Lean Cuisine

Enigmatica

I lost a lot of weight while eating Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice Steamers almost every day for lunch. But I finally quit using them out of frustration with the amount of sodium in most of them and after taking a hard look at the potential dangers of heating your food in plastic, and the environmental impact of all those disposable trays.

Now my lunch is usually microwave steamable veggies that I heat in glassware instead of the plastic steamer bags, and either sliced chicken breast that I cook up, weigh into 3 oz portions, and pack into snack-size bags to freeze, or tuna, salmon, etc. It's an easy, healthy alternative that allows me much more control over the ingredients and portion sizes, and doesn't have me cringing about all the health hazards of ingesting heated plastic toxins or adding unnecessarily to the trashing of the planet.

LorinaLynn

One of my local grocery stores had a 6/$10 special on Healthy Choice, and I stocked up on them. Some are actually quite low in sodium... you just need to peek at the label before you buy them. My main issue with them is that I try to get over 100g of protein a day, and most of them have less than 15g per meal.

They're ok in a pinch, but you can do better if you cook from scratch on weekends and save portions in tupperware to take to work.

hannahbellelechter

I only bring them with me to work if I don't have any leftovers from the night before (i never have time to cook in the day - I work the night shift).

gigiangelique

I bring them when I am running late or to have them when I am lazy (i have one today) Its better than me grabbing a burger.

amybrauch

I usually eat at least 1 a week. I think the Healthy Choice Steamer Bowls taste the best. They are quite filling. I usually just get what is on sale, though. Lean Cuisines, Smart Ones, Healthy Choice - whatever I have a coupon for.

danigirl1011

I eat them a few times a week for dinner. they are high in sodium, but if you eat fresh and healthy other parts of the day it won't matter at all. I like the pepperoni pizza and chicken enchilada suiza the best if you're looking for suggestions

cgrout78

I do the healthy choice or the WW ones once or twice a week. I had one today. It was ok. It was good. I usually have a greek yogurt with them to up my protein at that meal and some extra veggies, but today I didn't have any of that stuff, so I'm hungry now.

CallieDerenthal

i LOVE lean cuisine!!! i have had great success so far because it ensures portion control. i'll be honest, i'm a little worried about what's gonna happen when i go into maintenance mode and start cooknig again. think i'm just gonna have to start using a scale. the frozen dinners are high in sodium so i make sure to drink a ton of water every day to flush my system since i eat about 2 frozen meals each day.

GinNouveau

I prefer Lean Cuisine meals to any of the other "diet" brands. They have a big selection and almost everything I've tried has had a lot of flavor. As a substitute for a less healthy option they are wonderful, especially the pizzas (and will save you a lot of calories vs pizza delivery or buffet). Picking any healthier option over fast food is going to be beneficial. If you are just now making the transition, even though the sodium is high, you may have better success with Lean Cuisines than the healthier organic/low sodium versions which can seem bland compared to fast food.

amaried621

YES YES YES! Lean Cuisine's and Smart Ones became a huge part of my diet once I decided to eat healthier. Of course you have to watch out for the sodium and sugars but it's great when you are watching your calories. I usually pick up a few things to have as a snack with them because they aren't huge but I love them. I used to eat out a lot and not only does this help you eat better but it also saves you so much money!!

Atarahh

Healthy Choice are the best on sodium. They even have the All Natural variety now with no preservatives.

gigiangelique

these frozen foods also help me fill the void for foods like pizza pasta when I am having cravings or bored with veggies and chicken

traceracer

Honestly, for best nutrients and portion control, I suggest you make out your own frozen meals ahead of time if you can. Those meals are junk and for the nutrients and calories, you could be eating alot more and alot better if you do it yourself. Just my opinion....

Tracy9377

I can eat one of those for lunch, and then eat lunch. They look great on the package, but I didn't find them filling or satisfying - maybe they would be, if I ate like 2 or 3 ... but then I would be negating the low calorie benefit. Without that, it's just a mediocre, salty, TV dinner.

Maryfullofgrace

Honestly, for best nutrients and portion control, I suggest you make out your own frozen meals ahead of time if you can. Those meals are junk and for the nutrients and calories, you could be eating alot more and alot better if you do it yourself. Just my opinion....

Agree whole heartedly. You can eat a whole lot more food if you make it yourself. And you probably will like it much better.

If you do opt for Lean Cuisine, go across the aisle in the frozen food section and pick up a HUGE bag of frozen vegetables and add 2 cups to your lunch. Lean Cuisines don't put many vegetables in any of their dinners to even call it a portion of vegetables. Also take along a high protein yogurt for when you get hungry a few hours later.

Bentley2718

If you want quick and easy but without all the sodium I'd suggest you try Amy's Kitchen. It's organic and they have lactose free, gluten free, light & lean, low sodium, vegetarian as well as non vegetarian entrees. They're a little more pricey than Lean Cuisine but they are totally worth it. Many of them you can heat up in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven. I like them best because they don't contain all the excess preservatives that many other frozen entrees do.

Small correction: All Amy's Kitchen products are vegetarian. Some of their products contain dairy, but nothing they make contains eggs. The vegan, gluten free, etc. items are all clearly marked at the beginning of the ingredients. Also note that while many of Amy's products include some organic ingredients, they often contain non-organic ingredients, particularly non-organic dairy.

I eat these once in a while as a matter of convenience. They're fairly good, they are generally high in sodium and I haven't liked the few low sodium ones I have tried. Also, while they are more expensive than things like Lean Cuisine, they are generally less expensive than going out to lunch.

crzyone

I prefer the Weight Watchers Smart ones in taste and they are a dollar less at Walmart than the Lean Cuisine. I usually have one at lunch when I'm at work along with a salad because I feel the need for something more than a salad and this helps me stay accountable with calories and portion. I hope to be able to control portions soon so won't have to worry about that, but for now..when it's about "portion control" for me, I choose to do those for lunch sometimes. I have to try to watch sodium in other things though when I do that.

Someone on this site was also posting a few days ago about how you can cook vegetables and pour these dinners over it and it tastes like the vegetables are part of the meal so that it's more filling and you get extra veggies. I like that idea, too.

Good luck on your journey.

courtclerkkris

I eat at least one or two weekly. They're not great...It's just convenient. Everyone mentions the sodium, but I have never went over my sodium "goal" due to a microwave dinner....I eat the Healthy Choice ones btw, not Lean Cuisine.

Ditto this. I too eat one or two a week. But I prefer Smart Ones. I don't really eat much else that is high in sodium so I don't consider that a factor to keep me from eating them. Just track you food and make sure not to go over and you will be ok.

CrystalMarie253

I used to get Lean Cuisine for lunch but I like the Smart Ones better now.

szimba

I don't really like them. They are too processed, have lots of salt and I'm always still hungry when I'm finished!