Poll: Frozen Dinners and other processed items

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.

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.

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

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

Keep them and eat them though in moderation.

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.

If I make from scratch, I get more food for the same calories. This is a big motivator for me to avoid frozen meals.

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.

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.

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.

I rely on Lean Pockets when I'm running low on time, which means maybe one per week or less. Otherwise, I have no interest in frozen foods - pizza and stuff like that doesn't fit in my plan (or I have to adjust other meals too much to work around it), and I have yet to have a frozen meal (i.e. banquet) that had flavor or resembled actual food.

I think it depends largely on the quality of the product. Take a close look at the label, the ingredients and the nutritional information. Some of the frozen meals have some pretty gross things in them. And most are pretty darn high in sodium. I don't mind the sodium so much but I watch for MSG as it has a very negative effect on me.

I generally look first at the serving size and calories per serving. If those numbers are out of acceptable parameters I won't eat it. However, there are some pretty decent frozen dinners out these days and they're quick, easy and convenient.

Well, I can hardly say I make "everything" from scratch -- I buy canned tuna, beans and tomatoes, dried pasta, almond milk, ready-made bread and stuff like crackers and tortilla chips -- and I do like granola bars better than cookies (but they really ARE cookies ... I don't kid myself that they're good for me!) I also sometimes buy jarred pasta sauce, which I mix with meat and veggies to make more-better. Oh, and I don't make my own cheese, nor do I vint my own wine.

That being said, the only things I purchase that can be heated in the oven or grilled and served as-is are meatballs and sausages. I buy good-quality, organic versions of those, not only because they're better for me and my family, but also because they just taste better. I never, EVER buy canned soups (not even broth -- it's so easy to make and so delicious from scratch), frozen entrees, dehydrated noodle things (like Cup O Noodles, Top Ramen or Hamburger Helper), or pre-marinated meat or poultry -- that stuff scares me with all of the unpronounceable chemicals and boat-loads of salt that go into them.

When my kids started eating solid foods and I became more diligent about reading labels (about a dozen years ago), I did a purge and donated a bunch of canned goods (soups and chili, mostly) to a local food drive. Anything that was expired got tossed. I haven't looked back.

I am, by now means, a "clean" eater. I just don't do ready-made stuff. It doesn't make sense for my family -- I'm a good cook and it's just as easy for me to put something tasty on the table that's got ingredients I understand and over which I have control.

Toss them or at least finish them and dont replace them. All the articles I have read state that processed foods/frozen foods especially are in the top 5 dont eat again. And if you read the label I understand why. It's your choice, but eating fresh/clean is best and gets better results!

Any article that tells you not to eat certain foods at all is absolute bunk.

love them. easy. convenient. preportioned. i have 5 kids, 4 who play sports, 1 with a heart condition, im a full time college student, and my husband is a drama queen. i also have a huge house to clean and take care of, 2 dogs, and 3 cats. i weighed 246 in september, as of today, i am 186. im very happy eating these horrible evil processed diet meals!!! love smart ones seasame seed chicken over a bed a fresh spinach, and the lean cuisine beef ranchero with sweet potatoes!