A Review of Vegan Frozen Grain-Based Entrées
By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
There's something so comforting about a one-bowl meal. Perhaps it's that it's easy to eat from a bowl, with no need to juggle a dinner plate, if you happen to be eating on the couch. Or maybe it's the multitude of tastes and textures you're likely to encounter in a bowl. Perhaps it's the simple clean-up involving only a bowl and a fork or spoon.
Food companies have developed vegan grain-based entrées, all of which are one-bowl meals. We looked at many of the vegan frozen grain-based bowls available in the United States. These products require only a few minutes in the microwave and can be a quick lunch or dinner for one. Many include beans and vegetables in addition to whole grains. On the down side, they may be high in sodium and saturated fat and can be pricy. And don't assume that "grain" means "whole grain." White rice or jasmine rice was the primary grain in a number of products. While most included three or more vegetables, the only vegetable in one product was onions, and carrots were the only vegetable in another.
The products included both traditional and less-familiar ingredients. Grains included brown rice, red quinoa, black barley, farro, pearl millet, and sorghum. Broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard, spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and bok choy were among the featured vegetables. We found products that contained chickpeas, black beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lentils, edamame, tofu, soy protein, pea protein, and wheat gluten, among others.
Some of these products are labeled as gluten-free; some are USDA organic or include organic ingredients. Of course, product composition changes, so be sure to check the ingredient label and contact the company if you have allergies or other dietary considerations.
If you use these products only occasionally and you're not on any special diet, the nutritional value of one frozen meal compared to another may not be that important to you. More frequent users may opt for products that are not too high in sodium, saturated fat, and fat and that have generous amounts of vegetables. The table accompanying this article can help you choose. We've highlighted products that are relatively low in sodium, total fat, and saturated fat. The products with the most saturated fat all contained coconut milk or coconut oil.
Most of these meals have less than a third of the calories that most adults eat in a day, so they may not be filling enough for many people. You may opt to make a heartier meal by adding side dishes such as salads, vegetables, and breads.
Convenience comes at a price. Many meals cost $3.50-$10 per serving, with store brands and packages with multiple servings costing less. If you're trying to save money, you could look for sales or make your own frozen entrées.
Vegan Frozen Grain-Based Entrées
Nutrient amounts are per serving. Products identified as having no more than 30% of calories from fat, no more than 10% of calories from saturated fat, and no more than 125 milligrams of sodium per 100 calories are italicized.
| Company | Product | Calories | Protein (grams) | Total Fat (grams) | Sat Fat (grams) | Fiber (grams) | Sodium (mg) | Iron (mg) |
| Amy's Kitchen Inc. | Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas, and Veggies Bowl | 290 | 9 | 10 | 1.5 | 5 | 590 | 2.9 |
| Ayo Foods | Waakye Beans & Rice | 380 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 660 | 4 |
| Birds Eye | Veggies & Grains, Buddha | 250 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 330 | 2.3 |
| Birds Eye | Veggies & Grains, Green Goddess | 240 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 370 | 2.5 |
| Birds Eye | Veggies & Grains, Buddha | 250 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 330 | 2.3 |
| Birds Eye | Veggies & Grains, Green Goddess | 240 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 370 | 2.5 |
| Cascadian Farm Organic | Brown Rice, Corn, Black Beans & Red Bell Pepper | 190 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 130 | 1.6 |
| Cascadian Farm Organic | Farro, Broccoli, Carrots & Chickpeas | 150 | 6 | 0.5 | 0 | 9 | 160 | 1.7 |
| Cascadian Farm Organic | Farro, Sweet Potatoes, Black Bean & Spinach | 170 | 7 | 0.5 | 0 | 8 | 150 | 2.5 |
| Grain Trust | Hibachi Fried Rice | 200 | 3 | 7 | 1.5 | 1 | 300 | 1 |
