Frozen Foods

"eating right" can mean different things to different people.

The problem with prepared frozen meals is that they are usually very high in sodium. This may or may not be of concern to you. The same may be true of frozen vegetables, so if sodium is a conern you need to read the ingredients to be sure what you are eating.

You can microwave just about any frozen vegetables. I don't eat many frozen meals so I don't have any brands to offer, but I would suggest reading the labels (nutrient list and ingredients) to look for things that match your goals.

Frozen foods - some taste good, some dont - the worst thing is you might get bored. Some of them are way too high in sodium and will be bad for retaining water and making your weight loss appear to be slower.

Some really dont give you that good of value for the money - would be better for you making a one pot meal and freezing for 3 meals - like you can make a salmon you get at the fish section of the store, put in a baking dish, put frozen spinach over it, lemon juice, spices like oregano, put in the oven, and voila, one pot cooking delicious for cheaper and tastier than a frozen entre. i mean thats just one example.

frozen entrees dont give you much meat and the sauce kinda sucks. so just make your own and freeze em in baggies.. then microwave them!

i do like frozen veg because i too get lazy to cook, so veg would rot, so i like frozen veg coz i can take them out as i wish. they are healthy and i dont get hung up on "fresh from the garden' as a must. i mean you can make really great stew or chilli or soup out of it and again, last 3 days.

I have frozen meals for emergencies. Some days I have <2 hours to get home, work out, prep and eat dinner, shower and get to bed. If I'm pushing it on those days, I'll grab a frozen meal. I always have frozen veges too, they're super quick to prepare and it atm cheaper than buying them fresh.

Really enjoyed reading the responses. So many of us have the same questions. I prefer fresh stuff and I don't mind cooking, especially as I'm making progress with my shape and my weight, BUT: my wife also prefers quicker easier versions of healthy food alternatives, and she is making great progress, too. She has standardized on Heathy Choice Steamables dinners. She really enjoys them and apparently, they suit her appetite for taste as well as bulk. Her screen name is QuiltAddict, give her a nudge and I'm sure she would be able to lend some great advice.

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I keep hearing that frozen veggies are ok to eat, but frozen, precooked meats and meals are bad because they are considered 'processed foods.'

So if I made a whole diet out of nothing but Lean Cuisines or Smart Ones, I'm still not eating right?

And frozen chicken breats are very convenient to break out for dinner... any suggestions on brands to use?

I HATE COOKING! I need some actual brand names of easy things to microwave so I can look for them at the store.

Frozen meat is fine, frozen precooked lean cuisines are fine. They have a standard to keep to, and a calorie count.

You can tell if meat is processed because it's in some kind of patty. and it will be mixed in with pigs noses and cows lips. It is not good quality.

But frozen raw chicken breasts - fine. I buy them. They make my life easier.

Beef tends to come fresh - but i freeze it when i get it home.

Use your common sense on what you see in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. Look on the back and read the calorie counts. Read the ingredients lists. All the information you need to make a decision will be on the bag or box.

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I do frozen meat and veg all the time. Real life savers, especially veg, because otherwise I'd be eating the same things over and over. With frozen, I can get much more variety without having to worry if things go bad! I save the fresh for salad items and most fruits. As for meat, you can do a few things like: You can find a local farm to buy chicken, beef and pork. You'll get sticker shock until you work the numbers and realize it may be pricey up front, but over the long haul, much cheaper and better quality! They will package, mark, and freeze it for you. You can buy pre-packaged at the store. However, they tend to add salt water to the meat so if that is an issue, pass on by. OR, you can do what we do... we buy in bulk at Costco. You can either buy it pre-packaged or you can buy a 'family pack' and freeze them separately. Costco and other big stores (even Wal-mart) have family packs and some pre-packaged. Packing them yourself usually saves not only on salt, but on cost. And it's pretty much across the board no matter what meat you get. And there is no special process. Just label a ziploc baggie of some sort, drop in chicken, squeeze out air and snap closed. Or, re-usable containers.

As for veg, I just get whatever is on sale usually. Our Kroger has the $1 sale a few times a year and I stock up on things like broccoli, cauli, etc. Just plain frozen veg. Maybe with salt but most are just frozen veg. You can even get chopped onions and peppers, peas, corn, etc. And it makes making a meal easy because it's already ready to go. I wouldn't waste money on certain things frozen like potatoes, though. Just not worth it. Or carrots really.

As for easy meals, sounds like you need to either get a beginners cook book, find a local community center that does cooking, or even look into crock pot meals. allrecipes.com is a great recipe site! Or find a friend or neighbor who likes to cook and ask for some more tips.

When it comes to frozen meals, I eat them whenever I need to eat, don't want to do fast food or cook a 'meal' for one. Usually when the hubby is working. LOL I don't really care what brand. I figure it's like any other food and just go on with it.

I keep hearing that frozen veggies are ok to eat, but frozen, precooked meats and meals are bad because they are considered 'processed foods.'

So if I made a whole diet out of nothing but Lean Cuisines or Smart Ones, I'm still not eating right?

And frozen chicken breats are very convenient to break out for dinner... any suggestions on brands to use?

I HATE COOKING! I need some actual brand names of easy things to microwave so I can look for them at the store.

LOOK, TRUTH...There is NO getting around doing certain things IF you are talking about eating Nutritionally. Basically frozen fruit and veggies are "dipped" in hot water for a very short time (basically raw) and the ONLY other thing added to some is salt. So when in a rush, go frozen instead of canned. The "meals" ARE BAD and Totally Processed, if you read the labels you will see. The order I use is: FRESH Fruit and Veggies; (2) Frozen Fruit and Veggies; (3) ORGANIC Canned fruit, veggies or beans. I do not eat meat, dairy, fish...so I won't comment.

BTW, if you microwave food it is like eating Nothing. Microwaves DENATURE food, it kills ALL Nutrients. So if you are going to try and eat healthily, you Totally Defeat the purpose when you stick food in a microwave even for 10 seconds.If I take the time to: Select My food, PAY money for good quality food, Wash My food, Prepare My food (slice/dice/season...) then why in the world would I KILL it by putting it in a microwave.

Sorry about all the negative nancys!

I'm a college student so quick frozen food is a life saver. I like lean cuisine raviolis - I can't cook pasta in my dorm and the pasta portions in my dining hall are 2-3 cups. So when I want a pasta fix, or I am short on time, they are a treat. They are pretty salty but I just make sure I drink a lot of water.

When I actually have a job and a kitchen and cookware, I will take fresh cooking over anything. But sometimes we just don't have the time/resources - and frozen meals are great then.