Your New #1 Grilling Alternative: Chicken Sausage

By Cristin Dillon, Self magazine

There are days when I have hours to cooka nice dinner for my family but often times I am trying to get something on the table as quickly as I can. I like to keep a package of chicken sausage in my refrigerator to use as a quick and healthy protein source on nights when dinnertime was 15-minutes ago!

You might not think of sausage as something a dietitian would recommend eating but if you shop correctly it can be! There are several great brands of chicken sausage on the shelves today that I love to eat: al fresco, Coleman Natural or Hans' All Natural. These brands make quality chicken sausage with no fillers and no artificial ingredients. They are all free of MSG, preservatives, nitrates and nitrites.

Related: Cook Once, Eat Three Times

Overall the nutrition profile of a link of sausage from any of these brands is about the same. They range from 140-160 calories, with 7-10 grams of fat, 2-3 grams of saturated fat, and 13-15 grams of protein. The one downfall is the sodium content -- it can range from 480-700 milligrams per link. Unfortunately this is a lot, and there is not a reduced sodium version available. Because of the high sodium content you should limit your intake to 1 link, 2 at the most and don't eat these more than once a week. As an RD I am happy to recommend them as a great go-to when you need a quick meal but they shouldn't be consumed as frequently as other healthy protein choices such as regular chicken breasts, lean beef, seafood and legumes.

I like to make pasta and vegetable dishes with my chicken sausage or go for a ballpark classic, sausage in a roll with sauteed peppers and onions! Add these to your next grocery list and enjoy!

More from SELF: