozen Foods are a Real Value
Menu costs fell within USDA’s Moderate Cost Plan of $59.70 PER WEEK.
Frozen Foods Provide Well-Balanced Options
All food groups are well represented in the frozen food aisle.
| Food Groups | My Plate Goals | Frozen Food Meal Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Grain | 6 ounces | 6.5 ounces |
| Vegetables | 2.5 cups | 2.5 cups |
| Fruits | 2 cups | 2.2 cups |
| Dairy | 3 cups | 1.9 cups |
| Protein | 5.5 ounces | 5.4 ounces |
Frozen Foods are a Sensible Choice
“Better-for-you” options are available in the frozen food aisle to make it easier for consumers to control intakes of calories, fat, sugar, saturated fat and sodium.
A weekly menu comprised of 95% frozen foods achieves government recommendations
Results from menu modeling show that realistic, balanced and affordable menus featuring mostly frozen foods can meet energy, nutrient and cost gaols based on recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, MyPlate and USDA’s Moderate Cost Food Plan.
