Lean Cuisines Are Yucky!

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13

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  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    I try to stay away from processed food when I can, but that's not always possible. There's a LC chicken with peanut sauce that I really like. It helps to look for the ones that specifically say "white meat chicken" on the package.
  • Matiara
    Matiara Posts: 377 Member
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    It depends on the meal and your palette. I don't make blanket judgement on things that I've never tried, so if I were you, I would try different varieties before I gave up. I know how difficult it can be coming up with workday lunches, which is why I've found what I like and eat the same thing on the same days each week. Eating a frozen meal a couple of times per week has yet to kill me.

    I don't eat the little meals, even the ones that taste alright, because they are only a little over 200 calories and my body thinks they're a joke. Not filling at all.

    I've tried many of them over the years and there are really only a couple that I like and bring to work for lunch each week. I like the big meals that are between 300-400 calories and have some fat so I'm not hungry 30 minutes later. So each week, I have the Grilled Chicken & Penne Pasta and the Chicken Fettucine with Broccoli. Whenever I'm cooking them, my coworkers will remark about how good they smell. The other one that I used to like was the Chicken Lasagna Florentine, but I can't find it in my area anymore.

    My only complaint is that I wish they would use whole wheat pasta like Healthy Choice does in some of their meals, but since I only have them for lunch a couple of days out of the week, it's not a big deal. It's not like they are the foundation of my diet or anything.
  • fawnkay0ne
    fawnkay0ne Posts: 15
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    How about making extra at dinner and having that for your next day's lunch?

    This is what I do also! I can't eat lean cuisine, soup, or sandwiches daily. I always make healthy, nutritious, food for dinner, and I make enough so that my husband and I will both have lunch the next day. Everyone in my office talks about how I am always eating such delicious smelling/looking food. Beats the take-out or the sodium filled boring diet food at the grocery store!
  • sandrinamsilva
    sandrinamsilva Posts: 651 Member
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    they'll make you feel bloated and gross if you eat to many of them! I know I feel like that after I eat them.

    I second this, last week I ate Eating Right frozen meals for lunch 3 days in a row. By Friday I thought my tummy was going to explode I was very BLOATED. I didnt feel good at all...
  • Sunjenk
    Sunjenk Posts: 139 Member
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    I dont really eat them, but I definitely really like them....the pastas are my favorite, any of the big vegetable ones I can generally make a lot better at home, the pastas do the trick for me...
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
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    True, they aren't ideal, but I do like the Lean Cuisine Spa meals once in a while for a quick lunch, when I don't have the time to cook anything. (I will usually get them when they're on sale since they're pricey.)

    My favourites: Thai Chicken with Brown Rice, and Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry. Both around 250 calories, with quite a few veggies and brown rice.
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    most of them are typically FULL of sodium and not all that healthful. try Amy's if you are in a crunch. yes, still pretty high in sodium, but otherwise pretty healthy (well healthy enough) in a pinch. the Amy's burritos are really good.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    Haven't had a Lean Cuisine ready-meal in donkey's years. I think they used to do a chicken and pasta bake that wasn't too bad, but then I wasn't a foodie when I was a teenager.

    Generally avoid ready meals now (apart from some curries) as they're rarely as tasty or as satisfying as a home-cooked meal. Then again my hsuband's cooking is soooo good, I tend to overeat. Having said that, we always cook at least 2-meals worth at a time and freeze the leftovers :tongue:
  • alcon79
    alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
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    Healthy choice potstickers are my crack.....they are insanely tasty for a frozen meal.

    I find the pasta meals in classic flavors to be the tastiest - spinach raviolis, lasagna, and angel hair with veggies and fettuccine alfredo with chicken are my go-to's.
  • rboudiette
    rboudiette Posts: 4 Member
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    Some of them are better than others. Mostly depends on what your taste is.
  • ursula0601k
    ursula0601k Posts: 169 Member
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    I eat the lean cuisine pizza. Really yummy! Try one of them.
  • plantgrrl
    plantgrrl Posts: 436 Member
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    I like them, but I guess its what you get used to. I love the Butternut squash ravioli.

    Yes! This one is the best!
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    Lean Cuisine ravioli isn't bad. It was a big help when I was sick for a few months.
    You might poking around Trader Joe's frozen aisle.
  • yaddayaddayadda
    yaddayaddayadda Posts: 430 Member
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    I don't care for any of the frozen meals out there. If I have a day where I don't have time to pack a lunch, I take soup. There are some OK canned soups that are low in calories and sodium, and they fill me up. I would much rather take the time to make a salad and take some fruit. Most prepared foods are JUNK!
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
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    You definitely have to find your favorites as a lot are pretty yuck!

    I think the Healthy Choice meals are better... the steamer ones are yum-o and I think a bit better for you than the Lean Cuisines.

    Frozen meals are not the healthiest choice as they are extremely high in sodium (super bad for me as I was lucky enough to have high blood pressure at 20!), but every now and then in a hurry they can be extremely convenient. Ask your friends which ones they like the best and pretty soon you'll find your own favorites. :)

    I just moved to Australia and our selection is so tiny compared to the selection of frozen meals in the states! They are also a lot more expensive here, but in the end I think it's best for me because it has forced me to cook my own food and it's making the whole diet thing a lot more enjoyable. I'm starting to actually enjoy cooking! I'm also pretty busy with work and everything, so I like to cook a lot of food on the weekend when I have more time and freeze them for the following weeks. :) Some of the best things to cook and freeze are soups and stews.
  • sgv0918
    sgv0918 Posts: 851 Member
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    I like them, but I guess its what you get used to. I love the Butternut squash ravioli.

    Love this one
  • treesha450
    treesha450 Posts: 321 Member
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    I like smart choices by weight watchers, I also like Lean Cuisine. I buy whats on sale because I need quick easy food at work.
  • elizabethaustin
    elizabethaustin Posts: 7
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    I used to eat them all the time, not for health reasons, but just because they were easy tasty hot meals. I grew up on them and would eat them as snacks after school! However, I don't eat them anymore just because they really aren't as healthy as they like to advertise. You can make much healthier foods at home.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    Honestly, I'm sick of prepackaged foods. I end up eating fewer calories, because I end up not eating it at all, and that's probably worse than anything.

    I am starting to cook more often and just bring leftovers in for lunch. I find that foods I season myself are much tastier than stuff from the store. If I make more than I can eat in a couple days, I'll just freeze the rest.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
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    I like the potstickers from lean cuisine and I love, love the pasta ones, especially the manicotti. I tried the ones that come in the bags too and I think there was a mushroom tortellini one that I enjoyed quite a bit.

    The problem with them is they aren't filling enough for me and I think they are a bit overpriced, so I haven't bought them in forever. I mostly eat leftovers for lunch now because I'm not a sandwich or a salad fan.

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