Suggestions for frozen lunch options?

clala82
clala82 Posts: 90 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
I've resigned myself to the fact that I simply don't have the motivation at this point in time to make something from scratch every day for lunch. I can't even be bothered to make a sandwich. One option I've found that works for me is to bring a big container of salad greens to work on Monday and eat a side salad with a frozen entree every day for lunch. Typically it's a Lean Cuisine steamer meal or an Amy's organic burrito, sometimes I just make a big salad with some canned tuna on it.

Another issue I have with a lot of the "healthy" frozen meals is that they are too low in calories. 200 calories doesn't contitute a meal for me, so I need to find ones that are around 300 calories.

Anyone have suggestions for healthy, filling frozen lunch entrees? I'm even open to pre-packaged meals from the dry foods section, not frozen, if there are any goods ones.

P.S. Bonus for options that are lower in sodium. :happy:

Replies

  • eternlgladiator
    eternlgladiator Posts: 69
    Why not instead of making lunch from scratch every day you spend one or two nights a week getting things ready. Then all you'll have to do is reheat them and you're good to go. Otherwise. I use things like lean cuisines, michelenas, etc. They're nothing special but they're enough for lunch. I try to take it easy at lunch time.
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
    Are you up to making a few big batches of things over the weekend? Like soups / stews / beans? I will make a big pot of something and then freeze individual portions in those little screw-top ziploc containers. I'll take them out of my freezer the night before and put them in my lunchbag in the fridge. Over the course of the morning, the food thaws a little, but is still cold enough to keep everything else in the bag at a good temperature. Then, at lunchtime I pop in my homemade beans or soup or whatever and it only takes a few minutes to cook.
  • BriannaSkye
    BriannaSkye Posts: 135
    I really like the Healthy Choice entrees, some of them are low in calories but others are higher, the beef in merlot is yummy :)
  • journeydeefus
    journeydeefus Posts: 3
    I'd probably recommend trying to do the 6 meals a day thing. If it's not really an option, i'd probly go with fiber choice weight management. take one or two like thirty minutes before your lunch, do your lean cuisine and it should give you that full satisfied feeling. (you may be gassy at first but it's worth it to only consume those calories and feel full)
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    Slices of quiche work well with a packed salad.
  • ssernst
    ssernst Posts: 69 Member
    I love Amy's burritos :) Their soups are great too. I also like the Kashi meals when I'm in a hurry. Most of them are around 300 calories. Some of them are pretty onion-y so I make sure to bring mints to work when I have them. lol
  • madzfulcher
    madzfulcher Posts: 11
    Healthy Choice and Eating Right from Safeway are good ways to go. My DH and I have a hard time making lunches and then we go out for lunch as a result. The Healthy Choice can range from 200-400 calories. The Eating Right's are around 300-400 calories as well. We stock up on healthy snacks to accompany lunch as well: fruits and veggies mostly.
  • happychix
    happychix Posts: 27 Member
    weight watchers smart one - frozen lunches are ok, I like the sesame orange chicken, chicken parmesan and the chicken quesadilla . About the quesadilla though, if you read the NI on the package a serving is only one, the box has 2, sorry but its got to be said - way to mislead people weight watchers! I also like Delissio Chicken Parmesan Flatbread Melts and Stouffer's lunch size lasagne. All of these are between 290 - 340 calories. I have one of these and some pre-cut raw veggies I pack a large bag of for the week.

    I use to make huge batch crock pot meals and other recipes, divde them up, freeze and use for lunches but frankly life gets in the way of having that kind of time so pre-bought frozen lunches it is for me too. I eat 2 meals a day at my desk as my work hours are longer than the normal work day so I totally understand that it gets hard to squeeze in prep time every night. I bring my entire week of food (and gym clothes) in on Monday morning.

    Good luck!
  • Rach911
    Rach911 Posts: 72 Member
    As the others have suggest, I make my meals for a week on the weekend and then all I have to do is reheat for lunches. It takes a bit of planning, but it is healthy and you can control your calories. However, I also do throw in a frozen meal or canned soup occassionally. I really enjoy the Weight Watchers Smart Ones frozen dinner, but as you mentioned the calories are low, so I usually include a frozen or canned veggie to go with it to up the calories. I do the same if I choose to have a can of soup, add a frozen or canned veggie to up the calories. Progresso Light or Campbell Select are healthier (lower calories & sodium). Hope this helps!
  • linnettbenson
    linnettbenson Posts: 63 Member
    I was in the same boat a few years ago and what has worked for me was to cook an extra serving of dinner the night before and make my own frozen dinners. I controlled the portions and the salt. Works great to this day.
  • suecq09
    suecq09 Posts: 36 Member
    I've done it both ways - made extra stuff for dinner and just packed a lunch while making my plate and bought frozen meals.

