lean cusine & Healthy choice meals

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abkr5
abkr5 Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
I work night shift and I tend to get alot of these because of not havin time to cook. I know they are a little high in sodium but would they be okay to help with my overeating and portion control?

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  • Rowan813
    Rowan813 Posts: 170 Member
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    I think it really comes down to what works best for you and lets you lose weight consistently. Some people find them helpful and some people consider them to be poison. They are not the best choice nutritionally speaking, but are better than most fast food. I used to take one for lunch at work and pair it with a salad or some steamed vegetables. Lately I have switched to much cleaner eating. I cook my own food and take it along to have more control over what I am eating.
  • theskinnylist
    theskinnylist Posts: 286 Member
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    These are the only 2 Lean Cuisines I'll consider eating if I don't have time to make a meal:

    - Lean Cuisine: Herb Roasted Chicken
    - Lean Cuisine: Roasted Turkey and Vegetables

    Lower in sodium and carbs than other Lean Cuisines, and higher in protein. Sometime I add in steamed veggies for more volume.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I eat em all the time, though I generally prefer the Marie Callender's, Boston Market, and Atkins meals. I especially like the Atkins ones because they tend to have more meat and veggies and less filler carbs like mashed potatoes or stuffing.

    Absolutely nothing wrong with them unless you have some heart problems and need a low sodium diet.
  • wmphimu
    wmphimu Posts: 77 Member
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    I used to keep a few of them on hand when I was temping, since I sometimes got a call in the morning and had to rush right out the door to get to a job without really having time to pack a lunch. I found that I really liked the Kashi meals - they are a lot more flavorful and filling then the Lean Cuisines.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I used to keep a few of them on hand when I was temping, since I sometimes got a call in the morning and had to rush right out the door to get to a job without really having time to pack a lunch. I found that I really liked the Kashi meals - they are a lot more flavorful and filling then the Lean Cuisines.

    Oh yeah the Kashi meals are awesome and a half. My local stores stopped carrying them though. Their chicken florentine was so good.
  • soxx226
    soxx226 Posts: 89 Member
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    I work 2nd and I usually take one to work every night, quick and easy
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
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    I eat them for lunch when I don't have leftovers, usually with a salad or some bread. I'm not sure where they get their reputation for being so high in sodium--I've had maybe 8 in the past two or three weeks, and every one had considerably less sodium than a cup of cottage cheese or jarred spaghetti sauce. Most are in the 400-600mg range, which should be pretty easy to fit into a 2500mg day if you need to stay within that limit.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I think they are ok now and again but I wouldn't eat them regularly. I don't like how processed they are and I find they don't keep me full for as long as something I would make myself.

    What about making your own frozen meals? When you cook dinner make a few extra servings, portion and freeze. Or take a day that you are off work and spend the day making stir frys, soups, etc that you portion and freeze. Same sort of meal (easy to grab and heat and portion controlled) but much better for you as you know what's in them, you control the sodium and you can control how much veggies and such are in them.

    I used to do this for my husband and I. I always made extra dinner and froze that. Once a week or once every few weeks I would spend a day cooking, portioning the food than freeze them. I stocked up on containers at the dollar store and made my own frozen meals.
  • whatjesseats
    whatjesseats Posts: 228 Member
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    I used to eat one every day for lunch and lost a good amount of weight doing that. They kept me away from the drive-thru and taught me I could be satisfied on smaller portions than I was used to.

    Eventually I realized I could make them myself, with better ingredients--more veggies, whole wheat pasta, etc. So for me, they were sort of a stepping stone on the way to a healthier lifestyle.

    I think they're a great tool and can absolutely be part of a healthy diet.
  • erin4455
    erin4455 Posts: 135
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    I eat lots of frozen entrees and I don't feel it's thwarted my weight loss at all. For me, it's a matter of convenience. The thing is, frozen "diet" entrees get a bad rap...not all are off-the-charts in sodium and to add to that, most frozen foods in general are higher in sodium as well as canned foods. I would definitely watch out for the pre-packaged Hormel entrees that come in the prepared foods aisle - some of those are over 1,000 mgs in sodium - now THAT'S high. Everyone's different - if it works for you, just do it.
  • kakes80
    kakes80 Posts: 251 Member
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    I eat Lean Cuisine on occasion when I want something quick. They help with portion control. My nutritionist said if I was going to eat them I should eat the ones that have less than 9 grams of fat under 340 calories and around 20 to 25 carbs. There are plenty of them that have all of those in there. I always make sure to get one that has veggies. But they do help with portion control which is what I had problems with.
  • mudonthetires856
    mudonthetires856 Posts: 79 Member
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    I eat Lean Cuisine regularly for lunch. It's quick & easy which is perfect for someone lazy like me. I like to get as much sleep as possible in the morning, so I'd rather sleep for 5 more minutes than pack a lunch. Sodium is high in them, but I have no issues with that. I'm still usually way under my sodium at the end of the day by MFP's calculations. I don't have any medical issues that require me to lower my sodium, so I eat them & I'm happy about it.
  • andreagreen1974
    andreagreen1974 Posts: 64 Member
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    I personally don't eat any prepackaged food, and here is why. Not just for the sodium!

    Your liver is the organ that processes your fat. It's also the organ that cleans chemicals from your blood. If it is too busy getting the chemicals out of your blood, it can't process your fat properly. So, eating those prepackaged meals will hinder your fat loss. Which is really what you want. FAT loss, not necessarily weight loss, correct?

    I spend 5 minutes packing my lunch each day, and I sometimes eat at work two meals per day.

    You can buy a cooked chicken at the deli/grocery store, buy a premade salad and put them together. eating cleanly doesn't have to require a lot of work!!
  • laurengaugler
    laurengaugler Posts: 45 Member
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    Amy's has some amazing frozen dinners. I find them to be way more nutritious and filling than lean cuisines, however they are more expensive. I used to eat Amy's all the time for lunch, but I decided I want to make my own food so I know exactly what I'm getting nutritionally. I'm not a supporter for lean cuisine, but I think you need to do what works for you.

    Give Amy's a try if you can swing it monetarily. The brown rice veggie bowl is to die for!
  • Freidon
    Freidon Posts: 169 Member
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    I'm a college student with no time, money, or fridge space (roommates hog it all!) to cook. I eat one a day. While I'm sure there are healthier options out there, if you need a moderate portion and a decent meal fast, these are the way to go.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Amy's has some amazing frozen dinners. I find them to be way more nutritious and filling than lean cuisines, however they are more expensive. I used to eat Amy's all the time for lunch, but I decided I want to make my own food so I know exactly what I'm getting nutritionally. I'm not a supporter for lean cuisine, but I think you need to do what works for you.

    Give Amy's a try if you can swing it monetarily. The brown rice veggie bowl is to die for!

    Those are pretty good. I had some Tofu Scramble or something a couple of weeks ago that was actually pretty tasty. It was like hash browns and some tofu/spinach/veggie mix. And two tomato slices, which was weird.

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