Poll: Frozen meals or not?

kristibag81

I know alot of people rely on frozen meals (i.e. lean cuisine, healthy choice, WW) for portion control and a quick go-to for work, etc.

I've read alot about how bad they are for you concerning sodium, carbs, etc in certain books. Yet, my health mags have pages listening faves or best for you, yada yada. I have mixed feelings, but I buy them because i have two small children and I work full-time and there are days when I do not have time to make anything for lunch at work or at home. I'm not crazy about them, so I don't take them to work except once a week if I can help it.

My go-to is SmartOnes Angel Hair Marinara with a tbsp of grated parmesean cheese. It keeps me full, but it has 40 carbs and quite a bit of sodium.

Anyway, what are your feelings???

LivingFitNC

it's cheaper to make bulk meals at the beginning of the week on sunday or saturday like chili or stew than to buy frozen entrees. Using a slow cooker also minimizes your time spent in the kitchen so you can still have a good, nutritious home cooked meal without all the added chemicals and sodium without as much of a sacrifice. I usually make one type Sunday night then another on a night when I have time, log the recipe into MFP, and the divvy it up into pyrex portions. They are more appetizing and satisfying than any frozen entree I've ever had and I know exactly what went into them!

raindancer

I take them for lunch in the winter. I tend to want warm comfort foods and they keep me from going out to eat. I also keep some for pizza night ect. But I try not to use them too often

edorice

When I go for frozen meals I usually keep the carbs under 35 grams and try to keep the sodium under 500 mg. My daily sodium is under 2400 mg. It works for me, portion control is very important in my weight loss journey. It is part of an over all plan though. You have people that will swear up and down about eating whole foods, but smoke outside the gym. Do what works for you.

MissAnjy

I eat them all the time, all you need to be aware of is your sodium intake with them. Just make sure your other meals in the day have less sodium & you're golden. They've never done me wrong. I eat them for lunches here & there and I've lost 32lbs so far so I'm not stopping )

wiggleroom

I relied on them a lot when I first started losing weight -- but when I got closer to my goal, I found I wasn't losing and wasn't even maintaining very well. I didn't attribute it to the meals until we went through a financial rough patch and I stopped buying them to save money. Suddenly, I started losing weight even when I was eating more calories than I was when eating two Lean Cuisines per day!

With all the preservatives and sodium, I really think they sabotage weight loss. Also, I can put together a lower calorie meal with more "bulk" (more satisfying!) that costs less, tastes better, etc.

I find that Boca and Morningstar products are better than the packaged meals, and just as quick. I like to make wraps with La Tortilla Factory high fiber tortillas, some boca/morninstar crumbles (whatever's on sale!) and egg whites; I also like to make a BUNCH of brown rice at the beginning of the week and mix it with black beans & salsa & grilled chicken -- things like that.

LindaSueBakk

Homemade is usually healthier, but when there is a time crunch, I reach for a Smart One or a Lean Cuisine. Just remember, everything in moderation!

AmberElaine84

I used to eat them often for portion control in the middle of my weight loss. To be honest, I never really paid attention to sodium and had no trouble losing weight. I eat them now and again for a quick fix when the kids are having mac and cheese or peanut butter and jelly and I don't want it. I think as long as you are drinking all of your water and staying within your calories, you will be fine. That's just my opinion...there are a lot of people who bash those frozen meals!

rjlam

They are quick and easy but as everyone has indicated they are extremely high in sodium. I've bought them in the past until the dietician I work with pointed out the sodium intake. Depending on the time you have, when you make you dinners, make a little extra and put a controlled portion into a container and freeze it. This way you have a portion sized lunch that has less sodium. It's all a matter what you want to do. If you see that it does not effect you then it's up to you. Good luck.

