Lean Cuisines: What do you think of them?

2»

Replies

  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
    a lean cuisine by itself isn't always enough for me but If I add a small salad to it, I'm good. Or I eat a side of veggies or fuit with it.
  • vickie28
    vickie28 Posts: 68 Member
    I get the steam fresh veggies ( when I need a fast veggie, and I don't have time to prepare fresh ) and keep fresh fruit on hand-- drink lots of water to flush out the sodium :) Your doing great keep at it :)
  • 9xuzts
    9xuzts Posts: 40
    One thing to consider is freezing your own meals. If you cook for yourself of Saturday and Sunday and freeze a few servings you can eat that during the week...After a while if you make enough you'll have some selection in your freezer and won't feel like you eat the same thing every day.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    Honestly I like that they ARE healthy.

    LOL
  • Spazsquatch
    Spazsquatch Posts: 3
    Years ago I shed 70+ pounds on a diet that made daily use of them, mainly for lunch but probably a couple dinners a week. By the time I got down near my target weight (175lb on a 6' frame), friends were telling my wife they were going to stage an intervention. I guess I looked pretty sick, probably from a lack of nutrients.

    Worse part is when I stopped eating them I gained a good chunk of the weight back, since I really hadn't learned how to eat without them. For the record I'm back down to 175ish and people think I look great.

    Moral: Use in moderation.
  • pwittek10
    pwittek10 Posts: 723 Member
    Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones is what I ate to lose my weight!
    It is way better than Jenny Craig! More choices and better food
    Go for it!
  • krickeyuu
    krickeyuu Posts: 344 Member
    The biggest issue to me is the sodium content. I am on sodium restrictions. The second biggest reason is there are just not enough veggies in there for my preferences.

    ^this^ I just can't do the sodium anymore, 'cause I want to get off my HBP meds. Trying to cut back on all processed foods. Eating a lot more raw foods to get my sodium down and my fiber up.
  • algebravoodoo
    algebravoodoo Posts: 776 Member
    Why not add some frozen veggies along with your lean cuisines? I do that a lot. I'm a personal fan of Amy's frozen meals.

    I love Amy's too. Lots of great vegetarian options! Price tends to be a bit steep, unless you can catch them on sale and/or with a coupon.

    Maybe try Healthy Choice? Lower sodium and fat than some others...
  • migdalp
    migdalp Posts: 50 Member
    I eat a Healthy Choice meal almost everyday for my lunch at work. It comes with a main couse, a side of vegetables, and a desset. They range from 250-330 calories, and they're pretty good. They're also only like $2.48 a piece.

    Me too, they are price reasonable!!!!
  • Freidon
    Freidon Posts: 169 Member
    Why not add some frozen veggies along with your lean cuisines? I do that a lot. I'm a personal fan of Amy's frozen meals.

    Ooh! I didn't even think about that. I've seen Amy's frozen meals, and have been tempted to buy them. :) Like I said, I'm not particularly loyal to lean cuisine brand, they're just the first kind I tried.
    I eat a Healthy Choice meal almost everyday for my lunch at work. It comes with a main couse, a side of vegetables, and a desset. They range from 250-330 calories, and they're pretty good. They're also only like $2.48 a piece.

    I've had a couple of them, myself. They're tasty. :) I need to expand and try a lot of the other brands more. I've heard nothing but good stuff, so far, especially about Healthy Choice and Amy's. :) One thing that confuses me, though.....a lot of people keep mentioning how much more expensive lean cuisines are then most meals....in my hometown, they're about $2.80, not including tax. On campus they're a whopping $4.99, so I have to watch where I get them. But I just now started browsing healthy foods, so that first option may still be high priced, comparatively.

    When I first started counting calories, they seemed bland and left me wanting more. Now that I'm eating less, however, everything's taste has been enhanced. While some are a bit dull, I've learned which meals are better and which ones aren't. Since I portion everything out throughout the day, eating a lean cuisine and drinking a cappuccino (100 calorie, 10g sugar. I allow myself one a day.) leaves me pretty full.

    Everyone's main concern seems to be the sodium content. I'm always way below my daily limit....is MFP's automatic setting set high, or something?

    To everyone that posted, thank you so much! Sorry that I'm just now responding.
  • beedeevee
    beedeevee Posts: 10 Member
    When they're on sale, I'll buy a few. Just had a 4/$10 special at my local market so I purchased 8.

    They're good for a pinch, but the sodium is indeed high. Still, MFP says I'm within my sodium restrictions for the day, but on the days I eat them, I'm conscious of my other salt consumption.
  • Julicat6
    Julicat6 Posts: 231 Member
    I use them for when I work 7p-7a sometimes. I think they are a good alternative to what is usually available to a college student. I'm guessing you may live in a dorm and not have regular kitchen access? If that's the case, they are certainly better than the Ramen noodles, delivery pizza, fast food, and canned goods many college students eat. Most college cafeterias don't offer the healthiest options either. I like to add the un-salted veggie singles in the freezer section to the main meal...except Kashi's Mayan Harvest Bake which is delicious and unusual. I love the Kashi meals, the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers, and quite a few of the lean cuisines. I don't use them often as I enjoy cooking and like to prepare most of my own meals. I bought 2 of my favorite flavor Cafe Steamer's today:happy: The people who talk about making homemade meals to control sodium must not add any salt because 1/4 tsp has 500 gms of sodium, most of the frozen entrees are close to that number. A home cook that adds 1 tsp of salt to a recipe that serves 4 is putting 500 gms of sodium in each serving.
    http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09354.html
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    I have lost a lot of weight eating them. :)
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    Not to mention...1 LC generally has less sodium than 1 serving of cottage cheese.
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
    They're a back up for me but not a regular feature on my menu.
  • keirajl
    keirajl Posts: 13 Member
    I eat them everyday for lunch at work. Everyday at work my co-workers are always like "Your food smells so good!!!!". I usually go for the SmartOnes (I think they taste better) but sometimes will buy the Lean Cuisines if they are cheaper. I could eat the SmartOnes Enchilada Suiza everyday forever, they are sooooo good!! I also really like the Rigatoni with Chicken and Broccoli. And the desserts are actually pretty good too!!!!! I'm thinking about trying out the breakfasts soon too.

Categories