Lean cuisines and other frozen "low calorie" food.

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Jane92394
Jane92394 Posts: 74
in Food and Nutrition
I've recently started eating a lean cuisine instead of a meal once a day or for a snack, and I was wondering if they really are healthy or if they are bad because of preservatives or something in them. I find them an easy way to eat a decent sized meal with calories I can track on days I don't have time to cook. Is it bad to eat them so often or are they ok once a day?
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Replies

  • hgellings
    hgellings Posts: 295 Member
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    I eat lean cuisines and love them. One of the things I watch when buying them is mostly how many carbs and sodium are in the ones I buy.
  • BamBam1113
    BamBam1113 Posts: 542 Member
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    The sodium in them is horrible, but I keep a few on hand for a quick meal when I need one. They are good though. Just don't eat too many of them and make sure you're hydrating real well to get rid of all the salt.
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
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    They're not my first choice, but I will have one or two a week for lunch at the office. Of course they're full of preservatives and sodium, so i'd just eat them in moderation.
  • staciekins
    staciekins Posts: 453 Member
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    Because they are processed and very high in sodium, it would be best to just steer clear...IMO
    If you do eat them, make sure to drink and extra couple servings of water during that meal.
  • JellyJaks
    JellyJaks Posts: 589 Member
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    I've tried a few of them and honestly if I make my own food, it tastes better and has less sodium. Don't get me started on how much they cost because you always pay more to eat "healthier"
  • ricnrac
    ricnrac Posts: 95 Member
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    The sodium in lean cuisines are not that bad compared to some other lunches. During work, I bring supplies to make a turkey sandwich and cape cod chips or veggie straws. The sodium in ONLY my sandwich which consists of arnold sandwich thin, oscar meyer deli sliced turkey, laughing cow light swiss, humus, tomato, and spinach. That sandwich actually has 1000 mg of sodium!! Most lean cuisines/healthy choice meals have 400-600 mg of sodium. So in that respect, the lean cuisine is better than my homemade sandwich........
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I like them for convenience, but I'd rather make up my own rice or noodles with some stir fry veggies and some chicken, shrimp or fish. I can eat more for the same calories and a LOT less sodium.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I buy them when they are on sale and only use them when I really don't feel like cooking. They are high in sodium so I only eat them rarely and watch my sodium the rest of the day. I also add extra veggies most of the time just to make them a little healthier.
    They are not bad in Calorie, Carb, and Fat. Just sodium.
  • staciekins
    staciekins Posts: 453 Member
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    The sodium in lean cuisines are not that bad compared to some other lunches. During work, I bring supplies to make a turkey sandwich and cape cod chips or veggie straws. The sodium in ONLY my sandwich which consists of arnold sandwich thin, oscar meyer deli sliced turkey, laughing cow light swiss, humus, tomato, and spinach. That sandwich actually has 1000 mg of sodium!! Most lean cuisines/healthy choice meals have 400-600 mg of sodium. So in that respect, the lean cuisine is better than my homemade sandwich........

    It's choosing the lesser of two evils...it's still an evil. Your sandwiches have processed meat so the sodium will be high...
    If you justify eating something bad with "it could be worse", you aren't doing your best. IMO
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    I eat Lean Cuisines for lunch almost daily. All of the choices I have in the freezer are PRESERVATIVE FREE and have 20% of the daily allowance of sodium in them, which is right in line with what most people can have and since I never pick up the salt shaker I'm okay with that. I love them and they are a much healthier choice than fast food.
  • alexbowser
    alexbowser Posts: 322
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    I keep a few in the freezer for when my family randomly decides on fast food for dinner. I don't like them enough to eat them on a regular basis, but they're handy for when I'm really hungry and low on groceries.
  • ricnrac
    ricnrac Posts: 95 Member
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    The sodium in lean cuisines are not that bad compared to some other lunches. During work, I bring supplies to make a turkey sandwich and cape cod chips or veggie straws. The sodium in ONLY my sandwich which consists of arnold sandwich thin, oscar meyer deli sliced turkey, laughing cow light swiss, humus, tomato, and spinach. That sandwich actually has 1000 mg of sodium!! Most lean cuisines/healthy choice meals have 400-600 mg of sodium. So in that respect, the lean cuisine is better than my homemade sandwich........

