Question: How can you tell which frozen dinners are the most healthy? And which aren't?

You can't always judge a frozen dinner by its package – or by its healthy sounding name. Who would think that Weight Watcher's Smart Ones Spicy Szechuan Style Vegetables and Chicken could pack 900 milligrams of sodium – nearly two-thirds of a day's worth – in a measly 240 calories? To determine if a frozen dinner is as good for you as its name implies, you need to read the nutrition label.

Question: What should you look for on the label?

There are three things to look for: saturated fat – the type that raises LDL (bad) blood cholesterol – sodium and vegetable content. Your intake of so-called "bad" fats (saturated plus trans fats combined) should be limited to 10 per cent of daily calories. For a 2000-calorie diet, consume no more than 20 grams of saturated plus trans fat each day. If you're following a 1400 calorie weight loss plan, 15 grams is your daily limit.

  • Ideally, a frozen meal should contain no more than 4 grams of saturated per serving or tray.

Most frozen entrees contain far too much sodium – at least half a day's worth or more.

When reading labels, keep in mind that adults aged 19 to 50 need only 1500 milligrams of sodium per day.  Older adults, who are more sensitive to the blood pressure raising effect of sodium, need less (1200 to 1300 milligrams per day).

  • Select meals with less than 700 milligrams of sodium per serving.

The next thing to look for is vegetables. It's pretty hard to get one serving (1/2 cup) of vegetables from a frozen meal. But some products do better than others. Look at the daily values for vitamins A and C listed on the nutrition facts box. A daily value of 15 per cent or greater is considered a good source of these antioxidant nutrients. More fibre can also indicate more vegetables or legumes (beans, peas, lentils). Packages of Healthy Choice Gourmet Steamers boast one full serving of vegetables per serving. And the nutrition numbers back the claim. Per serving, the company's Asian Five-Spice Beef and Vegetables has 5 grams of fibre and 35 per cent of the daily value for vitamin A.

  • Choose a meal with at least 4 grams of fibre per serving.

Question: Which are your top picks for frozen bowls?

I rated 190 different frozen entrees. Most are relatively low in calories. And almost all are low in saturated fat. The real issue with frozen meals is their high sodium content.  Once you limit sodium to less than 700 milligrams per meal, the selections for best bets are narrowed considerably.

Rating frozen entrees: top four (from lowest to highest sodium)

Healthy Choice Gourmet  Sweet Sesame Chicken:

  • Calories: 330
  • Sat. Fat (g): 1
  • Sodium (mg): 330
  • Fibre (g): 5 

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Cranberry Turkey Medallions:

  • Calories: 250
  • Sat. Fat (g): 0.4
  • Sodium (mg): 460
  • Fibre (g): 4      

Michelina's Original Favourites Rigatoni Pomodoro:

  • Calories: 290
  • Sat. Fat (g): 0.2
  • Sodium (mg): 470
  • Fibre (g): 4

President's Choice Indian Chicken Masala:

  • Calories: 460
  • Sat. Fat (g): 1
  • Sodium (mg): 500
  • Fibre (g): 11

Question: And the worst choices?

Rating frozen entrees: bottom four (from highest to lowest sodium)

Swanson Hungry Man Sports Grill Chicken Strips:

  • Calories: 869
  • Sat. Fat (g): 12
  • Sodium (mg): 2040
  • Fibre (g): 4

Michelina's Grande Swedish Meatballs:

  • Calories: 630
  • Sat. Fat (g): 11
  • Sodium (mg): 1750
  • Fibre (g): 4

President's Choice Campania Gnocci:

  • Calories: 510
  • Sat. Fat (g): 9
  • Sodium (mg): 1510
  • Fibre (g): 5

Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese:

  • Calories: 520
  • Sat. Fat (g): 10
  • Sodium (mg): 1210
  • Fibre (g): 4

Question: How can you make a microwave meal more nutritious?

  • Supplement your meal. Small portions can leave some people feeling hungry.  A dinner for active people should provide 400 to 500 calories. If your frozen dinner is on the light side, add a milk or soymilk serving for calcium and protein and have fruit and yogurt for dessert.
  • Add veggies. If your frozen dinner doesn't measure up in the vegetable department, add your own. Not only will this boost your vitamin and fibre intake, it will also help fill you up.
  • Curb sodium. If you're going to dine on a frozen entrée, keep your other meals for the day low in sodium by avoiding processed foods and restaurant meals.