What's your opinion on Lean Cuisines?

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  • JustLindaLou
    JustLindaLou Posts: 376 Member
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    There are some of the LC meals that I like, but they are not as satisfying to me as my own freshly prepared meals. I need more meat and veggies with my meals!! I will have them occasionally in a pinch, I like the pizzas and have some veggies/salad on the side. Earlier this year I was eating more of them - 1x or 2x a day - and after a few days I felt like crud and went back to preparing my meals on the weekends and dividing for the week - I feel much better. My own chili or soup or baked/grilled meat with veggies is so much more satisfying to the tastebuds as well as the full tummy feeling for the same amount of calories. (And frankly, the little frozen pizzas from Great Value (Walmart) that I make for my daughter only have about 100 cals more than an LC pizza and taste way better, are way cheaper, and if I'm gonna have pizza anyway it might as well be enjoyable!!)

    I will say, LC has a shrimp and angel hair pasta that is surprisingly good, I saute a huge pile of spinach while it nukes and serve it over a bed of spinach with a TBS of shredded parmesan and that is one of my favorite meals that feels like a total cheat!!
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
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    They're awful and full of sodium. I've had 2 friends end up with high blood pressure and were told to stop eating them by their doctor. It helped.

    We just cook our own meals and then portion them out into containers for the week. Better for you and better tasting!

    Jesus, how many lean cuisines are they eating?! The recommended sodium intake is 2500mg and each Lean Cuisine has around 700mg... If you ate a damn frozen meal three times a day, you'd still be under.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Nay. Way too much sodium, overly processed, and not filling at all. I guess if you're in a time crunch it's better than nothing.
    This. I consider them a junk food snack, to be honest. I don't think they are filling or satisfying as a meal, personally. But everyone should do what works for them.
  • AggieLu
    AggieLu Posts: 873 Member
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    I don't eat anything from a box. Fresh food all the way!
  • VinoFonseca
    VinoFonseca Posts: 51 Member
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    Nay.... Way too much sodium. Easy to make some of these things at home and bring to work. When my doc first told me to try and get my sodium down, she said 'no' to lean cuisine.

    These days, I'm not watching sodium too much. It is generally always under 1,000.

    Fruits, grains, lean protein and you won't need lean cuisine :)
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    Love them!
    And as far as sodium goes....there are plenty of other processed meals like that with way more. AND if you don't have any health issues where you have to limit your sodium intake, there is no issue here.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    LIttle high on the sodium, but other than that I say yay. The pizzas are pretty decent. When I'm craving pizza, I have one of those instead of eating some Papa Johns or Pizza Hut. I always pair any LC with a salad. Sometimes, I'll steam a bag of frozen veggies as an added bonus. I don't eat them every day, mostly on the week days because I'm lazy and too tired to cook. I also don't eat them for every meal, just dinner.
  • ipag
    ipag Posts: 137
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    I don't eat anything from a box. Fresh food all the way!
  • natashiag
    natashiag Posts: 33
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    If you turn to a lean cuisine before you make a hasty decision to go through a drive thru then YAY! For your regular meals try and make a few big meals on Sunday and use them throughout the week if your pressed for time.
  • callmebryntax
    callmebryntax Posts: 57
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    They just don't taste good. I can't imagine that anyone who thinks Lean Cuisines taste good eats much food that's freshly prepared from high quality ingredients.

    There are frozen meals that taste decent, but Lean Cuisines they are not.

    In addition to eating Lean Cuisine, I am also part of a Growers Association share, where I get a huge load of farm fresh local organic produce every week. I grow my own organic herbs as well, and love the fresh high quality foods I can create with all of that.

    Just because I enjoy frozen meals as part of my current weight loss plan doesn't mean I don't love good food. Frankly, I think the frozen meals were given a bad reputation when they were much grosser a few years ago. Technology is amazing - I am picky about my food and I was actually surprised to enjoy the frozen foods by WW and LC. Some of them are super gross (I really don't like the pizzas or anything with tomato sauce - it's all watery and rubbery), but I know good food, and a lot of these aren't half bad. Add a hearty salad, and you've got a low calorie meal that took 5 minutes and is (IMO) quite tasty and filling.
  • rixzchick
    rixzchick Posts: 17
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    I think it's a great idea if you're in a pinch or feeling lazy. I take it when I go to work and am feeling too lazy to cook.

    Personally though, I love cooking, and it's fun for me to cook. So I'm biased.
  • Andrea2315
    Andrea2315 Posts: 22 Member
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    Not my favorite. I tend to buy a couple Smart Ones to have on hand for those days I am rushing off to work. Any foods like that are high in sodium. A nutritionist once told me if you are including them in your diet limit yourself to no more than 3 per week and watch your overall sodium intake. Also she said to add your own vegetables to them to make them more nutritious and filling.
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
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    Nay.

    Very few taste like actually food instead of mush.

    Sodium is ridiculous, there is more sodium in one of those meals than I normally consume in a whole day.

    I can make myself a meal that consists of more food that tastes better and has less chemicals and calories (and most likely ends up being cheaper)
  • Glinda01
    Glinda01 Posts: 3
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    I probably should pay attention to the salt but i don't. I like lean cuisine, i have several favorites and used to eat them all the time. I do cook more now, but i think they're a great choice if u live alone.
  • Erisad
    Erisad Posts: 1,580
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    It's okay if I want something different but there's a long line for the microwave at work so I can't bring something that takes a long time to cook. >.<
  • hlp423
    hlp423 Posts: 41 Member
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    The reason I don't like them is because I feel like I can eat alot more food if I make something ahead of time at home and pack it for lunch lol. I guess I just get hungry :D Im also trying to watch the sodium, and they are pretty high. If the meal is filling to you and sodium isn't something you are tracking you should be ok :D
  • sasaroo
    sasaroo Posts: 6 Member
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    Moderation is everything in healthful eating----
    Of course, as about a million MFP members have repeated above, FRESH COOKED meals are best, with healthy fresh grown organic ingredients from your local farm coop..... obviously....

    But, sometimes you are tired, busy, lazy, working, or haven't been to the store, and having a handy LC frozen dinner ready in 4 minutes is the bomb. Roasted Honey Chicken is my fav, and my husband likes Pepperoni Pizza for 300 calories.

    On those nights I double it with a skillet full of stir fried or steamed veggies, sometimes the plate is so full of food I don't think I can eat it all. So, they have sodium, and preservatives, ya, lots of stuff does. Just don't eat it every night. And it's a heck of a lot better than collapsing and ordering a pizza on those nights, which is what i used to do in the old days.
  • rgonzo60
    rgonzo60 Posts: 1
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    Nay, anything in a box is full of preservatives.....but I do agree that in a pinch once in while is not bad.
  • Pohudet
    Pohudet Posts: 179 Member
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    i find them quite tasty, especially the chicken ones. the fishy ones not so much, they do smell fishy. :-):laugh:
    It is good that they are all about 300 cal, perfect lunch!
    Not that I often have them... but this remionds me, i should stock up!
  • Phoenix59
    Phoenix59 Posts: 364 Member
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    Nay! Frozen meals taste like the cardboard box they come in, IMO. Blech!

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