When it comes to the healthiest frozen meals, we’ve come a long way. TV dinners started in the ’50s with prison-like gruel in aluminum trays. By the ’80s, they were microwavable and cafeteria-like. And along came the “lean cuisines” but with little emphasis on protein. In fact, many merely had smaller portions. But this century, a rapidly growing segment of microwavable dishes (mostly rice-based bowls) have upped the protein and taste while reducing the saturated fat and glycemic index.

What follows are the 10 healthiest frozen meals, suitable for those looking to gain muscle but not fat. All have protein tallies of between 16 and 27 grams and calorie counts from 220 to 400. We’ve ranked them by the stats on their nutritional labels, but we recommend all 10. Let taste be your ultimate guide to the fittest frozen meals.

1. SMARTMADE CHICKEN WITH SPINACH FETTUCINE

220 calories, 22 g protein, 6 g fat (3 g sat.), 19 g carbs (4 g sugar, 2 g fiber)

How could a dish with both pasta and creamy fettucine sauce (and 22 grams of protein) have such low calorie, fat, and carb counts? The answer is some ingenious, ingredient trickery. The pasta is mostly spinach and the sauce is mostly bean curd (tofu). Trust us, it works.

healthiest frozen meal

2. STOUFFER’S FIT KITCHEN CALI CHICKEN

340 calories, 24 g protein, 11 g fat (2 g sat.), 37 g carbs (2 g sugar, 7 g fiber)

Grilled chicken with edamame, kale, and tomatoes over brown and red rice with avocado crema and jalapeno lime vinaigrette. Though this one has slightly more calories and less protein than the next two dishes on our list, we love the Cali Chicken’s saturated fat and sugar stats and the 3.5-to-1 fiber-to-sugar ratio.

high protein frozen meal

3. HEALTHY CHOICE POWER BOWLS ADOBO CHICKEN BOWL

330 calories, 26 g protein, 8 g fat (2.5 g sat.), 38 g carbs (4 g sugar, 8 g fiber)

The Southwestern-inspired bowl mixes spicy, all-natural chicken with vegetables atop brown and red rice, quinoa, and barley. We especially like the low-glycemic, 2-to-1 fiber-to-sugar ratio.

high protein frozen meals

4. LUVO CHICKEN CHILI VERDE

320 calories, 27 g protein, 12 g fat (4.5 g fat), 28 g carbs (5 g sugar, 6 g fiber)

The highest protein option on our list also keeps the calories in check. Chicken is served with polenta, black beans, corn, and tomatillos in a Mexican-style verde sauce, topped with a blend of cheeses.

frozen meal for bodybuilding

5. SMARTMADE MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE CHICKEN BOWL

260 calories, 19 g protein, 9 g fat (4 g sat.), 29 g carbs (6 g sugar, 5 g fiber)

SmartMade cracks our top five again with another low-calorie bowl. Grilled chicken is dished with chickpeas, kale, and roasted vegetables over quinoa and topped with feta cheese.

healthy microwavable meal

6. EVOL FIRE GRILLED STEAK

400 calories, 18 g protein, 22 g fat (3.5 g sat.), 40 g carbs (2 g sugar, 7 g fiber)

Here’s our first non-chicken option: steak, veggies, and a little cheddar cheese over white rice. The calories and overall fat are the highest on our list, but the saturated fat is surprisingly okay for a red meat dish, and the 3.5-to-1 fiber-to-sugar ratio is excellent.

healthy frozen food

7. TRADER JOE’S CHICKEN BURRITO BOWL

380 calories, 22 g protein, 11 g fat (4 g sat.), 54 g carbs (3 g sugar, 10 g fiber)

Here we go, back to a popular (and effective) formula for healthy frozen meals: mildly-spicy chicken with veggies over brown rice and quinoa. It works again. This bowl has the highest carbohydrate total on our list, but the fiber-to-sugar ratio keeps the glycemic bump in check.

fittest frozen meal

8. EVOL CHICKEN ENCHILADA BAKE

370 calories, 20 g protein, 13 g fat (6 g. sat), 43 g carbs (2 g sugar, 6 g fiber)

Here’s another Evol recommendation. This looks and tastes like a meal sure to erase your abs. However, like its steak sibling above, its stats say otherwise. The saturated fat at six grams is not ideal, but, again, we like the fiber-to-sugar ratio because it’s low-glycemic.

bodybuilding microwave food

9. RED’S CHICKEN & MEXICAN STYLE STREET CORN

380 calories, 18 g protein, 19 g fat (5 g sat.), 37 g carbs (2 g sugar, 5 g fiber)

Here we have grilled chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese over brown rice, and almost all of it is certified organic. And, once again, there’s a great fiber-to-sugar ratio.

healthy frozen meal

10. LOVE THE WILD BAJA STYLE FISH TACO BOWL WITH BARRAMUNDI

320 calories, 16 g protein, 12 g fat (6 g sat.), 39 g carbs (3 g sugar, 4 g fiber)

The final member of our top 10 fittest frozen meals is something different: a fish taco bowl. Barramundi (Asian sea bass), tortilla strips, pico sauce, black beans, corn, jalapeno are served over brown rice and all with a ceviche-like flavor.

fit frozen meals

Opening image: Dwight Eschliman