Healthy Choice Meals

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april925
april925 Posts: 28
in Food and Nutrition
would it be bad to replace one of my meals either lunch or dinner with a Healthy Choice or Smart ones meal? Are these bad for you? do you think It will help me lose any weight?

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  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    They're not the best option - what are you currently eating, and why do you feel you need to change?
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    It will help with calorie and portion control, but not necessarily teach you how to cook and measure the healthy options yourself. Be cautious they are high in sodium. I make extra of my favorite easy dishes and freeze them myself
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    I think those are OK in a pinch. But, I wouldn't plan to have them replace a meal. Will they help you lose weight? There's nothing magical about those meals other than the amount of calories that is in them. So, you could eat fresh, whole foods, for the same amount of calories. There are preservatives in those frozen meals; homemade is always better since you can control what goes in them.
  • bethdris
    bethdris Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Some of those meals have MORE cals and sodium then you would eat making a healthy well balanced meal from fresh foods at home. Personally I don't find them very filling either.

    If your replacing 2 candy bars with a smart ones, then you may lose weight yes. If your in a pinch and have to eat something quick, I guess they would do, but I wouldn't suggest eating them everyday.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Read the label, yo
  • cillytilly
    cillytilly Posts: 243
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    In a pinch I prefer to do the healthy choice because they have higher protein and lower sodium then most.
  • fab50G
    fab50G Posts: 384 Member
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    They're not the best thing for you becuase they're usually loaded with sodium. But, I keep some in my freezer for those times when I don't feel like cooking (cooking for one sometimes sucks). It keeps me from blowing it with fast food or some other unhealthy foods.
  • MaxandHenrysMom
    MaxandHenrysMom Posts: 59 Member
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    I'm not sure I'd replace other meals with these as a "diet plan" -- I think whole foods are ususally the best bet for healthy. That said, I do sometimes eat the Healthy Choice Steamers (they have a lemon chicken pasta that is only 210 calories and a 14g of protein) when I am pressed for time or just too tired from chaising two toddlers around the house.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Processed food is processed food. BUT if you are replacing a High Calorie/High Fat meal with the the frozen kind then yes it is an improvement.

    It would be better if you could make like a big meal on Sunday and break it up into frozen meals for the week. This way you control the portion, the ingredients, etc......

    Even pick up a baked chicken at the store and have it all week, just add veggies or some fruit. Make a grilled chicken salad sandwich one day, chicken soft taco the next......... Just use low fat ingredients and whole grains and easy on any toppings and you will get much less fat, much more protein and a much healtheir meal.

    If frozen is all you can do then it is way better than stopping at the Golden Arches!!!

    You Can Do It!
  • banchubob
    banchubob Posts: 25
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    Also the nutritional value is decreased since it is all pre-processed foods. I make some chicken and veggies for work and change the sauce daily so I don't get bored.
  • Babrao
    Babrao Posts: 152 Member
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    The best tasting ones are Smart Ones in my opinion. As long as you watch your sodium on other things throughout the day, you will be fine. Works for me during the week :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I don't know that it would be "bad" but they are usually pretty high in sodium and most prepared frozen meals are lacking in nutrients. Whether you lose weight on them will depend on what else you eat and if you stay within your alotted calories. Personally, I can't stay full for long on those frozen diet meals but I know a lot of thin people that eat them everyday.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    My biggest objection with those is that they just don't feel me up and they don't taste good. REAL food tastes better, can be made for about the same number of calories, and is more filling. I used to bring those to work for lunches all the time. The two times I've been really successful with weight loss, I never ate them.
  • rachrach66
    rachrach66 Posts: 271 Member
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    They're not the best thing for you becuase they're usually loaded with sodium. But, I keep some in my freezer for those times when I don't feel like cooking (cooking for one sometimes sucks). It keeps me from blowing it with fast food or some other unhealthy foods.


    Yes cooking for one does suck!! I use a lot of the frozen entrees. I suggest using Kashi because they have a lot of natural ingredients that dont have a lot of sodium and other crap like Lean Cuisines, Watch Watchers, and other Eating Right meals.
  • april925
    april925 Posts: 28
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    Thank you all for your advice, I've been eating these meals for a few days now and they seem to never get me full. I will try to cook myself meals during the weekend and freeze them for the week like some of you have suggested. thanks again :)
  • chelraeb
    chelraeb Posts: 33 Member
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    Here's what I do. I keep either Healthy Choice or Amy's Organic frozen entrees in my freezer all the time... I eat them quite a bit. Because on a crazy day or night when I'm thinking we could grab a cheap pizza or just because I'm feeling lazy or whatever, I'll microwave one of those and throw in lots of veggies or a nice salad and I have a low cal, low fat semi healthy meal. I try not to make a habit of it but that's what works for me.
  • fitmissbliss
    fitmissbliss Posts: 126 Member
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    I think it is worth noting that while a lot of people bring up the sodium issue...most Healthy Choice and Smart Ones meals have less than 500mg of sodium...for an entire meal! I don't know about you guys...but show me how you can make spaghetti and meatballs at home for under 500mg sodium and you should win a prize! A basic turkey sandwhich with low fat cheese on whole wheat has MORE sodium than the entire Healthy Choice meal...entree, side, and dessert.

    I'm not sure who started all the craziness about the sodium...but it doesn't appear that it was someone who really researched it. I see recipes..."healthy" ones all the time and upon investigation they will have between 1000-1500mg sodium per SERVING. Yes, a Hungry Man or a Banquet meal has lots of sodium..but the "diet" meals are specifically made to me much, much lower in sodium.

    As someone with HPB I CHOOSE (with the approval of my doctor no less) to frequent the frozen meals ( primarily Health Choice as to me they taste better and are lower in sodium than there Smart Ones counterparts-and Lean Cusine uses such poor meat quality it icks me out)to assist me in staying under 1800mg of sodium per day.
    I would say, do what is right for you...but, don't let all the hype about sodium scare you- It is quite difficult to cook a homemade meal for one in a pinch and keep it under 400-500 mg of sodium. So, if the option is there for you, and you dont mind the taste...pop a Healthy Choice in the microwave, toss up a yummy veggie salad and eat a plate full of food for under 400 calories...and feel pretty damn good about yourself.
    :)
  • DSMAW
    DSMAW Posts: 15 Member
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    I have a recipe you can try to make a lean spaghetti and meatballs. I use ground turkey for the meatballs and Shirataki noodles the only part on the sodium you will have to watch is the sauce that you use
  • megaron01
    megaron01 Posts: 37 Member
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    I lean more towards the Healthy Choice entrees, when I have to, but I usually add a cup of frozen veggies into the mix & finish it off with an apple or banana............I'm a pretty big eater & that combo really get's me full...............
  • jenna715
    jenna715 Posts: 201
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    I usually eat at least 1 frozen meal a day, even though I know its not the "best option". They taste good and they're easy, and I've been losing weight.

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