tv diners??

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johnsonc16
johnsonc16 Posts: 30
in Food and Nutrition
is it okay to eat tv diners for lunch, like the healthy ones......lean cuisine, south beach, etc...and if so which ones are the best? I am always taking leftovers for lunch and thought it would be much easier to count calories with something like that??

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  • Bigpelly8
    Bigpelly8 Posts: 504 Member
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    easier to count, but I find they are much less filling than a hearty leftover lunch. If I eat one, I am usually hungry a short time later. That being said, the best I have had lately are healthy choice steamers. I only have to pick out about a quarter of the stuff i don't like, instead of some others were I have th dump half out.
  • lynzyn
    lynzyn Posts: 119 Member
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    some of them are good just look at the food facts in the back of the product, lots of tv dinners have ALOT of salt...So be careful
  • bode1all
    bode1all Posts: 28
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    I have them quite frequently during the work week. I prefer the smartones or lean cuisiine. But it really depends on what is on sale :-) I typically have them with fresh vegtables and fruit though. I find eating atleast a cup to a cup and half of raw veggies with some hummus or dipping the vegtables in the lunch (depending on what it is) leaves me feeling satisfied.
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
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    I just tried the Healthy Choice Steamers (lemon chicken with shrimp) it wasn't too bad and it was 269 calories for the whole meal.
  • sexygenius
    sexygenius Posts: 1,078 Member
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    i love them.... the best ones i have found are the pumkin (or maybe is squash?)ravioli from lean cuisine and (this is my FAVOURITE) the mayan harvest from kashi...they are both really quite amazing

    the mayan harvest from kashi is actually really filling..i dont mind sharing it with my dad (well thats a lie, but not because im hungry..becasue its good)
  • Kendra7107
    Kendra7107 Posts: 122
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    Hello!
    I have to ditto the first poster. I don't think they are as filling as other food. However, I like to keep some on hand in my freezer in case I come home late and don't have time to fix myself something for dinner. I need to have dinner handy on nights like that or I tend to go over. :bigsmile:

    Just a word of caution. I would try to limit the intake to several of them a week as they are full of sodium. I had a friend that ate the package meals every day for lunch and dinner and didn't do well at all with losing weight. I know everyone is different so I don't mean to sound discouraging but in my experience they don't help us on our journey if eaten on a regular basis.

    Good luck!!
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    I like a lot of different ones, but I have a high tolerance for sodium (I don't bloat easily). To make them more filling, I usually add extra veggies to mix into them too.
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
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    Yeah, some "healthy" ones can be loaded with salt and carbs...just have to check the labels.

    Amy's Kitchen has pretty good frozen meals (and has different cuisines than most others) and they recently came out with a "Light and Lean" line, but I haven't seen them yet in my local grocery stores..
  • christina31
    christina31 Posts: 124 Member
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    I prefer the cafe steamers from Healthy Choice. You need to watch the sodium, especially in the asian inspired meals, but they are more filling for fewer calories. I use the Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine meals as my cheat foods. I love Mexican food and Pizza, and Lean Cuisine has the best tasting cheat foods that are still healthy. I also find that if I make sure I eat my mid morning snack, I have no problem feeling full at lunch.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    You'd get far more bang for your buck creating your own than buying frozen. The frozen ones are highly processed and heavy on the sodium, soy and not many veggies. As Bigpelly8 shared the portion sizes leave a lot to be desired for an actual meal. The cals may match up for your lunch but the carbs/protein and fat don't typically make for a balanced lunch.

    Sharing that, some on here do eat them and some do daily, I've looked on the labels on various brands and was blown away by the sodium, I saw several brands that hand 1900 in sodium alone! That's nearly a days worth!!:sick:

    Lots of members share how they make up meals over the weekend to have them ready for lunches and quick dinner during the week. The way to switch it us is by making several different dishes so you aren't eating the same thing.

    I understand how it could be easy to simply eat food from a box but it's the thinking part on MFP that really gets us changing our ways for long term.:wink::flowerforyou: When we make it too convenient for ourselves by eating processed/prepackaged foods, sometimes the lesson gets lost.:flowerforyou: and we continue eating tons of processed food thinking we're actually eating healthy food.

    Simply my thoughts, I'm sure others will share their take on processed foods.:flowerforyou:
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    Yeah, some "healthy" ones can be loaded with salt and carbs...just have to check the labels.

    Amy's Kitchen has pretty good frozen meals (and has different cuisines than most others) and they recently came out with a "Light and Lean" line, but I haven't seen them yet in my local grocery stores..
    I agree on Amy's:drinker: I think of Amy's brand as completely separate than say WW or Lean Cuisine or Banquet or any of those. Still anything that's made to last needs to have sodium in it to some degree so even those have some. But I've never tried one of Amy's I haven't loved and haven't felt fine about eating, healthy food choice wise.

    christina31 ...
    Shared she likes to use her cheat meals on Mexican foods at times, I don't particularly use the word cheat but if I wanted to enjoy something in the Mexican cuisine and wanted it quick, tasty, and a more healthy version at the store I myself would go with Amy's. They are pricier but the old saying 'you get what you pay for' comes into play in my thoughts on their brand.:wink::drinker:
  • sunlover67
    sunlover67 Posts: 158 Member
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    I agree with healthychanges. Although in a rare pinch, I think boxed meals are okay, I think it's better to make your own. Take one of the many pasta/veggie dishes on the recipe thread here, make it on a Sunday and freeze single servings in freezer bags. You will get 12 to 14, maybe even more servings. This is what I do every Sunday. Then I know there is always something healthy in the freezer for lunch or dinner. It's a couple of hours out of your weekend that saves you time and money for weeks. Especially if you are the only one eating them.
  • jbraudway
    jbraudway Posts: 1
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    Just like anything else, moderation is key. Tv dinners are often loaded with salt but if you don't salt any of your other food, you're probably ok. Look for the meals that have under 400 cals with at least 20 grams of protein so that you stay full for longer and your macronutrients stay balanced. I agree with sunlover67 - cooking and bagging is the best way to go. You will save time, money, and find it easier to make healthy choices :)
  • JillyBean819
    JillyBean819 Posts: 313 Member
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    SmartOnes are REALLY good. They have great meals that don't taste like hot, wet, construction paper.
    The sodium content is not too horrible either.

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