Lunch problems solved

jcb1958

I'm new here & just discovered that any frozen meal I want is in the database! That's great because lunch is my downfall. I'm not a fan of cold cuts, keep forgetting to buy salad mix, find most soups aren't filling enough. Plus I'm often busy & hate the mess of putting some dish together. The $$ I'm saving here by not having any weekly dues is going towards stocking up the freezer with meals for lunch.
Jacquie

shakybabe

pre-made meals tend to full of salt and preservatives though, not as healthy as salad, veg and fresh meat/fish etc. sodium causes water retention which won't help your weight loss either or your blood pressure in the long run!

gainess

Try making your own at home wraps (whole wheat) with any kind of meat and add veggies with it on the side. Also stir-fry (veggies frozen only like $1.99 a bag) and chicken breast or shrimp and add a little bit of soy sauce or your favoriet sauce. It's delicious! Way healthier and more filling. Watch your sodium on the frozen pre-packaged foods but trust me I use to do the same thing but your foods will be a lot more filling and nutritious if you make them yourself. I pre-plan my lunch and make it because I know it's time consuming. Good luck!

skingszoo

Woo Hoo! And it is true premade meals tend to be higher in sodium but when that is your only choice (other than fast food) you are moving in the right direction. I like the Healthy Choice Steamers.

tabik30

Ive been eating them for lunch too and really like them! If I bring salad I tend to eat out so ive bought several and have them in the fridge here so I have a choice. I know they're not as healthy, but they are better than the other choices I would make without them!

jcb1958

I watch the sodium on everything - always reading labels. If I added up the sodium in deli meat, cheese & dressing it would come out the same as some frozen meals. I always have leftover cooked veggies from dinner, so I stir them into the meals. BTW - have you read the latest medical study that found cutting back sodium can cause a rise in cholesterol? Who knew? Always something.

ElizabethRoad

pre-made meals tend to full of salt and preservatives though, not as healthy as salad, veg and fresh meat/fish etc. sodium causes water retention which won't help your weight loss either or your blood pressure in the long run!

True that sodium causes water retention, and can affect the number on the scale, but it isn't hindering fat loss.

jcb1958

Same with me. Once in a while I get a hunger for pizza & at least the frozen variety give the me nutritional info. Never get that at local pizza place. I keep frozen chopped onions & green peppers handy, give them a quick rinse to thaw, dry off, then put on top of frozen pizza, plus 1/2 cup of canned mushrooms & maybe leftover lean meal. Minimum prep.

dalgal26

I eat them a couple of times a week because they are so easy. 'You do what ya gotta do'.

Most of my meals are made from scratch, but I don't always have the time and hey, some of those frozen meals, I just plain enjoy.

bcattoes

I'm not sure I totally understand the OP. What dues are you saving by buying prepackaged frozen meals?

I find the easiest solution to lunch problems is leftovers. I just put some of whatever I have for dinner in a BPA free plastic container at the same time I fill my dinner plate and the next morning lunch is ready to go. Plus it takes much less time to heat than a frozen meal, tastes better and is usually a bigger portion for equal calories.

6heatherb6

Wow! I'd never think of having a 'meal' as such at lunch time :blushing: I'm satisfied with a sandwich and piece of fruit. But as said before...just log it in..count it up and see what's left for dinner!!
Great that you are looking at what you're eating!!
Good job! :flowerforyou:

katcod1522

I stay clear of processed foods. Whole foods are so much better and filling. I do leftovers from the night before (whole wheat pasta, turkey burgers, turkey BLT) or special k

wolfchild59

I'm not sure I totally understand the OP. What dues are you saving by buying prepackaged frozen meals?

I they're saying that they don't have weekly dues for something like weight watchers since they're on MFP, so they're gonna buy lunches with that money instead.



I ate frozen meals for lunch every single day for many months when I first joined. I lost weight steadily and consistently. They were better than the options of nothing or fast food I frequently chose before that.

I do make my own lunches now, but there are still times that I just can't face that kitchen to cook another meal, so I'll just have a frozen meal. No, they aren't "whole" or "clean", but that's also not a required way of eating for weight loss or life. It's just a choice that some choose to make. The OP wasn't looking for lessons what she's doing wrong (in some people's eyes), she's excited about something that she can do that will help her on her journey. If you don't want to support her or her choices at this point in time, there's no need to hit the reply button. If three months down the line she posts wanting to know better options for meals and how to eat less processed foods, that's your time to chime in.

To the OP, I'm glad you're discovering the breadth of the database and how useful it is. And I loved stocking up the work freezer and only having to worry about making sure I had a fork each day. My only word of warning is to check your meal data against the database, there are a lot of entries that are off from the actual labels. So make sure you're getting the right info!

tabik30

I watch the sodium on everything - always reading labels. If I added up the sodium in deli meat, cheese & dressing it would come out the same as some frozen meals. I always have leftover cooked veggies from dinner, so I stir them into the meals. BTW - have you read the latest medical study that found cutting back sodium can cause a rise in cholesterol? Who knew? Always something.

I mix in veggies sometimes too to make them more filling. Keep up the great work!