Please tell me ready meals aren't that bad :(
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high in soduim0
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Are we supposed to tell you what you want to hear or the truth? I’m going to go with the truth:
They may be low in calories, but chances are they are high in sodium and low in nutritional value. Not to mention they are typically FULL of preservatives and additives.
I know we sometimes are in a hurry and need something quick and easy on hand, but try not to make this a regular go-to meal. There are tons of other quick options that are all-around better for you (and better tasting!).
Good luck on your journey.
~Andrea
Agreed. The nutritional value is non existent and the processing that goes into these types of foods wreaks havoc on the digestive system as well as other body functions. The Earth did not produce these ready made foods, man did, which is exactly why you shouldn't eat them. Fresh is always best, but these are just my opinions.0 -
If you believed they were good for you would you even be asking, so your gut seems to be telling you this is not good for you.
Now this is just my opinion.
Jamie oliver has great recipes, easy to follow and to play with. ready made meals are a meal time bandaid, they will feed you in the moment but in the long term are they really what will nourish your body. and they are expensive.
learning to cook is daunting but it is an essential skill, ready made meals are not a sustainable solution, at lest they wouldn't be for me.
pick one thing you would like to cook, replace one ready meal a week with real food. something you can freeze and heat when you are tired and need a meal. Ask a friend to show you how to make something you have had at their house .0 -
Lol, that's not the point. If pronunciation is the criteria, then lots of foods would be deleted.
Pronounce this without stumbling or looking up if it's good for you or not.Jamie Oliver, the guy who started some TV show called "Food Revolution" and is some British chef, has a great piece of advice I've tried to follow: if you can't pronounce or do not know what the ingredient is, then you don't want it in your body.
Alpha-Linolenic-Acid, Asparagine, D-Categin, Isoqurctrin, Hyperoside, Ferulic-Acid, Farnesene, Neoxathin, Phosphatidyl-Choline, Reynoutrin, Sinapic-Acid, Caffeic-Acid, Chlorogenic-Acid, P-Hydroxy-Benzoic-Acid, P-Coumaric-Acid, Avicularin, Lutein, Quercitin, Rutin, Ursolic-Acid, Protocatechuic-Acid, and Silver,Vitamin A, B1, B2, and B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Pottassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc,Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Argenine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, and Serine.
I'll tell you what it is later.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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those aren't ingredients, thus it's a logical fallacy.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
the point is that the person you quoted was referring to ingredients. nothing you posted was an ingredient. thus it's a false equivalency you're trying to create between two completely different things.
i can pronounce "apple" just fine.
Once I found out that duck feathers, human hair and lacquer bug secretions were the main ingredients in the cookie dough used in commercially processed ice cream, I started paying a little more attention to the ice cream I ate. Vanilla beans, sugar, and milk -- can't get any more basic than that, eh?0 -
They are low in calories, but they usually are packed with sodium and carbs, making it no so healthy. Once in a while they're fine, but not as an every day thing.
Try getting a cooked chicken from your grocery store, and measuring out the serving size. I do that, and add a side salad or vegetable to it for a quick, easy meal.0 -
Have you seen the sodium in those..0
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If you believed they were good for you would you even be asking, so your gut seems to be telling you this is not good for you.
Now this is just my opinion.
Jamie oliver has great recipes, easy to follow and to play with. ready made meals are a meal time bandaid, they will feed you in the moment but in the long term are they really what will nourish your body. and they are expensive.
learning to cook is daunting but it is an essential skill, ready made meals are not a sustainable solution, at lest they wouldn't be for me.
pick one thing you would like to cook, replace one ready meal a week with real food. something you can freeze and heat when you are tired and need a meal. Ask a friend to show you how to make something you have had at their house .
I actually don't follow any chef's personal recipe recommendations. I just know he was all about the science and truth behind what goes into some commercially processed foods. Once the light was shown on these foods, I decided to follow his advice about what to eat and what to avoid. I don't do it ALL the time, but 95% of the time, yeah. I'd rather eat the apple than the applesauce.0 -
The store bought frozen meals really aren't worth it.
One alternative, that we do for hubby's work lunches frequently, is cook up a big batch of something on the weekend, portion it out into containers, and toss them all in the freezer. Home-made frozen dinners, ready to microwave at a moment's notice.
Tastier, more filling, more nutritious, cheaper overall.0 -
I think it' easy for people to ignore the "low nutritional value" part because they just see lower calories, convenience and yes, probably weight loss too if you stay under your caloric range, so what's the harm right? Is it really that important to get all those other vitamins and minerals?
YES!!!!
FOR ME at least, getting the nutrition i need, not just the calories, is what keeps me on track. When I eat foods of low nutritional value, I stay hungry, I am NEVER satisfied no matter how much I eat. But if I have a meal with lots of protein and veggies and a good amount of healthy fats, I actually experience less hunger. I don't mean being satisfied after a meal, I mean the difference between feeling hungry 24/7 and having to fight the urge to eat more vs feeling good and not even thinking about being hungry until my belly rumbles and I think "hmm, maybe I should eat something soon".
