Frozen meals

Linzon

I normally don't eat them but I just had surgery and Lean Cuisines have been helpful as a backup when I don't feel like cooking. Definitely not as filling as what I'm used to, and I notice on the package it suggests pairing it with fruit or a salad to make it a full meal, which I've been doing.

NewMeSM75

Linzon wrote: »

I normally don't eat them but I just had surgery and Lean Cuisines have been helpful as a backup when I don't feel like cooking. Definitely not as filling as what I'm used to, and I notice on the package it suggests pairing it with fruit or a salad to make it a full meal, which I've been doing.

I agree. When I bring a frozen meal, I will also bring a side salad with a light vinegarette.

checkmatekingtwo

I find canned soup is good for variety, too. Campbell's has a line of Home Style soups that make a good lunch. Plus they even have an organic line (not for me, but you might like it), and a Healthy Request line, which just basically means its lower in sodium. I vary between the soup, frozen meals, and meals I make from home. Variety is nice!

wizzybeth

kommodevaran wrote: »

I think frozen meals are the opposite of what you're looking for if you want good nutrition and avoid boredom. They are mostly for convenience. Why don't you look around for recipes to extend your repertoire?

For many of us it is a matter of ease and convenience esp. if the day doesn't go as planned and I do not have time to prepare a hot lunch to take to work with me. If frozen meals aren't your thing, they aren't. I prefer home cookin' myself, but when I'm in a bind and need something hot to eat, fairly quickly, especially at work where all we have is a fridge/freezer and a microwave, frozen meals are a godsend.

Tubbs216

dizzieblondeuk wrote: »

They are useful as a backup, when you just don't have time for anything else. I actually don't buy frozen meals, rather I get the ready meals that are able to be frozen. The good brands (Marks and Spencers, Waitrose etc) have decent quality ingredients (especially the meat, which can be potentially dodgy in other brands - low quality chicken, Tesco horsemeat anyone?!!!), no preservatives etc, but the 'freezable' sign on the pack allows for long storage. Often they can be cooked from frozen, if not, I'm usually prepared enough that I can whip something out of the freezer in the morning, and it'll be defrosted ready for use by the evening. I'm aware the salt content is always going to be higher than homemade food, but once in a while is OK for me, as my sodium intake is very low normally. I always scan the aisles for the discount stickers when I'm shopping, so I can pack one or two meals away in the freezer for occasional use. When the meals are half price, or even less, it works out economical to have them as standbys.

BTW, the American choices for ready meals are pretty awful - finding anything with a decent veg content is near impossible, IMO! The UK supermarkets seem to have gotten pretty good at raising the quality of prepared meals (although some horrors still remain). There are even some high end brands, like the Heston Blumenthal range in Waitrose, that's approaching restaurant quality for taste and presentation! Expensive though!

I agree with this. A ready-meal was a bit of a treat when we were still in the UK, especially when it was something like a Tesco Finest one, or something scrummy from Waitrose. When we moved to Canada, eating ready meals felt like punishment for being too lazy to cook for myself. They haven't improved much in the 13 years we've been here, unfortunately.

Colorscheme

I eat ready meals every day with no issue. Two things to keep in mind:

-weigh it just to make sure the serving size is what it says it is. My frozen pizza weighed more than the package said it should
-keep the sodium in check if you have high blood pressure [if not, no worries]

I am lazy, I get tired easily and I don't feel like cooking most of the time so I always have 4-5 freezer meals ready to go. I pick the flavors I like the most and I never get bored with it.

I don't eat more than one frozen meal a day, though. I eat one every day for lunch. Breakfast and dinner aren't ready meals.

MorganMoreaux

Nothing wrong with that. I keep a few Amy's enchiladas and a few of their bean burritos in the freezer for days when I get home late. Quick and easy and kind of a treat to not have to cook.

joolie1234

I just ate healthy choice pumpkin ravioli for dinner, it was pretty decent. I agree, they should not be eaten all the time, but like having them in the freezer for when I'm in a pinch, time- or calorie-wise. I like the cafe steamers in particular. I do tend to mix in an extra serving of vegetables.

karahm78

In addition to Amy's and evol, I have developed an appreciation for Blake's Naturals meals, I get mine at Target. Good stats, great flavor, and minimally processed. More expensive than Healthy Choice but worth it. Really like the chicken pot pie, shepards pie, and Swedish meatballs.

Lots of good choices at Trader Joes too!

mathiseasy

Just another +1 to Amy's, I basically lived on the pizza pockets in college

KateTii

Pros: Easy to cook, log & eat
Cons: Can be expensive & can be a little "hit and miss" with quality.

Personally, I loved them but were far, far too expensive where I live, so I made my own

Queenmunchy

OP, I've been freezer cooking for 8 years and never looked back. Is there a reason why you need to buy the meals instead of making them and freezing them yourself? Boredom doesn't happen when you have a full freezer full of different meals that you can choose from. Just pick a recipe, portion it into equal servings, and freeze. Super easy and really cheap. There is a technique to freezing items like pasta or rice (flash freezing), but it feels great to have meals that you've customized at your disposal.

cbelc2

I usually buy Amys frozen meals. I'm way careful with any meat I consume. Amys is vegetarian.

sllm1

Convenient to log - easy to keep within a set calorie plan - high on sodium (but that doesn't prevent weight loss).

CattOfTheGarage

RoxieDawn wrote: »

Frozen meals have to be preserved in order to stay "fresh" and have long shelf lives.

?
That's what the freezing is for.

Frozen is the closest thing to fresh, good frozen food is great, but unfortunately the "buying blind" aspect means manufacturers can get away with bad ingredients, which they try to cover by adding sugar etc, hence the bad reputation of frozen prepared food, which is a shame.

OP, nothing wrong with frozen meals, but they're expensive. if you want to make your own why not change it up a bit? I've been taking inspiration from the Japanese bento idea to pack pretty packed lunches for myself, with portions of protein, fruit, veg and carbs all laid out nicely. It's good fun and brings more variety to lunch without shelling out for ready meals. Plus I can use leftovers in my lunch box.

Spliner1969

I like the stouffer's fit kitchen meals, high protein low cal. However, as with all frozen 'healthy' meals, they are full of sodium so be wary of that. Too much sodium and you can gain water weight which might make you think your efforts are not working which won't be the case. Just drink lots of water if you're going to eat frozen meals and pay attention to your sodium macros. If you go way over on sodium ignore any temporary weight gain.

RockinTerri

As others have mentioned, they're great for convenience. But if you have a reason to watch your sodium intake, look very closely at the label for that in particular.

One of my favorite lines is the Lean Cuisine brand. They have a lot of variety, and for the most part the portions are pretty decent. I do however like the Healthy Choice steamers. You can pair it with a small salad and it works great for lunch or a light dinner.