Every Tuesday, KidGlue presents “Healthy Pick/Makes Me Sick” where Sarah Matheny takes a popular restaurant’s menu or a dining scenario and uncovers the most healthy and least healthy choices. This week: Dinner Helpers.
I never got Hamburger Helper as a kid, and today, I realize that was a sound nutrition decision made by my parents. We’ve discussed my obsession with the Arby’s potholder, which is far more healthy than my paralyzing fear of the Hamburger Helper glove. Really, who wants to take diet advice from an accessory?
Still, the appeal of adding one ingredient to a box an having a dinner sometimes outweighs the benefit of fresh, healthy food. Is there a dinner helper that can be both? I threw off my gloves and sat own to find out.
Makes Me Sick: Hamburger Helper Double Cheeseburger Macaroni
1/5th of a box is a pretty small serving, yet if you stick to that cup of “dinner” you’ll get 320 calories, 13 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat, not to mention 730 mg of sodium. You’d be better off just getting a cheeseburger from McDonalds.
Healthy Pick: Annie’s Organics Curly Fettucini with White Cheddar and Broccoli Sauce
Choosing this dinner not only saves you a lot of preservatives and chemicals, but shaves off almost 100 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat and 300 mg of sodium. Plus, there’s broccoli in it…that’s got to make it healthy. While fresh meals are always best, this is one quick dinner that you can find some redeeming value in, no talking gloves involved.
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