Lean Cuisine

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indiankel
indiankel Posts: 163 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Everyday I pack my lunch for work and it usually consists of turkey brat with peppers and onions which puts my lunch at 8 grams of fat and very little carbs and right around 250 calories with added food. At the grocery tonight I saw a lean cuisine that has 200 calories, 4 grams of fat but 26 carbs. Which is better? The frozen meal would easier to make but should I stick to the non processed foods?

Replies

  • dragonflyjill
    dragonflyjill Posts: 94 Member
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    Those lean cuisine things never fill me up unless I eat it with a salad or something. Personally I would stick with the real food.
  • McFatterton
    McFatterton Posts: 1,358 Member
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    Personally, I would stick to non-processed food. You should compare the sodium on the two. My daily lunch used to consist of either a Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones meal.....until I started really looking at my sodium intake. I don't think they would be bad occasionally, but I think you're better off with something made by you.
  • LuRox
    LuRox Posts: 520 Member
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    From personal experience, the Lean Cuisines are full of sodium. I have a problem with swelling so I try to stay away from them...but if you don't have that kind of problem, it wouldn't hurt to switch up and have one when you don't want to make your own lunch... Could you ship me your lunches??? LOL Good luck!
  • mdbmeme
    mdbmeme Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks for asking this question. I feel like that's all I eat any more. I used to go out for lunch every day I work. Now, I just take a Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers meal, etc. With 2 kids one at 2 years and one at 4 months, I just don't have to ambition to pack a HEALTHY homemade meal. Maybe I need to research some healthier alternatives.
  • LuRox
    LuRox Posts: 520 Member
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    I used to do that mdbmeme, but I found the sodium just way too unhealthy for me...so I invested in a bunch of different size Glad ware, take a longs and such containers. Now when I cook, I usually have some leftovers. I will put them in the glad containers (all measured and ready to log.) Much better lunches now and just as easy to stick in the microwave at work! good luck!
  • Callmefia
    Callmefia Posts: 42
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    I know its tough to pack a lunch. I am NOT a morning person so I try to make myself a simple turkey sandwich on whole wheat each night. Nothing fancy, just two pieces of bread, a few slices of turkey, a piece of cheese and a tablespoon of low-fat mayo. The rest of my lunch consists of an apple, and Oikos greek yogurt. That stuff is expensive but its worth it to me :-) Fairly healthy and filling, and an apple and yogurt are easy on the go.

    If I don't have time to make lunch, I run out to Dibellas, Jimmy Johns, or Subway and get a small turkey sub. When I buy a turkey sub out, I don't eat anything else with lunch because a small turkey sub is filling enough! No chips, no yogurt, not even an apple. I've even been ordering with the vinagrette instead of mayo since it seems healthier... and skip the cheese. Just load on the veggies!

    Its much better to go unprocessed. Not only the sodium is bad but just in general I think all the preservatives and crap they put in there are just terrible for your body. I used to eat those things a lot when I worked 55+ hours a week and it totally screwed up my digestive system. I constantly was bloated, had stomach cramping, gas, and constipation (TMI, sorry!) so I swear to stay away from those things now! I've really been trying to do all of my grocery shopping on the outside perimiter... produce, meat, dairy. I stop in the pasta aisle (whole wheat), get a loaf of bread, and for frozen veggies. I don't really buy anything else. It has been helping a whole lot!!! And I think my grocery bill has been cheaper lately too.
  • suejonestx
    suejonestx Posts: 256 Member
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    The best bet might be to vary your lunches between your brat special, lean cuisines, and something with more veggies like a nice, big salad, even soup one day. They say that getting the best nutrition from your diet comes from varying your choices. Like don't eat the same fruit all the time...have a persimmon or kiwi every now and then to get the full range of what nature has to offer! Good luck.
  • CarolAnn13
    CarolAnn13 Posts: 2
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    lean cuisine is higher in sodium...
  • indiankel
    indiankel Posts: 163 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the input. I was thinking simple and easy but I'll stick to cooking my own lunches!
  • tinasullens
    tinasullens Posts: 203 Member
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    I agree....non-processed is always better! It's cheaper and healthier to fix your own lunches. The frozen "diet" meals are ok once in awhile, but they are usually loaded with sodium and trans fat (disguised as partially hydrogenated oils) and many other ingredients that cannot even be pronounced. So even if you opt for one on occasion, it won't be the end of the world, but I would keep them to a minimum. Simple isn't always better!

    Way to go on your weight loss to date!!

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