What do you think of froze diet foods?

cramernh

I don't use store bought frozen diet meals, to me they all taste yucky. I do like Innocent Pots tho, chilled not frozen and I can pronounce everything on the ingredents list.

But I mostly cook from scratch. You cant beat homemade wholesome meals, even if, like me, you batch cook & freeze in portion sizes.

we must compare chest freezers then! LOL!!!

Meatballs - three varieties,
individual meatloaves - three varieties
soup stocks - five varieties
bones from chicken pork, beef for soup stock making - bags, bags, bags
marinara base
tomato soup
marinated, season rubbed, as-is meats that are preportioned for future meals
two whole turkeys
large cryovac pork loins
cryovac eye round beef
roaster chickens
fresh frozen vegetables
fresh frozen berries
fresh herbs frozen in water-ice cube trays for soup making


You name it, I got it sistah!!!! lol

karisma81

Of course fresh is best but we are imperfect and busy people so I think this is a middle ground for convenient food.

Carb - individual portions of frozen: rice, pasta, couscous etc (boil a large batch one weekend and freeze individual portions)
Protein - canned tuna or other seafood, frozen cooked chicken slices, boil some eggs on Sunday night and keep them (unpeeled) in the fridge for the work week.
Vegetable - if I don't have any on hand, I feel less guilty if I add a legume e.g. canned chickpeas, black bean etc. Wash before using.
Sauce - mustard, sweet chili sauce etc. Keep a few choices in the fridge to add flavour.

Upping the convenience factor.

1) Simplify, simplify! I realized that meals that seemed intimidating can usually be boiled down to ~5 basic ingredients. Use the internet to find ideas for "fresh food" alternatives that are quick and easy to prepare.

2) freeze your own cooked foods (invest in a lot of tupperware)

3) I try to always have on hand B-E-M (bread, eggs and milk). It's easier to stop at the grocery store if I tell myself this is all I'm going to get.

meerkat70

I cook for my family about 99% of the time. When things are just too busy, we'll have a ready meal of some kind, but I don't usually bother with lean cuisine / weightwatchers.

To be honest, I often find it more hassle to go out, buy, and heat a ready meal than it is to just make it. I keep a full fridge and store cupboard, and fresh food is quick and easy to prepare. And it tastes better. I'm a very busy professional, with a child to look after, and a biggish range of activities to engage in. But it's still pretty easy to cook for us most of the time.

getfitdiva

I use to eat lean cuisines or smart ones every day for lunch for convenience when I started and still lost weight but over time I gained more knowledge and found ways to slowly swap out to less pre-packaged and process foods. There is nothing wrong with it as a backup or on days where you forget your food.

The best thing to do is just get knowledgeable with healthier less sodium options. Also to prepare them in advance or have left overs is very helpful. We all live busy lives and we just need balance and moderation.

Grokette

I cook for my family about 99% of the time. When things are just too busy, we'll have a ready meal of some kind, but I don't usually bother with lean cuisine / weightwatchers.

To be honest, I often find it more hassle to go out, buy, and heat a ready meal than it is to just make it. I keep a full fridge and store cupboard, and fresh food is quick and easy to prepare. And it tastes better. I'm a very busy professional, with a child to look after, and a biggish range of activities to engage in. But it's still pretty easy to cook for us most of the time.

ewinkelly

I eat them. I love them. I'm a fan of the Steamers - just had the chicken margarita yesterday!

Quite honestly - I sometimes work 60-70 hour work weeks, am often eating lunch (sometimes dinner) at my desk - and I just don't have the option of cooking. I do try to cook a lot on the weekends and portion out - but I'm single, I only need to cook so much...

meandpooh95

Ya gotta watch the sodium amount but i think in a pinch better than a burger from fast food.

candiada

Generally dislike but very occasionally will have Annie's, Kashi, or Ethnic Gourmet. Good in a pinch but that's about it.

so do those have less sodium? and how is the flavor?

WendyTerry420

Like Lean cuisine, weight watchers and the others don't come to mind at the moment. Do you use them? Do you think they help you lose weight with your menus food choices. Are you worried about the sodium count in them. Just wondering. Also if you do use them which ones taste good! No seafood tho..have allergies.

I generally avoid ANY food that is marked "diet food." Also, for me, a Lean Cuisine is just a snack, not a meal. I could eat two of them, and it would still be a light meal. They are always too small. A couple of times I ate two of them and added some bread and butter. Another time, I ate one and added a couple cups of broccoli and a dinner roll.

Frozen dinners are good to take to work when you don't have anything better to take. But still, I'm not a big fan. I'd rather have some leftovers, or even some cheese, meat and crackers instead.

slimsdown

i actualy ate them 6 days a week for dinner, i was a lazy cook and finshed work nearer 8pm so i wanted convienence over taste. i always added birds eye veg to it but i personally loved weight watchers chicken hot pot. its portion controlled and i used to eat them with a baby knife and fork so it took ages and it filled me up!

i think they are fab!

leeann0517

Gross.

How hard is it to throw a salad together or thaw some frozen leftovers on days you're feeling a time crunch? A little pre-planning can work wonders!

and if you dont' have salad ingredients or leftovers to thaw?