LoveMy3Boys

Yuck! I am not a fan of frozen foods so NOT

TrainingWithTonya

I wouldn't trust 80% of the stuff in over the counter health and fitness magazines. They are lined with adds for high sodium frozen foods because those companies have bought advertising in their magazines. See if you can find the time on the weekends to make some dishes up in bulk and freeze your own single serving containers to take for lunches. It will be a much healthier option.

marniehodges

I don't think anything in moderation is bad, I wouldn't eat them for every meal but I do throw in a Lean Cuisine now and then. They actually taste good and the sodium content isn't awful. I actually get more sodium when I make a turkey (and that's low sodium turkey) sandwich. Again, I think portions and moderation is the key here to success. I haven't really given up a lot and don't deprive myself. At Christmas when we made fudge, I would have one piece instead of 5 or 6. Sorry, I know I'm getting off topic :laugh: . Bottom line, if you find some that are healthy that you like, throw some in the mix!

redefiningmyself

it's cheaper to make bulk meals at the beginning of the week on sunday or saturday like chili or stew than to buy frozen entrees. Using a slow cooker also minimizes your time spent in the kitchen so you can still have a good, nutritious home cooked meal without all the added chemicals and sodium without as much of a sacrifice. I usually make one type Sunday night then another on a night when I have time, log the recipe into MFP, and the divvy it up into pyrex portions. They are more appetizing and satisfying than any frozen entree I've ever had and I know exactly what went into them!

This is what I do too. that way I know exactly what I'm eating. Plus I like my food better then the store bought stuff anyway.

leanmass24

I keep them around to keep me from making worse choices. If it stops you from eating fast food then use them. I usually keep a couple at work in the freezer just in case. Most of the time I cook lots of food for the week and package it up to take later, but every now and then I get lazy and dont. So if I dont have time to cook food to bring to work the frozen dinner come in handy. They are not the best, but it is better then just about anything else I can get at work.

lilmissy2

I keep them around to keep me from making worse choices. If it stops you from eating fast food then use them. I usually keep a couple at work in the freezer just in case. Most of the time I cook lots of food for the week and package it up to take later, but every now and then I get lazy and dont. So if I dont have time to cook food to bring to work the frozen dinner come in handy. They are not the best, but it is better then just about anything else I can get at work.

I like this answer. You have to remember that making a lifestyle change is all about finding something that works for you and improves your health... not 'behaving perfectly all the time'. If frozen meals stop you having fast food then that is a huge change! As for the sodium, yes they are high in sodium but so are a lot of the natural foods that we can cook.... bread, pasta, cheese etc. A lot of the ones we have here (UK) are about 1/3 of the daily recs which I think for a main meal is quite reasonable.

When I'm at home, I cook most things from scratch... but when I'm living away from home for work, often without a fridge or proper cooking facilities, I don't really hesitate to substitute for ready meals.

floridabootcamp

There are 2 major factors to consider when choosing food. 1 is quantity and the other is quality. Some frozen meals are portioned out to cover quantity but they are of poor quality. If you have trouble with your portions then you might want to use something to help you with that until you get better at it. If you are already good at controlling your portions then I would stay away from frozen meals since most of them are of poor quality (extra sodium, processed carbs, high in fat and the list goes on)....

Like the other poster said, I great way to fix that would be to cook your own meals and then freeze them.

Enjoy!

txmomma0889

They are good for me as a college student for lunch as I only have 1 hour inbetween classes but for dinner I would cook... expecially since i am practicing cause my son is getting older and i don't want to teach him bad habits...so they are good and bad at least to me anyways... I wouldn't eat them constantly

mamagooskie

I eat them occasionally, most often when I'm in a time crunch and usually mine are the breakfasts. I agree that moderation is they key and I do try and drink more water when I eat them because of the salt.

anovasjo

Bleh. The only frozen "meals" I sometimes eat are waffles.

cjusticeg

homemade is the way to go, take 10 minutes the night before to prepare a meal. when you cut all unnecessary sodium from your diet, you will see and feel the results. anything frozen is going to have mass sodium in it. I barely eat frozen foods anymore(aside from yogurt) and when I do, it makes me feel yucky!

