Trendy grain bowls pack nutritious punch

Not since cereal has a meal in a bowl been so popular, but grain bowls and power bowls have been showing up more and more on restaurant menus, and now they’re lining supermarket freezer shelves.

With their healthy sounding names, the grain and power bowls sound good for you, and as Consumer Reports testing found out, the all-in-one combinations of grains, protein and vegetables pack a nutritious punch.

Consumer Reports tested 26 different bowls from the supermarket. Many of them surprised testers.

“The ones that we recommend have less sodium and more fiber than many frozen meals," said Consumer Reports' Nutrition Expert Amy Keating. "We were pleasantly surprised—most of them tasted really good.”

The bowls come in all sorts of combinations and flavors, and even if they don't look as appetizing as a homemade meal, there are four worth trying, according to Consumer Reports.

Amy's Light & Lean Quinoa & Black Beans with Butternut Squash and Chard is enhanced with hints of garlic and ginger. For fans of Indian food, try Luvo’s Planted Power Bowl Great Karma Coconut Curry—it's in a flavorful spicy curry sauce.

For eaters who like a little heat, the Healthy Choice Simply Steamers Unwrapped Burrito Bowl brings a zing, and its tomatillo sauce adds a bit of citrus taste.

Kashi’s Chimichurri Quinoa Bowl is bold and spicy with a tangy chimichurri-style sauce. Like the others, it supplies at least a third of your daily fiber needs.

Many of the bowls pack whole grains into the meal, which could help shed pounds. Recent studies say replacing white rice and white bread with whole grains like the ones in these bowls can help people manage their weight.