ETA: My decision to take the time (I'm worth it!!!) to prepare healthy meals is probably one of THE most important, significant factors in my weight loss so far.0 -
I highly recommend this strategy. Everyone of us is busy. Our freezer is now full of ready to go meals and snacks. It didn't happen overnight, but we'd make a big batch of beans in the crockpot and freeze most of it. Over time it has filled up. I have a few different kinds of soup, beans, greens, and fruits frozen into individual portions ready to grab. Frozen fruit is ideal for smoothies.
A quick lunch I like is some of a rotisserie chicken with one of those servings of bean, cheese and some kind of veg (salad, greens, frozen to steamed broc, fresh carrots). The frozen beans act as an ice pack in my lunch bag for the entire meal until lunchtime too. gotta love that!
I also feel like I enjoy my food so much more this way. None of the ready meals taste as good as our family's food. There is something to be said about looking forward to lunch vs ugggh, this is what I'm having today. In my mind, it just makes sense...the ready meals cost more and aren't as tasty....it just seems like the decision is just so obviously made for me.The store bought frozen meals really aren't worth it.
One alternative, that we do for hubby's work lunches frequently, is cook up a big batch of something on the weekend, portion it out into containers, and toss them all in the freezer. Home-made frozen dinners, ready to microwave at a moment's notice.
Tastier, more filling, more nutritious, cheaper overall.0 -
Doesn't sound like she's a mother of 4 and catering to them.
Lol, maybe you're tired and you rush because you're tired because you lack actual nutrition? I'll be the first to say it: Better learn how to cook especially if you intend to get married and have kids..............................or your family will be stuck eating ready made meals for life and trust when I say that "convenience" of meals is what is leading lots of people to get overweight in the first place.I basically live off them. I'm always so tired and rushed that they are just so quick and convienient. The only times I don;t eat them is when I go to a friends house who cooks, or I go out for dinner, or sometimes I will have an omlette or porridge.
I eat fruit and yogurt for brekkie, granola bar for a snack, ham and egg salad for lunch and usually more fruit/cereal bar snack in the afternoon. So it;s not like i'm not getting my nutrients.
I will make sure i'm always within my calories and try to pick the ones with less salt/sugar etc.
Are they really as harmful for your health as everyone says??
You can have it once in awhile, but go for more whole foods and better nutrient dense meals.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
or maybe she is just tired and rushed from "life"? im not tired, but im extremely rushed, and by the end of the day, IM DONE! 5 kids, 4 in competetive sports monday through saturday, 1 with a health condition, im a full time student, 2 dogs, 3 cats, house to care for, husband to whine at me... im lucky if i get to brush my hair, so it comes down to doing whats quickest for me. day off to prepare meals? i dont have a day off right now, im going full speed 7 days a week, and if i did have a day off, it wouldnt be cooking! i dont watch my sodium, i have no reason to at this point. i stay right around 2500 each day, i stay full, and im not 250 pounds like i was in september... some people just need to do whats easiest and quickest to fit their lifestyle!
Not going to debate with you on it, but it sounds like you're doing all the work. No spouse help?
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
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well, mother of 5, not 4... and no, i dont have help from my husband, not by his own choice however. he works full time and is also a full time student, so i take full care of the kids, the house, the animals, along with my own schooling, managing the kids sports, and all of my sons cardiology appointments. the point of my post, was simply that maybe her life is just super hectic, and premade meals are helping her be successful. maybe she truely just does not have the time to cook, i know i dont.
example, today... breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2 snacks, a dessert, and a protein shake... lunch and dinner are both premade diet meals, both have fresh veggies added in, and my sodium for the day is 2042mg, my protien is 84g, and on my iron, calcium, viatamin a and c, all are atleast 100% and over. you know what, ill take it... its better than what i was doing before, which was fast food daily, more than likely eating well over 4000 cals a day...0 -
If you can pronounce those, then it's probable you can pronounce ingredients in processed foods then? And by your analogy, you should be able to consume them too. Just sayin'.Wow, such a strong assumption that I'm an illiterate fool. I KNOW what those are, and I CAN pronounce them. And, as has been already mentioned, they aren't ingredients so your point is moot.
I do hope you don't eat chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Because, you might want to look up THOSE ingredients.
And yes I do eat chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Not daily, but on occasion. Sorry to disappoint.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I think I only eat the frozen to microwave "meals" twice or 3x a month, we keep them in the freezer for our extremely lazy days or on days I sleep in and forget to make lunch for work. We make a point to eat all the fresh stuff first though. They're good in moderation just like everything else. Just don't be surprised to balloon up from water retention.0
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Again if "pronunciation" is criteria. Go back a read where I stated "pronounce".
Lol, that's not the point. If pronunciation is the criteria, then lots of foods would be deleted.
Pronounce this without stumbling or looking up if it's good for you or not.Jamie Oliver, the guy who started some TV show called "Food Revolution" and is some British chef, has a great piece of advice I've tried to follow: if you can't pronounce or do not know what the ingredient is, then you don't want it in your body.