    It's choosing the lesser of two evils...it's still an evil. Your sandwiches have processed meat so the sodium will be high...
    If you justify eating something bad with "it could be worse", you aren't doing your best. IMO

    400-600 mg of sodium in one meal is not bad. Daily intake in my diary shows 2500 mg per day. An average of 500 mg of sodium in one meal is only 1/5 of that daily total. How is that bad? I was explaining that the logic of less sodium if you make it yourself does not fly in all cases. Again an average of 500 mg of sodium in one meal is not bad.
  • ricnrac
    ricnrac Posts: 95 Member
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    The sodium in lean cuisines are not that bad compared to some other lunches. During work, I bring supplies to make a turkey sandwich and cape cod chips or veggie straws. The sodium in ONLY my sandwich which consists of arnold sandwich thin, oscar meyer deli sliced turkey, laughing cow light swiss, humus, tomato, and spinach. That sandwich actually has 1000 mg of sodium!! Most lean cuisines/healthy choice meals have 400-600 mg of sodium. So in that respect, the lean cuisine is better than my homemade sandwich........

    It's choosing the lesser of two evils...it's still an evil. Your sandwiches have processed meat so the sodium will be high...
    If you justify eating something bad with "it could be worse", you aren't doing your best. IMO

    Also, the sodium in the cheese and sandwich thin is 490. Just a sandwich thin and cheese wedge have just as much sodium as a whole lean cuisine/healthy choice meal.
  • staciekins
    staciekins Posts: 453 Member
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    @ricnrac, I understand where you are coming from...I was just implying that just because it seems better than other things doesn't make it good for you. A few pieces of fried chicken may be better than a Big Mac, but it isn't good for you. Sorry if I offended.
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
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    Rule of thumb for me is to look at the number of ingredients - if there's more than about 5 or 6 and/or if I don't know what even one of them might be, I steer clear. While you're cooking dinner, chop up extra veggies and cook a bit of extra chicken, etc. for a salad the next day - at least then you know exactly what you're eating!
  • ktc33
    ktc33 Posts: 249 Member
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    The sodium in lean cuisines are not that bad compared to some other lunches. During work, I bring supplies to make a turkey sandwich and cape cod chips or veggie straws. The sodium in ONLY my sandwich which consists of arnold sandwich thin, oscar meyer deli sliced turkey, laughing cow light swiss, humus, tomato, and spinach. That sandwich actually has 1000 mg of sodium!! Most lean cuisines/healthy choice meals have 400-600 mg of sodium. So in that respect, the lean cuisine is better than my homemade sandwich........

    It's choosing the lesser of two evils...it's still an evil. Your sandwiches have processed meat so the sodium will be high...
    If you justify eating something bad with "it could be worse", you aren't doing your best. IMO

    400-600 mg of sodium in one meal is not bad. Daily intake in my diary shows 2500 mg per day. An average of 500 mg of sodium in one meal is only 1/5 of that daily total. How is that bad? I was explaining that the logic of less sodium if you make it yourself does not fly in all cases. Again an average of 500 mg of sodium in one meal is not bad.

    Actually 2500 mg of sodium is pretty low anyway because often times at the hospital patients are placed on 3000-4000mg sodium diet and that is considered a low sodium diet.
  • Purple_Orchid_87
    Purple_Orchid_87 Posts: 517 Member
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    In the UK the packets all have a GDA of 6g salt = 6000mg
    I found it strange when MFP tells you 2500mgs but i'm able to stick to this if i dont add salt to any of my cooking or my dishes
  • Rozzie75
    Rozzie75 Posts: 20
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    I eat them occasionaly when I don't have to cook for the family, or if I want a piece of lasagna because lean cuisines lasagna is yummy. The sodium is not bad. I don't feel eating them once a day is bad cause most meals have the calories of 280 - 320 and that is not bad compaired to what you can get on the run.
  • ColoradoRobin
    ColoradoRobin Posts: 510 Member
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    I really like a lot of the Kashi frozen meals, which are made with whole grains and come in some great varieties.
    As for sodium, I think the MFP default is low. Salt is necessary for proper electrolyte balance, just don't go crazy with it. Ham is one of my favorite lean proteins, but is high in sodium. That's okay. Now when it comes to people who salt already salty foods like pizza, they are overdoing it. :)
  • staciekins
    staciekins Posts: 453 Member
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    If anyone thinks 2500 mg of sodium/day is too low, please read:

    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002415.htm

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