You get home from a long day and have no desire to cook anything, so you break out a handy frozen dinner. Sound familiar? But unless it's one of those turbo Hungry Man meals (DON'T GET THOSE!), chances are your light frozen dinner is a little smaller than you'd like it to be. Here are some tips from Hungry Girl to help you make the most of that frozen dinner...
 
 

Soup It Up!

No, we're not suggesting you pour a can of soup directly on to your entree! Get your meal off to a filling start by eating a cup of broth-based or tomato-based soup. There are tons of light, heat 'n' eat ones out there. Mishima makes awesome instant soup packets (the Miso and Edamame ones ROCK!) and Progresso's line of light soups never disappoints. We also love Amy's Chunky Tomato Bisque (Light in Sodium available) and Tabatchnick Soups (find 'em in the freezer aisle).

Veg Out!

Bulk up your meal with extra veggies. There's usually a LOT more sauce than food in those plastic containers, so don't let it go to waste. Heat up some frozen veggies in the microwave, and toss them in a bowl with the contents of your frozen dinner. This is a GREAT way to super-size your meal for hardly any extra calories. There are tons of multi-serving frozen veggies out there that steam right in the bag, as well as single-serving versions. So stock up while you're in the freezer aisle buying your frozen entrees.
 
Chopping Spree!

While your dinner's being nuked, you've got at least 5 minutes of waiting time. Raid your fridge for fresh veggies, chop 'em up, and you've got a quickie salad. Not only will this help to fill you up, but you'll also probably feel more like you're eating a REAL meal (with actual courses!). And if you're not a veggie-chopping kind of person, keep a few bags of ready-to-eat salads on hand. Zazzle up your salad with a splash of vinegar, a squeeze of lemon, or some low-cal dressing. But DON'T ruin a perfectly good side salad with a bottle of fatty dressing! 
 
Use Your Noodle(s)!

This could be our favorite way ever to upgrade a freezer entree. Simply mix with a bag of House Foods Tofu Shirataki noodles. If you've never experienced these life-changing, low-calorie noodles, trust us -- adding them to a pre-made meal is SO the way to go. Make sure you rinse and drain 'em VERY well, then just slice 'em up a bit, and nuke for a minute or so. They're best with cream-based dishes, so if you've got an Alfredo-y meal that seems a little sparse, mix in a whole bag and you'll only add 40 calories! Find these crazy-low-cal noodles stocked at supermarkets with the other refrigerated Asian items.
 
Hungry for More?

Check out Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. The book's a New York Times Best Seller, and it's packed with 165 super-easy and delicious recipes, survival guides for eating out, and so much more!

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