| Grain Trust | Cuban Beans & Rice | 200 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 320 | 0 |
| Healthy Choice | Cauliflower Curry Power Bowl | 290 | 14 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 7 | 400 | 3.3 |
| Healthy Choice | Falafel & Tahini Power Bowl | 360 | 11 | 13 | 1.5 | 10 | 600 | 3.6 |
| Healthy Choice | Green Goddess Power Bowl | 330 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 510 | 4.5 |
| Nature's Earthly Choice | Burrito Bowl | 210 | 11 | 4 | 0.5 | 13 | 320 | 3 |
| Nature's Earthly Choice | Caribbean Bean Bowl | 220 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 450 | 3 |
| Company | Product | Calories | Protein (grams) | Total Fat (grams) | Sat Fat (grams) | Fiber (grams) | Sodium (mg) | Iron (mg) |
| Nature's Earthly Choice | Mediterranean Bean Bowl | 230 | 11 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 10 | 350 | 4 |
| Saffron Road | Plant Based General Tso's Frozen Dinner | 420 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 700 | 4.5 |
| Saffron Road | Vegetable Biryani Frozen Dinner | 460 | 10 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 650 | 3 |
| Simple Truth | Plant Based Chipotle Pepper Bowl | 260 | 18 | 2 | 0.5 | 10 | 1,080 | 3 |
| Simple Truth | Plant Based Mediterranean Bowl | 410 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 1,070 | 2 |
| Simple Truth | Plant Based Spicy Veggie Masala Bowl | 360 | 11 | 7 | 4.5 | 8 | 1,380 | 2.3 |
| Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods | Curry Tiger Bowl | 360 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 360 | 4.1L |
| Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods | General Tso's Tofu Bowl | 420 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 940 | 2.7 |
| Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods | Kung Pao Chik'n Bowl | 270 | 15 | 9 | 1.5 | 5 | 720 | 1 |
| Tasty Bite | Chickpeas & Rice Bowl | 360 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 400 | 0 |
| Tasty Bite | Indian Protein Bowl | 380 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 460 | 4.7 |
| Tasty Bite | Mediterranean Protein Bowl | 400 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 450 | 4.7 |
| Tasty Bite | Mexican Protein Bowl | 350 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 500 | 3.8 |
| Tattooed Chef | Veggie Hemp Bowl | 330 | 12 | 15 | 1.5 | 8 | 260 | 4.1 |
| Tattooed Chef | Pesto Harvest Bowl | 340 | 7 | 25 | 3.5 | 6 | 670 | 3.1 |
| Tattooed Chef | Plant Based Egg Roll Bowl | 250 | 13 | 10 | 3.5 | 3 | 740 | 3.5 |
| Company | Product | Calories | Protein (grams) | Total Fat (grams) | Sat Fat (grams) | Fiber (grams) | Sodium (mg) | Iron (mg) |
| Tattooed Chef | Plant Based Beef Burrito Bowl | 310 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 520 | 3.4 |
| Trader Joe's | Japanese Fried Rice | 340 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 680 | 1.4 |
Products identified on package and/or website as gluten-free:
- Amy's Kitchen Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas, and Veggies Bowl
- Birds Eye Veggies & Grains, Buddha; Veggies & Grains, Green Goddess
- Grain Trust Hibachi Fried Rice; Cuban Beans & Rice
- Saffron Road Plant Based General Tso's Frozen Dinner; Vegetable Biryani Frozen Dinner
- Simple Truth Plant Based Spicy Veggie Masala Bowl
- Tasty Bite Chickpeas & Rice Bowl
- Tattooed Chef Veggie Hemp Bowl; Pesto Harvest Bowl; Plant Based Egg Roll Bowl; Plant Based Beef Burrito Bowl
Highest in saturated fat:
- Tattooed Chef Plant Beef Burrito Bowl (32% of calories from saturated fat)
- Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods Curry Tiger Bowl (17% of calories from saturated fat)
- Tattooed Chef Plant Based Egg Roll Bowl (12.3% of calories from saturated fat)
Highest sodium per serving:
- Simple Truth Plant Based Spicy Veggie Masala Bowl (1,380 mg sodium)
- Simple Truth Plant Based Chipotle Pepper Bowl (1,080 mg sodium)
- Simple Truth Plant Based Mediterranean Bowl (1,070 mg sodium)
Lowest sodium per serving:
- Cascadian Farm products (130-150 mg sodium)
- Tattooed Chef Veggie Hemp Bowl (260 mg sodium)
- Grain Trust Hibachi Fried Rice (300 mg sodium)
Highest fiber per serving:
- Tasty Bite Mediterranean Protein Bowl (16 grams)
- Tasty Bite Mexican Protein Bowl; Nature's Earthly Choice Caribbean Bean Bowl (15 grams)
- Nature's Earthly Choice Burrito Bowl (13 grams)
