Frozen Healthy Dinners? Are they really healthy?

fionarama

a couple of times a week wouldn't hurt if you are busy. Try also have a couple of cups steamed frozen veges, or those steam packs for microwaves. If you have a heap of veges with them you should be ok, they are a bit nothingish on their own.

lme0627

I keep a few at work and home just incase I have not planned well. But I normally always have to add something with them- a side of fruit, veggies, etc... and like previous post they are so full of sodium I make sure I get a lot of water in that day. Just like those low fat/fat free soups. Filling but the sodium! (one another note- children's "Lunchables" good Lord they have some sodium!!!)

One of my favorites is the Lean Cusine pizza. Not too bad.

alyssaanagram

Have you ever considered the Birdseye Steamables? The veggies are really good and now they also have stir-fry and rice packages too. Very filled and a better alternative

AMIS456

I have tried the Healthy Choice steamable dinners and they were ok. My favorite frozen dinners to buy for in a pinch meals are the Kashi meals. they offer a far more balanced meal than most dinners and the flavors are always very good! I just keep these in the freezer at work for times that I can not leave or have run out of food I prepared for the week.

TrailRunner61

They can be but sometimes they have extra sugar and/or sodium to make up for lack of taste I guess. I only get them if they have less than 500mgs of sodium and those are rare. But, if you're busy, a healthy choice meal is a lot better for you than grabbing a big mac or not eating at all! Do what works for you.
Btw, I think we should start a forum on here for a list of healthy frozen dinners! My latest fav. is Lean Cuisine Salmon with basil.

rachelfaith92

I used to struggle with anorexia and bulimia. My stomach had shrank so much that eating a meager 5 pretzel rods a day made my stomach hurt with sharp cramping and pain. This was about 3 years ago. I lost 35 pounds, looked great and felt terrible. I gained 20 pounds back. I started at.. 180-185ish. I dropped down to 145. I am now 165. The problem over these past 3 years was it took that long to finally be able to eat normal to large portions without intense stomach and abdominal cramping. I realized two weeks ago when I went to Red Lobster and ordered a steak, lobster, broccoli, mashed potatoes and a salad on a huge plate, and I ate it all, that even if I was eating the right things (this was a splurge day) my portion sizes were absolutely ridiculous. I am always at least 1,000 below my daily sodium intake, and Healthy Choice, Smart Ones, and Lean Cuisines have helped shrink my portion size and helped guide me on how much I should be eating. I usually eat one a day. They aren't exactly the freshest thing to eat, but I am in the process of moving so there really isn't time to cook. These work for me and help me with realistic portion sizes. I would rather eat a fresh salad or fresh chicken/fish/etc but for now I can't see the harm in them.

TeaBea

Frozen dinners can be a lifesaver. I don't have high blood pressure, so I'm not too concerened with the sodium. I keep some dinners in the freezer. That way if I can't pack a "homemade" lunch, I can STILL pack a lunch. No excuses, I don't ever have to go out for lunch.

Portions are small, most are perfect for lunch. But I like to add veggies, or a side of veggies to make it go farther.

When you compare nutrition on "regular" frozen meals to "low calorie" frozen meals .... it's really an eye opener. Regular Stouffer's Mac & Cheese is more the TWICE the calories as the low cal version .... amazing!

dlyeates

I personally don't like them because the A) Don't take good and aren't filling enough. I do however like the Trader Joe frozen meals and for under 400 calories I feel fuller and the flavor is so much better in my opinion!! Yes there is a bunch of sodium but I drink more water and try to watch other things I eat to lower the sodium in my day. Plus I think that the Trader Joes meals are made with more "whole" foods and less preservatives than the "diet" meals!!!

hawkeygal

My *personal* opinion is no. They're not healthy. FAR too many preservatives, fillers, additives and sodium for my liking.
I'm in the process of eating cleaner, and my body feels so much better.

If you can, try to plan your meals on Saturday (or any day during the week) and cook them for the week for lunch on Sunday (or another day) during the week so you can just grab and go.

Since I've started doing this, mornings aren't so awful AND I know exactly what I'm eating.

81Katz

Uber healthy? Not really. But they make an ok substitute if you're short on time. I really scour the label though. I go for the lowest calorie one I can find, low sugar and the absolutely lowest sodium I can find. If I can't find these 3 things to be suitable I don't buy it. I usually add a side salad or side veggies so the meal is pretty filling. I figure in my mind it has to be healthier than saying "Oh well, McDonald's here I come"...

Luckily I don't really like McDonald's anyhow. WHEW!
Typos.

hawkeygal

Oh, PS--I should mention that my make ahead meals are always done in the crock pot. I too work two jobs. Ugh. Hang in there!

chaitrex

I agree with everyone else that the sodium content is obscene. Also, if you read the label, you'll usually find a whole lot of preservatives. In a strictly calorie-conscious way, they're fine, but if you're trying to incorporate more clean, whole foods, they're not so great.
That being said, if you don't have a ton of time to make dinner, try and get some frozen veggies, or maybe veggie burgers, because that way you're cutting down on your cooking time, but it's not like the whole meal came out of a box.

Mehagon

Here's my take on frozen dinners. . . .

They are most valuable for teaching portion control and re-sizing your stomach! I started my weight loss journey and lifestyle change on Jenny Craig, and that's why I chose that program. I had no idea how much I should really be eating and needed something easy to start out with so that I would stick with my goals.

