frozen meals

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Fineraziel
Fineraziel Posts: 140
in Food and Nutrition
What do you think about frozen meals ? (like Stouffers Lean Cuisine...)

I know, they can have a lot of sodium, but yet they seem to me like good healthy choices (low calories, low fat, veggies...).

I know, cooking myself with fresh products would be much better, but Im not a good cook and I dont have much time for that.

How about you ? Do you eat frozen meals once in a while ?

Replies

  • mybutterflower
    mybutterflower Posts: 90 Member
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    I eat them pretty regularly during the weekdays since they're inexpensive (I usually get Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice for about $1.00 to $1.50 a piece when I combine sales and coupons) and super easy to prepare. My work schedule is a little hectic and I have to be at the office by 5:30am each morning and don't get home until 7pm or so each night, so lately cooking hasn't been much of an option during weeknights. I try to cook as much as I can on weekends and portion out food ahead of time, but these meals do in a pinch. LIke you mentioned, they're often high in sodium, so I try to get at least 8 cups of water a day :smile:
  • HazelDiva1913
    HazelDiva1913 Posts: 194 Member
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    i eat them all the time ....they have some sodium but they are still fairly good choices.
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
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    Make time to cook up the food ahead seperate and reheat. It is not that hard and alot cheaper and healthier for you. Frozen meals are no good for you. Not only the salt being a problem but the food it's self is all processed. How do you know what you are really getting. I WOULD RECOMMEND TO STAY AWAY FROM THEM
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
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    Plus you get more food for calories when you make it yourself
  • hmires
    hmires Posts: 14
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    I eat them all the time. They are so easy...and when you are hungry...they are a better option than a lot of things! You can also add a salad or some veggies to go along with it.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
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    I don't recommend them cause of the large amount of sodium but I imagine if you have them sometimes it is okay. Maybe every second day or so and have something else the other days. I avoid them at all costs but I am pretty sensitive to sodium.
  • andeeinevansville
    andeeinevansville Posts: 98
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    I usually have one everyday for lunch...lean cuisine/healthy choice, etc..I might add a salad.,They may have more sodium, but I drink plenty of water, so it doesn't seem to bother me..I don't usually have time to cook a home cooked meal for lunch...
  • jezebeliii
    jezebeliii Posts: 4 Member
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    I eat Lean Cuisine for lunch at work all the time. They are a little high in sodium but less than what I would get if I had a lunch meat sandwich. Of course, making something yourself with all fresh food would be better but, if you're like me, that isn't likely to happen. I even tried cooking on the weekend and then freezing portions to reheat later in the week but the only foods that still taste good when re-heated are the fatty ones. Everything else tastes dry .. I guess it needs to be flash frozen to maintain it's texture, taste, etc.

    I don't eat them when I'm at home though. For food at home I often use my slow cooker for meals that last at least a couple of days. I can throw stuff in before I go to work and dinner is ready when I get home. All I have to do is quickly steam a vegetable or something to go with it if the dish doesn't happen to already have vegetables in it. There are websites online with low-fat slow cooker recipes like www.sparkrecipes.com.
  • snobuny032
    snobuny032 Posts: 82
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    I dont eat them on a regual basis but Ihave them occationally.. I like the Smart ones from weight watchers..
  • brendajs
    brendajs Posts: 110 Member
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    This was a good question!! I just found this site 5 days ago---had been doing WW and counting points. It's a whole new ballgame to watch the calorie intake on it's own! I will have the Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones meals once in awhile--they were quick and easy and low in points for the WW program. I watched the sodium, which can be quite high in some of the meals.

    With WW, the calorie count was brought down by the amount of fiber---so now when I see a Lean Cuisine meal for 320 calories, that jumps out at me more than the points for the meal!

    Right now I'm fixing the Smart Ones Three Cheese Ziti Marinara (6 points for WW) with 320 cal/ 8 fat/ 47 carbs/ 4 fiber. I'm also adding a Green Giant single serving of corn. Hopefully this won't do me toooo bad!!
  • nsueflorence
    nsueflorence Posts: 295 Member
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    I try to stay away form most things processed. I make time to cook and prepare things in advance. Making time to take care of your self is very important. I knew a girl a few years ago that would take Sunday and cook for the week making her own frozen meals to take to work for her lunch. It really worked for her. I am lucky enough to have time most evenings to cook and if I work a night shift I cook for my boyfriend and I before I go in rather then sleeping all day..
  • brendajs
    brendajs Posts: 110 Member
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    This was a good question!! I just found this site 5 days ago---had been doing WW and counting points. It's a whole new ballgame to watch the calorie intake on it's own! I will have the Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones meals once in awhile--they were quick and easy and low in points for the WW program. I watched the sodium, which can be quite high in some of the meals.

    With WW, the calorie count was brought down by the amount of fiber---so now when I see a Lean Cuisine meal for 320 calories, that jumps out at me more than the points for the meal!

    Right now I'm fixing the Smart Ones Three Cheese Ziti Marinara (6 points for WW) with 320 cal/ 8 fat/ 47 carbs/ 4 fiber. I'm also adding a Green Giant single serving of corn. Hopefully this won't do me toooo bad!!
  • bbygrl5
    bbygrl5 Posts: 964 Member
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    It's all about levels of health. Frozen meals are processed and full of sodium and diminished nutitional quality. It is always going to be a better choice when food is close to its natural form. That being said, life happens and we all have to find what's reasonable to us. If you must have something convenient, these options are tons better than fast food options, the majority of the time. You just have to find your own personal balance. If you could find a way to plan ahead and eat freshly, it is so worth it! :)
  • GrandmaCarolyn
    GrandmaCarolyn Posts: 27
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    Most of the frozen dinners have very little protein and my registered dietition wants me to eat 93 grams of protein a day on a 1600 cal diet. That means about 30 per meal. Most frozen dinners have between 9 and 20!. The govt. recently lowered the salt recommendation to around 1500 or 1600 mg which is much lower than the 2400 previously recommended. When you consider that the lean poultry we eat is normally injected with sodium, at lot of fish is loaded with salt if you didn't pull it out of a lake or stream yourself, and we aren't supposed to eat a lot of beef, eating a health diet gets harder and harder. But I do eat an occasional Boston Market turkey with dressing dinner that has enough protein. I just know that I won't drop pounds afterwards due to it causing fluid retention.

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