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

Disdvcmom77

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?

cwolfman13

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

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

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

Pack your own lunch, those frozen lunches are not filling at all, not to mention extremely salty.

lilithsrose

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May I recommend the steamed fresh microwave vegetable bags in addition to the meals? They're delicious.

Robertus

I've tried many of these, but I am always more hungry afterwards than if I did not eat anything at all.

jgnatca

I hardly buy these any more, unless it is to tide hubby over when I go out. He's convinced me he'd starve to death if I did not feed him. I have leftovers for lunch.

When I did buy these, I'd line up the nutrition labels of a few candidates and compare. For processed foods, I look at the salt and fat content and pick the lowest.

Hot dogs are a big surprise. Typically the cheaper the better.

wizzybeth

My favorite hot dog: Hebrew National 97% Fat Free - they are kosher (which I normally am not concerned about but taking into consideration what *could* be in a hot dog, I like knowing it was blessed by a rabbi. lol) and only 45 calories & 6 grams of protein.

Disdvcmom77

Thank you all for the great suggestions. You mentioned brands I'm going to look into that I've never heard of. (I tend to stay in my comfort zone at the grocery store!) I guess I'm lucky that one of these "meals" usually satisfies me for lunch with a small piece of fruit in the afternoon but I am learning what they are made of isn't necessarily the best option. I hope to incorporate better habits as I learn more (only 6 days on MFP so far) but it will have to be something I can stick with. In the meantime I'm going to go as healthy as I can in a pinch. Thanks again all!

beemerphile1

In my diary you can see that I eat almost the same thing for lunch every work day.

Banquet Frozen Meal - Charbroiled Beef Patty With Noodles, 1 meal 310kcal
Activia - Yogurt - Strawberry, 4 oz 110kcal
Dole - Peaches In Strawberry Jello, 1 container 90kcal
Generic - Metamucil - Orange Fiber Powder, 1 Tbsp 45kcal

Total 555kcal

I am 6'1" and over 200 pounds. I find the Banquet frozen dinner, yogurt, and jello cup to be satisfying. The Banquet dinner costs .80 to $1 each. Combine the low cost and convenience and I am happy.

stealthq

Disdvcmom77 wrote: »

Thank you all for the great suggestions. You mentioned brands I'm going to look into that I've never heard of. (I tend to stay in my comfort zone at the grocery store!) I guess I'm lucky that one of these "meals" usually satisfies me for lunch with a small piece of fruit in the afternoon but I am learning what they are made of isn't necessarily the best option. I hope to incorporate better habits as I learn more (only 6 days on MFP so far) but it will have to be something I can stick with. In the meantime I'm going to go as healthy as I can in a pinch. Thanks again all!

Perfectly sensible approach to take.

Nothing wrong with frozen meals, though I have to admit they leave me hungry, too. Even the salt isn't an issue if you don't have a medical reason to avoid it. Just make sure you drink enough throughout the day to avoid water retention.

If you decide you want to get away from them, consider making extra food for dinner and packing the leftovers for next day's lunch. Or making bulk meals and freezing them away in lunch-sized portions. Easiest way to go for a homemade take-it-with-you lunch.

KingofWisdom

Healthy Choice has some decent selections with good amounts of protein. Chicken & Spinach Alfredo, Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, Beef Merlot, Chicken Fresca with Chardonnay, Meatball Marinara, Sweet Sesame Chicken, Rosemary Chicken & Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Margherita with Balsamic, Crustless Chicken Pot Pie, Four Cheese Ravioli & Chicken Marinara, Beef Pot Roast, Classic Chicken and Noodles, Honey Roasted Turkey.

gamesandgains

Healthy choice steamers are pretty good. Haven't eaten one in quite a while but I remember them being calorie friendly.

abatonfan

I'm super lazy when it comes to cooking. Personally, I noticed that the Healthy Choice steamfresh dinners fit my macros the best, though they have super tiny portions. Most of my lazy meals consist of fresh baby spinach (a good way to get more food in for less calories) mixed in with a Healthy Choice dinner and a Green Giant box of frozen vegetables.

atypicalsmith

I love Kashi's. A bit expensive, but doesn't taste like (yuck) Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones, and leaves you feeling full.