Now, once you have portion size and stomach size under control, then you'd be better off eating real food where you can control what kind of chemicals go into your food. And cooking your own food is not as time consuming as it may seem. . . my husband and I dedicate a couple of hours on the weekend to making our food for the entire week. We'll make one crock-pot dish (which only takes the time to throw it in!) and then we make one or two more dishes that are super easy to prepare and throw in the oven or on the skillet. If you don't mind eating the same basic thing every day for the week, this is a great way to make your own meals! Then the next weekend you can change it up if you're sick of what you've been eating.

chaitrex

I personally don't like them because the A) Don't take good and aren't filling enough. I do however like the Trader Joe frozen meals and for under 400 calories I feel fuller and the flavor is so much better in my opinion!! Yes there is a bunch of sodium but I drink more water and try to watch other things I eat to lower the sodium in my day. Plus I think that the Trader Joes meals are made with more "whole" foods and less preservatives than the "diet" meals!!!

God bless Trader Joe's. Their frozen brown rice makes me\y life so much easier.

SarahofTwins

I've eaten plenty of frozen dinners due to being a busy mom of 3. I wouldn't say completely healthy but enough if you're on the go or trying to get your portions controlled. I try to mix fresh veggies or salads and drink plenty of water to wash away the sodium :drinker:

tiamaria3

I have been eating Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, and Healthy Choice meals pretty much everyday since I started my journey. Like everyone else has said, they are packed with sodium but honestly if you are drinking plenty of water and you are under your calories it won't make that big of a difference. One other thing I would mention is that, since someone said the meals don't fill them up, is that you will need to eat something else along with the meal more than likely. The meals usually don't go over 350 calories so I always have some sun chips and some fruit with mine usually giving me a 500-700 calorie lunch.

Similar to what i was going to say..:flowerforyou:

LexieSweetheart

I think they are okay sometimes. I mean we all have stressful days and sometimes they are just easier.

lovinbeinold

Read the ingredient label on everything you buy that has a label. I largely stay away from things that are packed with sugar, corn syrup, sodium, and chemicals. I check for partially hydrogenated oils of any kind, and I don't buy anything that has that (they're transfats and dangerous.)

Healthy sandwiches on whole wheat or Ezekiel bread or whole grain bread, with fresh veggies, etc., are great, better than a frozen meal any day, for me anyway.

Once I got used to eating a whole lot simpler and healthier than I used to eat, it got easier to eat easy foods, and they are so nutritious I don't get as hungry as I used to. And when I get hungry, I eat something healthy to fill the gap between meals or so that I don't have to go to bed hungry.

I don't deprive myself. But I am finding that eating nutritiously keeps me from craving sugary and refined and processed foods.

formersec

Those meals may seem like a bargain, particularly when they are on sale or you have a coupon. But if you really do the math, they are overall more expensive than making your own. As was suggested, you can make your own in large batches, divide the meals into individual servings, and store each serving in individual containers. Your per serving cost will be less than any comparable frozen dinners.

griebelt

I eat Progresso light with an apple every day for lunch - healthy dinner and two snacks...works for me///1200 cal a day and work out at least 3 x a week. Have lost 15 pounds in 8 weeks

Melyssaks

I am curious to what you guys and girls think about meals like healthy choice and smart ones, if you think they are really as healthy as they claim to be. I know it's hard for me to always cook since I work 2 jobs and it's easy to pop one of these in the microwave, but I have read that they are not that good for you, then I read that they are. What do you think?

I think calorie wise they're not too bad and can help you stay under your calorie goal and continue losing weight. However, I am always starving after eating one. It will fill me up for maybe an hour and then I want another complete meal again so I try to stay away from them. If I were going to eat them it would probably be for dinner (cause I try to keep my breakfast/ lunch under 300 calories each) and pair them with a salad so I would actually feel full afterwards.

Of course, everything should always be taken i moderation so I wouldn't try to eat one every meal. But if you find a few favorites for those nights when you don't have time to cook, it is a good way to guarantee that you don't eat more then the one serving size and stay under calories.

prose58

I eat Lean Cuisine for lunch during the week and watch my sodium on other things.

I find that one of those with an apple and maybe something else is more than enough and I am plenty full.

I eat a lot of salad with some kind of protein at supper so it seems to balance itself out.

dls06

Lean cuisine has some. I just had Chicken Chow Mein, it only had 240 cal, 39 carbs, 4 fat, 13 protein, and 550 sodium. I add extra frozen veggies to make it more filling and little extra calories with no extra sodium.
You can't have a decent sandwich for lower then that.

HotBodUnderConstruction

Usually too high on carbs and too low on protein to fill me up for longer than two hours. I really like the Amy's bean burritos though

Aross83

I work with a woman who eats smart ones every day at work.. we are all conviced she is slowly killing herself... the sodium is out of control and this woman drinks no water durring the day... one day we are going to find her on the floor somewhere...

stellaskies

There are so many better alternatives, why bother with so much sodium and low "protein"? I put that in quotes because the meat in those things are scary. I'd rather eat a pb&j.

I cannot tell a lie. I do love me some frozen pot stickers from Trader Joe's. Shhhhh

secretlobster

Rather than reading the macronutrients, read the list of ingredients. This might put you off most frozen, prepared meals...

secretlobster

There are so many better alternatives, why bother with so much sodium and low "protein"? I put that in quotes because the meat in those things are scary. I'd rather eat a pb&j.

I cannot tell a lie. I do love me some frozen pot stickers from Trader Joe's. Shhhhh

LOL for me it's the vegetable gyoza. A twice-a-year indulgence :P

stellaskies

YESSSSS Those are so amazing. I pretend they're better for me if I steam them lol.

SaSSyhasCurls

I don't like frozen unhealthy dinners, so I doubt I would like the healthy ones. I think they use more salt and sugar to accommodate for the lack of calories.