    I've found that for frozen meals, I'm better off getting the regular banquet meals. Fairly filling - and WAY LESS CARBS than the healthy options. I'm a diabetic - and carb count is as important to me as calories. I give up a bit on the sodium and fat to have a lower carb optoin. I usually have this and a side salad as well.

    If you have the time/energy - I highly recommend taking a full weekend day and doing most of your cooking for the week. This is what I like to do. It gives me quick dinner options and lunches are ready as well. I've found that if the food is already made - I tend to not eat out but eat what's at home. Its quick to warm something up and steam a bag of veggies to go with it.

    The other options you may want to consider is a bag of steamable rice and steamable veggies to take for lunch. I have a co-worker who does this every day. Its fairly economical and healthy. The only issue becomes how to get your protein.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I love the Amy's Organic Pockets. The Spinach pizza pocket and the spinach feta ones are particularly good. I think they come in under 300 calories and about 500 mg sodium.
  • clala82
    clala82 Posts: 90 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. A bunch of things I've never tried. I'll also try to cook some of my own frozen meals. I love brothy soups with lots of veggies and some lean protein, so that'd probably be a good place to start. If you have any recipes to share, please do so.

    Along the same lines, is there anything you've ever made beforehand and frozen, only to find that it doesn't do well frozen and then reheated in the microwave?
  • blanklogic2154
    blanklogic2154 Posts: 4 Member
    I like healthy choice cafe steamers. They are approx. 260-330 calories & have both chicken & beef options. My favorite is general Tso's chicken & Red Pepper alfredo.
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member


    Along the same lines, is there anything you've ever made beforehand and frozen, only to find that it doesn't do well frozen and then reheated in the microwave?

    Yes, large chunks of potatoes (in beef stew) turned out to be mealy after freezing & re-heating. But, oddly, the tiny cubes of potato in a clam chowder that I froze turned out just fine. Mashed potatoes have frozen well, too. So my suggestion would be to keep any potatoes small or mashed.

    Also, pasta can get weird. I froze chicken noodle soup, and the noodles were already really soft, and they were a bit mealy when reheated. But I've frozen mac and cheese and it reheated just fine... but the noodles were slightly undercooked to begin with. So, you have to experiment with pasta cooking & texture.
  • losinit4
    losinit4 Posts: 1
    Oscar Mayer cracker combos, only 270 calories and less then $3. Very yummy and satisfing.
  • CookieCatCatcher
    CookieCatCatcher Posts: 324 Member
    Moo Moo's Frozen Lunches are AWESOME! Check them out!
  • cassiex10
    cassiex10 Posts: 40
    i always pack either a smart one or tuna creations packet for lunch...usually the tuna though. it's much more filling and i love the sweet & spicy one.
  • elephantmeg
    elephantmeg Posts: 113 Member
    I make sandwiches and freeze them. Arnolds multigrain bread, and 100 cal of meat/meat and cheese (I use nitrate free from costco). I make 32 at a time and freeze them in baggies. Then I just grab one and go-it's thawed by lunch-don't even need a lunchbox! I pair it with a container of raw veggies (I buy the bags of cut up broccoli/cauliflower/carrots and portion them out at the beginning of the week). I keep salad dressing at work. Then a piece of fruit (plum, orange or pear).
  • heyitsmekatie
    heyitsmekatie Posts: 544 Member
    some of my favorites are LC Chicken in Peanut Sauce, LC Sesame Stir Fry, LC Sesame Chicken, LC Chicken Parm, Healthy Choice Asian Potstickers, Healthy Choice Lemon Pepper Fish. all are pretty filling and yummy!!
  • heyitsmekatie
    heyitsmekatie Posts: 544 Member
    I love the Amy's Organic Pockets. The Spinach pizza pocket and the spinach feta ones are particularly good. I think they come in under 300 calories and about 500 mg sodium.

    sounds yummy... like spanikopita!
  • liagarden
    liagarden Posts: 54
    I really like the Healthy Choice entrees, some of them are low in calories but others are higher, the beef in merlot is yummy :)

    The reason I don't buy Healthy Choice is because they are owned by ConAgra, and have some of the worst farm policies in the world, add to environmental pollution, factory farming, use GMOs, chemical fertilizers, and are putting the family farms out of business. To make truly wise choices, more than mere calories must come into account. you can't support the people who are destroying our earth! If you want a sustainable world, and a safe food supply for your children (or for the generations to come) please don't buy these products, or factory-farmed, feedlot beef. It only perpetuates death by starvation on this planet.
    You gotta cook a little---or eat raw (organic fruit and veggies)----to be truly healthy.
    "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants" Michael Pollan
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Just be sure to watch your sodium intake with frozen lunches. They are incredibly bad in this regard.
  • rishaskye
    rishaskye Posts: 24
    I like the Lean Cuisine Steam Fresh bags. They don't taste like diet food.

    http://www.leancuisine.com/products/Sublines/MarketCreations.aspx
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