The frozen food aisle at the grocery store can be so tempting. All those mozzarella sticks, pizzas, chicken nuggets, and more are certainly delicious. But it shouldn’t come as a shock to hear that they’re typically terrible for your overall health, and eating too much of them can lead to unwanted weight gain; it’s likely you’re not eating pizza rolls because you think they’re a healthy option. However, some of the most fattening options may surprise you. As it turns out, certain foods that are great for you when prepared at home can be terrible for you when you buy them pre-packaged in the freezer aisle.
To learn more about the effects frozen food can have on our body and discover one option that’s surprisingly fattening, we spoke to Personal Trainer Alexander Legezynski. He told us that frozen breaded fish is one item you should steer clear of if you’re trying to lose weight, despite the fact that it may seem like a decent choice. Learn why below!
Frozen Breaded Fish
"Many buy frozen foods for convenience and time-saving," Legezynski notes. "A lot of these products are heavily processed; the convenience and good taste come at a cost of additional fats and sugars." As it turns out, this is true even when it comes to some types of frozen fish.
Fish on its own is great for you—it's a fantastic source of lean protein and healthy fats. However, Legezynski says you shouldn't be deceived by certain frozen options. Namely, he says frozen breaded fish should be avoided because the breading adds an alarming amount of excess fat. "Fish is a great source of lean protein, and people understandably expect that a coating of breadcrumbs will do little to change that," he says. "However, what's true for the process you'd go through in your own kitchen is definitely not for frozen process foods—even for the same simple item."
Legezynski explains that the variety of breaded fish you find in the freezer section of the grocery store offers way less nutrition and way more health risks than the kind you'd be able to make in your own home. "The breading takes the fish from a virtually fat-free source of lean protein to a high-fat option," he warns. "This is also partly because the fillets used are very small to save money and then padded with lots of fattening breadcrumb coating." Yikes! No wonder they're so tasty; they're practically all breadcrumb!
Luckily, there's a simple solution to this. You don't have to give up breaded fish altogether; you just have to get a little creative in the kitchen and channel your inner chef to make your own, rather than buying the pre-made kind at the store. "I would recommend buying frozen fish fillets, and adding the breadcrumbs yourself if you still want them," Legezynski concludes. Sounds perfect!
