Critique my lunches

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Quick background...
I've been on MFP for a month now, and have happily lost 9 pounds, with 30 left to go.

Usually for lunch (and sometimes for dinner) I'll eat a frozen Healthy Choice or LC meal. I like the hot lunch, it's filling, and the calories are controlled.

So, is it really terrible to eat a processed meal like this every day?

Replies

  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    When fixing a fresh alternative is fairly easy, yes.

    About every two weeks I fire up my slow cooker and make a bit batch of chili or beef stew. I net about 10 servings and freeze them. Lunch at work for two weeks. Made fresh, so I know the exact calorie and nutritional content.
  • CathyFinch
    CathyFinch Posts: 10
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    You could make worse choices, but there are far better choices you could make. Anything processed, in my opinion, should give you cause for pause.

    A problem I have with frozen diet meals is that they don't really help you to change your lifestyle/cooking habits, either. You have no idea what is in them...

    I like the above suggestion of cooking in the crock pot. I also do weekly batches of things I can keep in the fridge - chicken breast baked so I can add it to salad, make a sandwich, or heat up with some salsa.

    If you want some other lunch ideas, I'll dig some up for you.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Quick background...
    I've been on MFP for a month now, and have happily lost 9 pounds, with 30 left to go.

    Usually for lunch (and sometimes for dinner) I'll eat a frozen Healthy Choice or LC meal. I like the hot lunch, it's filling, and the calories are controlled.

    So, is it really terrible to eat a processed meal like this every day?

    No. It's less nutrtion and more sodium than you'd likely get if you fixed a fresh meal. And it's always smaller portions than I can prepare for the same calories. But it's not terrible. I work with several healthy people that eat them every single day.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    Every day? It's not great... Consider all the sodium and assorted other mysterious chemicals in frozen prepared meals! My lunches are admittedly pretty boring, but I love salads and soup, so I'm happy and make sure my dinners are more interesting!