Smart Ones vs. Lean Cuisine vs. Healthy Choice-Best Option

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Disdvcmom77
Disdvcmom77 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know most purists would shudder at the thought of eating any frozen entrees but I haven't yet been able to commit the time to pre-prepare super healthy homemade lunches every day. That being said, any suggestions on which of the three brands (or others I might not be aware of) is "better" than the others? I want something with moderate calories (350 or under) that is least processed and as close to healthy as I can get for a frozen entrée. I've compared some but still can't really conclude the best option. Thoughts and suggestions?
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I really don't think there's such a thing as "least processed" with frozen entrees. They are all highly processed...trying to determine which is least processed would be an exercise in futility.

    Personally, I'd just look at the nutritional information and see what best fits my goals for calories, macros, micros, etc. "Best" or "better" is going to be incredibly subjective.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    You're going to have to stand there and compare them side by side and taste test.
    I don't eat them because I don't find them satisfying, I do have some of the ones from Trader Joe's on hand just in case. Those taste better IMO and are more satisfying than the Lean Cuisines I've tried.

    My coworker buys Amy's brand frozen stuff, there's also Kashi, Birdseye, etc.
  • drgd05
    drgd05 Posts: 9
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    I try not to eat frozen meals very often but I do keep a few on hand for major crazy days. I have purchased all three brands. I just look at how much sodium is in it. Most have way to much. I look at that before I even look at calories.
  • nickatine
    nickatine Posts: 451 Member
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    Pack your own lunch, those frozen lunches are not filling at all, not to mention extremely salty.
  • lilithsrose
    lilithsrose Posts: 752 Member
    edited March 2015
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    None of them are great for you. They're all very processed. Some taste better than other though. Here are some of my favorites. Mind you, I'm picky and I don't like anything tomato based.

    Lean Cuisine
    Deep Dish Spinach and Mushroom Pizza
    Garlic Chicken Spring Rolls
    Chicken Pecan

    Healthy Choice
    CHICKEN & RICE CHEDDAR BAKE
    ROASTED CHICKEN AND POTATOES
    PORTABELLA MARSALA PASTA
    ROSEMARY CHICKEN & SWEET POTATOES
    GRILLED CHICKEN PESTO WITH VEGETABLES
    HONEY GLAZED TURKEY & SWEET POTATOES

    Smart Ones
    Broccoli & Cheddar Roasted Potatoes
    Chicken Mesquite

    Oh, and I like those Green Giant Steamer Veggies. They make some with rice that are awesome.
  • scaryg53
    scaryg53 Posts: 268 Member
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    I personally like Amy's for when I don't have time to cook, they even have lighter options, and low sodium options, but in general, the sodium content is crazy high, and I have a hard time staying staying under my sodium anyway.
  • wearmi1
    wearmi1 Posts: 291 Member
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    The evol brand makes decent frozen meals, I had a Cilantro Lime Chicken burrito at 930 for brunch and it was delicious and satisfying. 70% percent of it was organic so at least I didn't completely load myself up with crap I don't need.
  • retropactum
    retropactum Posts: 75 Member
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    I'm a budget/convenience shopper and we all know fresh food costs add up quickly (and go bad even quicker). That being said, I find myself eating Healthy Choice Steamers and Lean Cuisines quite frequently. Obviously though, I'm not [yet] focused on eating mainly whole foods. I just like lunched that are done quick and cheap. :)

    Also, like @rhaiin‌ mentioned, I love, love, LOVE any of those veggie steamer bags. In fact that's my lunch today; 2 cups of "lightly sauced" veggies at 240 kcals... DONE. If I had thought ahead, I might have brought a chicken tenderloin to go with it, which would've been a complete (and huge) meal for less than 350 kcals, but I guess I'll do that next time. :P
  • kathyk519
    kathyk519 Posts: 197 Member
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    Be careful of frozen meals - lots of sodium in them. I don't know if you are a soup person, but you can make a big pot of soup on Sundays, and have it all week long, just ladle it into a to go container.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Personally, I'd just look at the nutritional information and see what best fits my goals for calories, macros, micros, etc. "Best" or "better" is going to be incredibly subjective.

    Agreed.
  • SomeGirlSomewhere
    SomeGirlSomewhere Posts: 937 Member
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    scaryg53 wrote: »
    I personally like Amy's for when I don't have time to cook, they even have lighter options, and low sodium options, but in general, the sodium content is crazy high, and I have a hard time staying staying under my sodium anyway.

    I was also going to recommend Amy's entrees as a healthier alternative to Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, or Smart Ones. In addition, I would also recommend Kashi, Garden Lites, and Evol. All of those and the Amy's are a bit more expensive, but I've found that one can get them for a more reasonable price at Target.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I regularly eat the processed stuff for lunch. smart ones are the worst tasting. Lean cuisines almost never go onsale near where I live. They are my favorites for taste, but you have to look at the box. Some of them say to cook at 50% for 10 minutes. I'm not doing that at work. I get the healthy choice steamers the most. Their biggest issue is portion size. Too small. Some are under 200 calories so I have to bring an apple and carrots or something to go with it or I starve.
  • scaryg53
    scaryg53 Posts: 268 Member
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    SomeGirlSomewhere wrote: »
    scaryg53 wrote: »
    I personally like Amy's for when I don't have time to cook, they even have lighter options, and low sodium options, but in general, the sodium content is crazy high, and I have a hard time staying staying under my sodium anyway.

    I was also going to recommend Amy's entrees as a healthier alternative to Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, or Smart Ones. In addition, I would also recommend Kashi, Garden Lites, and Evol. All of those and the Amy's are a bit more expensive, but I've found that one can get them for a more reasonable price at Target.
    And amy's has a ton of options and they are really good. I love the polenta and Swiss chard one and the spaghetti Italiano
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    i like michelena's wheels and cheese, like alot. 330 calories, 11g protien, costs .88 cents where I live. I serve it with a side of raw veggies, and go to town.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I eat these from time to time. They are going to be more filling if you search for ones with more protein. Also plan on packing veggies. Most meals can use them. I like LC Chicken Alfredo....I add 1 cup broccoli.

    Yes they are high in sodium....so get your water in.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I find I lean more toward the Lean Cuisines than Healthy Choice or WW Smart Ones. I find the lean cuisines tend to have more bang for my "Macro buck" - as in the amount of protein, calories, fiber, etc. for the serving. I don't think I've ever come home with a Healthy Choice after comparing labels. Totally personal preference...
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    I will second the Evol suggestion. I think they are slightly higher calorie, but that is ok because I think the Lean Cuisine ones that are under 300 are about like a snack... Some of the Healthy Choice Steamers are pretty good.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
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    I used to eat Lean Cuisines for lunch and dinner. They were a very sad meal that I would not recommend to anyone.

    A friend I know really likes a lot of the Healthy Choice Steamers.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    Amy's is OK but I find them to be more expensive and higher in calories than Lean Cuisine. Generally I do not worry about going over on my sodium every so often....I've only gone above my target sodium goal 6 times in almost 2 months...so I really don't sweat it.
  • ryanhorn
    ryanhorn Posts: 355 Member
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    May I recommend the steamed fresh microwave vegetable bags in addition to the meals? They're delicious.

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