Poll: Frozen Dinners and other processed items

Amberh82
Amberh82 Posts: 468 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What are your thoughts on frozen dinners and other processed items like granola bars? keep them or throw them out? why?
«1

Replies

  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    Like most other things, they're fine--in moderation. Read labels. Consider which macros are important to you, and whether what you've got in your hand fits your goals. If it does, eat it. If not, choose something that does.
  • jennmodugno
    jennmodugno Posts: 363 Member
    I eat them. Quite frankly, I don't have time to make everything from scratch, and even if I did, that's too big a lifestyle change for me to keep long-term. I have a husband and a 3-year-old, and you can bet they wouldn't follow me on a "clean" diet, haha! Not to mention, I love breakfast cereals and such. :D
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I hate wasting money, so don't throw them out, but if you want to start incorporating more "whole" foods, you can on your next shopping trip. I had to cut down on sodium, so I'm avoiding a lot of "processed" foods. I cook on the weekends and freeze individual portions, so I essentially make my own frozen meals so I have quick stuff on the go.
  • nashsheri33
    nashsheri33 Posts: 225 Member
    i don't like to buy frozen meals because i think they taste substandard. i don't mind eating frozen food, i guess i just like my own better. so i make my own frozen meals. i still eat breakfast cereal, but not a lot of other processed foods. i figure food is healthier if it's as close to it's natural state as possible. i'm not a fanatic about it, because convenience food is for...convenience, and sometimes i'm in a raving hurry or whatever. but mostly i eat 'clean', as they say. just because that's what i like to eat.
  • sallystarrfield
    sallystarrfield Posts: 19 Member
    I hate wasting money, so don't throw them out, but if you want to start incorporating more "whole" foods, you can on your next shopping trip. I had to cut down on sodium, so I'm avoiding a lot of "processed" foods. I cook on the weekends and freeze individual portions, so I essentially make my own frozen meals so I have quick stuff on the go.
    Great idea
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    eat them if they fit into your macronutrient goals (just like just about every other food)
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    I like canned soup when I am in a bind. I had some today and I plan on having some tomorrow since payday isn't til Thursday and I am running low. I just try to buy some w/out msg and that is low cal and low fat. I SHOULD probably pay attention to sodium, but I have to focus on so much, I just can't make myself focus on things I don't have to right now :)
  • DeMarraDontStop
    DeMarraDontStop Posts: 342 Member
    Keep them, eat them in moderation. I may have 1-2 frozen meals a week if time doesn't permit me to make a meal....
  • cathyrin13
    cathyrin13 Posts: 2
    Keep them and eat them though in moderation. :)
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    I have a few Cafe Steamers meals in my freezer. They are if I somehow don't have a lunch to bring to work. I've probably had 2 in the last 5 months because we generally either make food for lunches for the week or plan on the leftovers being lunch the next day. They aren't a lot of calories and I don't have them often, but they are more expensive than a personally prepared meal so they are only if I get caught unprepared for work lunch.
  • LavenderBouquet
    LavenderBouquet Posts: 736 Member
    I am very much against wasting, either give them away or eat them in moderation until they are gone, and never buy again ;) I think eating more natural foods is definitely the healthier way to go, you could always cook big batches and make your own healthy frozen dinners.
  • jmc0806
    jmc0806 Posts: 1,444 Member
    I have frozen meals all the time for lunch at work. They are high in sodium but I just try to get my other meals lower to balance it out
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    If I make from scratch, I get more food for the same calories. This is a big motivator for me to avoid frozen meals.
  • kristarablue2
    kristarablue2 Posts: 386 Member
    If you can give them away do so, but really what is the point of eating something that is really so terrible for you. I am speaking mainly of the frozen dinners. I ended up throwing mine a way a couple of weeks ago because they had been in the freezer for over 2 years because I could not bring myself to eat them during my weight loss journey. A friend said to me once if you don't have to chop it should not be eaten, I thought about it and you know he kinda has a point.
  • szarlotka717
    szarlotka717 Posts: 85 Member
    Quality varies a lot across pre-made/frozen foods. I'll admit to buying pre-made tamales, frozen burritos, frozen wraps, canned soups, etc. for lunch at work since I'm terrible at making lunch ahead of time and it's much cheaper/easier/healthier than eating out. However, I check the nutrition facts before I buy and go for low-sodium versions whenever possible. I also tracked my sodium intake pretty closely for a while to make sure I wasn't going over (I was eating less than half of MFP's max). We'll also keep some frozen pizzas (thin crust and healthier than delivery), frozen ravioli, and frozen veggie burgers in the freezer and some soups in the pantry for days when we don't have the time/energy to cook after work and want to avoid getting food delivered. My husband and I also belong to CSAs and get quite a lot of fresh fruits and veggies on a regular basis, so I am definitely not living on processed foods alone. :)

    Reducing the amount of processed foods is certainly good, but eating them in moderation is not terrible and can sometimes be the lesser of potential evils.
  • SwimFan1981
    SwimFan1981 Posts: 1,430 Member
    I don't eat processed food but if you already have them, finish them off and start to eat better quality foods (organic etc) if that is what you want to do.
  • LaLaAlways
    LaLaAlways Posts: 50 Member
    I eat them for lunch at work. the "healthy ones" a lot of people disagree with it but its what works for me and my life.
  • treagal
    treagal Posts: 264 Member
    TOSS them. i try not to eat so much processed food. i rarely eat a granola bar, I just think of the fructose glucose **** and it grosses me out. i used to eat a lot of ready made meals. i started making my own on sunday nights. makes me feel good to know what i am putting in my body.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I wouldn't eat them every day, but sometimes you just get busy and don't have time to cook.

    Personally, I end up eating out when I don't cook, so it's probably better to have a granola bar and a frozen dinner than to go out and eat at most restaurants.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Eat em all the time. Tomorrow's lunch consists of a hunk of chicken breast, some "processed" mashed potatoes, and about a cup of whole green beans. It's a little high in sodium, but that's of no concern to me; it's got 20g of protein and 300 calories and it's yummy. It fits my macros and satisfies me so I don't worry about the rest.

Categories