Alpha-Linolenic-Acid, Asparagine, D-Categin, Isoqurctrin, Hyperoside, Ferulic-Acid, Farnesene, Neoxathin, Phosphatidyl-Choline, Reynoutrin, Sinapic-Acid, Caffeic-Acid, Chlorogenic-Acid, P-Hydroxy-Benzoic-Acid, P-Coumaric-Acid, Avicularin, Lutein, Quercitin, Rutin, Ursolic-Acid, Protocatechuic-Acid, and Silver,Vitamin A, B1, B2, and B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Pottassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc,Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Argenine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, and Serine.
I'll tell you what it is later.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
those aren't ingredients, thus it's a logical fallacy.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
the point is that the person you quoted was referring to ingredients. nothing you posted was an ingredient. thus it's a false equivalency you're trying to create between two completely different things.
i can pronounce "apple" just fine.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
anything prepackaged is usually loaded with sodium.
sodium = water retention
water retention = bloated
best thing i ever did was buy more fresh foods and stop buying things that come in a can or a box.0 -
I often use them for my lunches.
I prefer to make lunch myself but I live so far from a grocery store that fresh items to bad before I can eat it all because I only go once a week or sometimes every other week.
I watch sodium intake and there are a few companies/meals that I stick to because I know they work. I don't use them for breakfast or dinner though0 -
I highly recommend this strategy. Everyone of us is busy. Our freezer is now full of ready to go meals and snacks. It didn't happen overnight, but we'd make a big batch of beans in the crockpot and freeze most of it. Over time it has filled up. I have a few different kinds of soup, beans, greens, and fruits frozen into individual portions ready to grab. Frozen fruit is ideal for smoothies.
A quick lunch I like is some of a rotisserie chicken with one of those servings of bean, cheese and some kind of veg (salad, greens, frozen to steamed broc, fresh carrots). The frozen beans act as an ice pack in my lunch bag for the entire meal until lunchtime too. gotta love that!
I also feel like I enjoy my food so much more this way. None of the ready meals taste as good as our family's food. There is something to be said about looking forward to lunch vs ugggh, this is what I'm having today. In my mind, it just makes sense...the ready meals cost more and aren't as tasty....it just seems like the decision is just so obviously made for me.The store bought frozen meals really aren't worth it.
One alternative, that we do for hubby's work lunches frequently, is cook up a big batch of something on the weekend, portion it out into containers, and toss them all in the freezer. Home-made frozen dinners, ready to microwave at a moment's notice.
Tastier, more filling, more nutritious, cheaper overall.
^^ this is great advice!0 -
Again if "pronunciation" is criteria. Go back a read where I stated "pronounce".
Lol, that's not the point. If pronunciation is the criteria, then lots of foods would be deleted.
Pronounce this without stumbling or looking up if it's good for you or not.Jamie Oliver, the guy who started some TV show called "Food Revolution" and is some British chef, has a great piece of advice I've tried to follow: if you can't pronounce or do not know what the ingredient is, then you don't want it in your body.
Alpha-Linolenic-Acid, Asparagine, D-Categin, Isoqurctrin, Hyperoside, Ferulic-Acid, Farnesene, Neoxathin, Phosphatidyl-Choline, Reynoutrin, Sinapic-Acid, Caffeic-Acid, Chlorogenic-Acid, P-Hydroxy-Benzoic-Acid, P-Coumaric-Acid, Avicularin, Lutein, Quercitin, Rutin, Ursolic-Acid, Protocatechuic-Acid, and Silver,Vitamin A, B1, B2, and B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Pottassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc,Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Argenine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, and Serine.
I'll tell you what it is later.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
those aren't ingredients, thus it's a logical fallacy.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
the point is that the person you quoted was referring to ingredients. nothing you posted was an ingredient. thus it's a false equivalency you're trying to create between two completely different things.
i can pronounce "apple" just fine.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
so what is the practical implication of your point?0 -
I used to eat frozen meals quite often, and this is my experience:
- They're costly compared to batch cooking leftovers
- They have no stick to the ribs'ness and I'm usually ravenously gnawing on the corner of my desk an hour later
- Didn't teach me anything about cooking good meals for myself
I can get a big pot of homemade soup on the go after work in less than 10 minutes of prep time, and it's hot and cooked by the time hubby is home and wanting to eat. And we'll have leftovers for the next day's lunch.0 -
Once I found out that duck feathers, human hair and lacquer bug secretions were the main ingredients in the cookie dough used in commercially processed ice cream, I started paying a little more attention to the ice cream I ate. Vanilla beans, sugar, and milk -- can't get any more basic than that, eh?
In...
...to learn more about this cookie dough comprised mostly of duck feathers, human hair, and lacquer bug secretions.
Oh, and I too am able to pronounce seemingly complicated words. I don't think that's a valid basis on which I should rely to eat them though. Perhaps we should consider a different criteria.0
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