Wolfena

I think they're fine for an occasional meal- probably not a great idea to eat them every day and all the time.

But then, I think pretty much anything is fine so long as it's not overdone.

SouthernRae

I read that you mix brown rice with black beans...etc.....do you have a specific recipe? Do you eat it as a burrito? I haven't been a fan of brown rice, but I haven't mixed it like you suggested. Any help would be appreciated.

elainegsd

As with anything else, these can be good or bad. Even if the ingredients aren't all that good for you (e.g. sodium, preservatives) if they help you on your goal to lose weight, then that may outweigh the ingredients.

I haven't found one I really like the taste of, and will eat them rarely. I do make up big batches of food and freeze them in meal-sized portions so I can grab and go.

abyt42

The ones I eat are totally comfort food: Meatloaf with Mac & Cheese, for instance. I KNOW if I made meatloaf, or mac & cheese, and only ate portions the size of the ones in the box, mine would have less sodium, for instance. However, I also know myself well enough to know that if I want Mac&Cheese I'm better off with a higher sodium small amount than leftovers.....

TheMaidOfAstolat

Most are full of sodium and sugars...to make up for it being 'healthy'. I am not a fan of frozen meals but in a pinch I'll eat Amys or Kashi.

TaneeisFitforLife

I keep a couple of them in the freezer as a "just in case".

meaghanls

Ugh. Not a fan. The only things in my freezer are fruits for smoothies, the occasional pint of vegan ice-cream and meals I've made and frozen to save and rotate so I'm not eating the same thing all the time.

When you make dinner, make extra and freeze it in one meal size portions (like chili or lasagna, etc)... and take it out to defrost when you get up and throw it in the oven or in a pot to warm it up. (I'm anti a lot of things and up there is the microwave! I never use it unless I'm melting my vegan cheese on nachos which is next to never.)

Homemade meals are not only healthier, but then you know where they come from and exactly everything that goes into them. Any ingredients list that includes "natural" or "artificial" flavours can be ANYTHING... and who really wants to take a chance with that?

Courtney_Ann

I honestly don't like them. I don't think the flavor is all that great and i am still hungry when I am finished. I also, do not care for all the sodium. I know it is a good solution for many, but not for me. I would rather just make a little extra food for dinner the night before and take leftovers.

rainbowdash

Interesting post. I just started 6 days ago, with a calorie total of 1200 per day. (Im 5"1) So portion control is going to be extremely important for me. My kids are 5,3, and 1. I work full time. I have a 50% life time risk of having type 2 diabetes due to my history of gestational diabetes. So there are considerable risks if I dont get my BMI down. It not like Im drinking slim fast and taking dexatrim...I bought several lean cuisines, jimmie deans delights sandwhiches, and some smart ones to get started. Its quick, its portion controled, and I'm satisfied. As I have adjusted to the portion size and calories in different food options. Im beginning to branch out and I can creat new meals. A big part of losing weight is weighing the risks of not losing weight versus the risks of what you are going to put into your body. Im guessing a large number of people out there who need to lose weight if they are not eating a lean cuisine my chose to eat something worse like a cheese burger so lets put things in perspective a little. The other point is that eating healthy takes a lot of planning that in the begining is overwhelming. If you dont have time to plan this is an option.

Lyadeia

I don't like them and do not incorporate them into my food plan. They are processed foods just like those boxed meals...they appear to be healthier, but all the sodium and carbs kills it for me. Also, most of them are so low in calories that I would need to eat 2 in order to get the total amount of cals I need for just 1 meal, meaning I would go over on sodium and carbs in just that 1 meal.

On the other hand, I do have 1 on hand in my freezer for those "just in case" days. I never "plan" to eat it, but on days when something goes wrong (like the chicken gets burned or the cats ate my fish while it was thawing...) I will have that and a piece of fruit instead of going out to McDonald's which is far worse than Lean Cuisine.