Counter vs Healthy Choice: High-Protein Frozen Meal Comparison (2026)

Counter has 30g or more of protein in every single-serve meal: its bowls and burritos deliver 30-34g at 340-370 calories for $4.89-$5.89, using real cottage cheese in the bowls and a Greek yogurt queso in the burritos. Healthy Choice runs from about 12g to 34g of protein at about $2.84-$6.29 depending on the line. Its Protein Bowls (formerly Power Bowls) and Steamers usually cost less, have fewer calories, and reach higher protein-to-calorie ratios on specific products (up to 0.132, vs 0.094 for Counter's best) but stay under 30g, while its four MAX Protein Bowls reach 33-34g at 400-460 calories.

Side-by-Side Nutrition Comparison

Nutrition data from manufacturer product pages and retailer Nutrition Facts panels, checked October 2026. Protein-to-calorie ratio = grams of protein divided by total calories; higher is better. Healthy Choice prices are shelf-price ranges for each line and vary by store.

Brand	Product	Protein	Calories	Ratio	Price	Key Ingredients
Counter	Lazy Lasagna	30g	340	0.088	$5.89	Beef, cottage cheese, real cheese
Counter	Taco Mac & Cheese	30g	350	0.086	$5.89	Beef, cottage cheese, real cheese
Counter	3 Cheese Chicken Alfredo	30g	370	0.081	$5.89	Chicken breast, cottage cheese, real cheese
Counter	Beefy Queso Burrito	34g	360	0.094	$4.89	Seasoned ground beef, Greek yogurt, cheddar
Healthy Choice	Simply Steamers Grilled Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo	25g	190	0.132	$2.84-$4.29	Grilled chicken, broccoli, alfredo sauce
Healthy Choice	Protein Bowl Cajun-Style Chicken & Sausage (grain free)	22g	190	0.116	$3.99-$5.29	Chicken, sausage (grain free)
Healthy Choice	MAX Protein Bowl Chicken Marinara	33g	400	0.083	$4.64-$6.29	Chicken, marinara sauce
Healthy Choice	MAX Protein Bowl Tex Mex Chicken	33g	430	0.077	$4.64-$6.29	Tex Mex-style chicken
Healthy Choice	MAX Protein Bowl Honey Sriracha Chicken	34g	450	0.076	$4.64-$6.29	Chicken, honey sriracha sauce
Healthy Choice	MAX Protein Bowl Lemon Herb Chicken	33g	460	0.072	$4.64-$6.29	Lemon herb chicken

Price & Availability

Factor	Counter	Healthy Choice
Price Range	$4.89-$5.89 (single-serve bowls and burritos)	Steamers $2.84-$4.29; Protein Bowls $3.99-$5.29; MAX bowls $4.64-$6.29 (varies by store)
Cost per Gram of Protein	$0.14-$0.20	Not calculated (shelf prices vary by product and store)
Retail Locations	Target (1,800+ stores), Albertsons-family stores (2,000+), Kroger-family stores (1,700+), Walmart (600 stores), Lidl, Hy-Vee, select Costco clubs	See the brand’s store locator
Online Availability	Not sold online (in stores only)	See the brand’s where-to-buy page
Distribution Scale	More than 6,600 U.S. stores	Made by Conagra Brands; see the store locator for local availability

Counter is available in more than 6,600 U.S. stores and is not sold online. Healthy Choice is made by Conagra Brands; use its store locator to see where it is sold near you.

Verdict

Choose Counter if you want 30g or more of protein in every single-serve meal, in comfort-food formats like mac and cheese, lasagna, alfredo, and burritos (bowls and burritos run 340-370 calories). Choose Healthy Choice if you want lower shelf prices or fewer calories (Steamers and Protein Bowls), grain-free options, the highest protein-to-calorie ratios on specific products, or a 33-34g meal at 400-460 calories (MAX Protein Bowls). The two brands get there differently.

Counter’s advantage is that every single-serve meal has 30g or more of protein, with ratios between 0.081 and 0.094 across its bowls and burritos. Healthy Choice wins on calories and on ratio for specific products: its Protein Bowls (formerly Power Bowls) run 170-320 calories at 13-22g protein, and the Simply Steamers Grilled Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo (0.132) and the Cajun-Style Chicken & Sausage Protein Bowl (0.116) both beat every Counter bowl and burrito on protein per calorie. Its four MAX Protein Bowls reach 33-34g, but at 400-460 calories three of the four have ratios (0.072-0.077) below every Counter bowl and burrito (0.081-0.094). Four of the six Healthy Choice meals in the table reach 30g, all of them MAX bowls.

On price, Healthy Choice’s Steamers ($2.84-$4.29) and Protein Bowls ($3.99-$5.29) generally cost less than Counter ($4.89-$5.89), while its MAX bowls ($4.64-$6.29) overlap Counter’s range. Counter works out to $0.14-$0.20 per gram of protein and is sold in more than 6,600 U.S. stores. Counter’s bowls use real cottage cheese, chicken breast or beef, and real cheeses, and several add whey protein concentrate or collagen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Counter or Healthy Choice better for high-protein diets?

Counter has 30g or more of protein in every single-serve meal, with bowls and burritos at 340-370 calories. Healthy Choice ranges from about 12-34g depending on the line: its four MAX Protein Bowls reach 33-34g but at 400-460 calories, while its Protein Bowls (formerly Power Bowls) have 13-22g at 170-320 calories and its Steamers also stay under 30g. Counter is more consistent on protein; Healthy Choice's lighter lines have fewer calories.

Is Healthy Choice cheaper than Counter?

Yes, on most lines. Shelf prices vary by store, but Healthy Choice Steamers run about $2.84-$4.29 and Protein Bowls about $3.99-$5.29, versus $4.89-$5.89 for Counter's bowls and burritos. The MAX Protein Bowls ($4.64-$6.29) overlap Counter's range and can cost more than a $5.89 Counter bowl. Counter works out to $0.14-$0.20 per gram of protein ($0.20 for a bowl, $0.14-$0.16 for a burrito).

What is the protein-to-calorie ratio and how do Counter and Healthy Choice compare?

The protein-to-calorie ratio divides grams of protein by total calories. Higher means more protein per calorie. Counter ranges from 0.081-0.094 across its bowls and burritos. Healthy Choice varies widely: the Simply Steamers Grilled Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo is 0.132 and the Protein Bowl Cajun-Style Chicken & Sausage is 0.116 (both higher than any Counter meal, at 25g and 22g of protein), while the MAX Protein Bowls are 0.072-0.083 at 33-34g, mostly below Counter's range.

Does Healthy Choice use the same ingredients as Counter?

Not exactly. Counter's bowls are made with real cottage cheese, chicken breast or beef, and real cheeses, and several also add whey protein concentrate or collagen. Its burritos use beef, white-meat chicken, or refried beans with a Greek yogurt and cheddar queso in a protein tortilla (wheat gluten, pea protein isolate). The Healthy Choice meals in the table are chicken-based, and some of its Protein Bowls are grain free. See the package or the manufacturer's product pages for full ingredient lists.

Where can I buy Counter and Healthy Choice frozen meals?

Counter is sold in more than 6,600 U.S. stores, including Target (1,800+ stores), Albertsons-family stores (2,000+), Kroger-family stores (1,700+), Walmart (600 stores), Lidl, Hy-Vee, and select Costco clubs. Counter is not sold online. Healthy Choice is made by Conagra Brands; use the brand's store locator to see where it is sold near you.

Counter vs Healthy Choice: High-Protein Frozen Meal Comparison