Smart Ones and Lean Cuisines

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  • KCGettinFit2014
    KCGettinFit2014 Posts: 141
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    They are a good stand by for a last minute meal or if you are in a rush, but probably not the best bet for healthy weight loss. My husband and I ate them religiously for about a year. We didn't really lose much at all. I even tried Sensa with little success. In fact, niether of us started to see results until we ate healthy meals made with real food and visited the gym on a regular basis. :smile: If you are looking for easy, freezer friendly food I recommend Skinnytaste.com. I like her crock pot meals.
  • Buzzatronic
    Buzzatronic Posts: 7 Member
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    I've been eating the Smart Ones breakfast sandwiches every morning since starting my diet (Turkey Sausage and Egg mostly). The great thing for me is that these actually get me to eat breakfast (which I didn't do prior).

    Never noticed a problem with my weight loss considering the sodium content. Your mileage may vary.
  • alcon79
    alcon79 Posts: 193 Member
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    I eat them for lunch 2-3 times per week. I tend to eat Lean Cuisines or Healthy Choice (the steamers are super tasty) because I find they have generally more calories and less sodium then the Smart Ones. I look for the meals with 18 or more grams of protein and as close to 300 calories as possible. I also don't find the sodium to be super crazy high - no more than 600 and usually 400-500 so it easily fits into the recommended 2500. It's the stouffers or the "old school" frozen dinners that pack crazy sodium - 1000 or more.
  • drinkmoreh2o
    drinkmoreh2o Posts: 16
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    I eat them frequently for lunch at work. They're easy to grab, pre portioned, and some are pretty tasty. They are better than getting takeout at the mall every day (both on the pocketbook and the waist!).

    Me too :3 I just try to stick to the meat-free ones, as I often get fatty pieces in the meals that contain meat.
  • Strangelyinsane
    Strangelyinsane Posts: 120 Member
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    I eat them regularly. My sodium is always under 2,500 mg for the day. The Safeway brand, Eating Right, cost $2 each. Works for me.
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    I don't eat frozen dinners very often but I usually have one on hand if the family wants pizza for a treat and I won't want to eat that many calories. The only ones I don't mind are Healthy Choice Steamers. They have better flavor and a bit more food than Lean Cuisine. I always cook at least 1-2 cups of frozen lower carb veggies like California blend, and mix it in with my dinner. It makes a decent amount of food. The protein in frozen dinners is low though so don't expect it to stick with you for more than a couple hours.
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    I'll buy a few when they're on sale and throw them in my freezer for days I haven't prepared and need to grab a lunch for work. They don't taste great to me though, so I usually remember to be prepared.
  • sweetpea129
    sweetpea129 Posts: 755 Member
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    I eat them once or twice a week when im getting bored with my lunch choices. Hasnt hurt me at all and i dont think the sodium is crazy high in them either.
  • magicherry
    magicherry Posts: 81 Member
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    All things in moderation.

    When I want mac n cheese or lasagne I am glad can grab one of those to target that comfort food craving in relatively safe way!

    For me they are a nice break from soup/salad lunches but I try not to eat more than two per week.
  • transvenouspacer
    transvenouspacer Posts: 182 Member
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    I like these for work lunches but I also pack extra stuff like fruit, pb, salad, etc. If it's a lower calorie dinner, sometimes I count it as more of a snack and bring an extra sandwich or something.

    I also rarely eat these as is. I like to add chicken or beef from home, extra veggies, hot sauce, Mrs Dash seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Really helps boost the flavor and nutrients without a lot of added calories or sodium.

    For those of you who are against frozen meals, you have a point but believe me it's better than the crap I used to get from the cafeteria on a regular basis. I love fast food and some of these meals are much better substitutes for me than what I would be eating otherwise.

    FYI: just tried Smart Ones Chicken Ranchero Mini Wraps and they are delicious!! Especially with salsa and guacamole. :-) Anybody else have any they really like? Looking for recommendations! Thanks!
  • sweetpea129
    sweetpea129 Posts: 755 Member
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    I havent tried those ranchero ones yet, now i will!

    I like the smart ones pizza bagel things. I also like the potatoes with cheese and broccoli.
  • Songbird1104
    Songbird1104 Posts: 210 Member
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    In my opinion, you should save your money. Although they are an easy, prepackaged option...they are not really that good for you! The sodium is high, the ingredient quality is poor, they are pricey, and you can really get much better food for the money. I suggest making a few large meals and packaging them and freezing them.

    I.e. Chicken breast, broccoli, rice. or lean beef, beans, rice, seasoning type stir fry.... these types of options are going to save you money, taste better and be much more nutritious for you.

    ^^^ This.
  • bluelena
    bluelena Posts: 304 Member
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    I used to bring these to work for lunch all the time. The sodium is ridiculous, and I would always need something else along with them - leftover roasted veg, a salad, some fruit, etc. I stopped buying them when I discovered My Fit Foods - pre-prepared single fresh refrigerated healthy meals. I ate a lot of those, and ended up with so many reusable containers that I just started making my own when I cooked on the weekends. I keep my own home-cooked meals stocked in the fridge and freezer. So much better tasting and filling than the supermarket ones.

    When I want to change things up I'll grab a couple of Amy's Organics meals. I LOVE the brown rice/veg bowl and their tofu scramble. They still have a lot of sodium, but I only eat them once in awhile. They're handy, as another poster mentioned, if you have a craving for mac and cheese or lasagna or something like that.
  • DebraYvonne
    DebraYvonne Posts: 632 Member
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    While many of them taste good and were filling to me -- I just never lost any weight on them. Tried to do that a couple of years ago. Its also way too much sodium for me now. I'd rather just freeze portions and reheat for lunch.
  • Outlawhorses
    Outlawhorses Posts: 23 Member
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    I love the convenience of them....being able to scan them. Portion size everything's already done for me. Doesn't take long to heat.
  • americangirlok
    americangirlok Posts: 228 Member
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    I haven't tried them as a long term option because I only like the italian style ones and they aren't enough food for me. I'm trying to just cook an extra portion at dinner time that I can take for lunch the next day- I have like 20 "recipes" in the thing though b/c I've been entering every new thing I cook the night I make it. But once in a while for a quick on hand meal that you don't have to cook or think about- well it beats frozen pizza or chips and dip.

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