How do you guys feel about low calorie frozen meals?
Replies
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_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ wrote: »I do meal prep once a month and make 25-30 meals to freeze. It gives me variety, convenience, and full knowledge of exactly what I'm putting in my body. It's worth the couple of hours I spend cooking every few weeks.
This is fairly the point we were trying to make. This is side shaming someone for not being able to meal prep food and eating "processed" food.
Food is food, and while it might not be up to your personal standards, there's no logical or helpful reason to shaming and spreading misinformation.
Also, don't assume that everyone has a few extra hours to prep that many meals at once, the capability of doing so, or even a lifestyle and finances that allow it.
As well, having the ability to actually freeze 25 - 30 meals at once might be problematic for most.
I keep a few Healthy Choice meals around for the nights where I'm on my own for dinner, want something calorically and nutritionally decent and don't feel like cooking just for me.
Yes I currently have this problem, I cooked up some lentils recently and put them in the freezer, that took up space. I have tons of frozen fruit, veg and meat in the freezer so there is not much room. Then last night I spotted loads of half empty rice packets in the cupboard (this is my partners fault, opens something, has a bit of it, buys a new bag) so i thought, well I will cook it all up, measure it out and then I have some frozen portions of rice. But now I can barely pull the freezer drawers out because its too full.
I had the same problem! I found a small chest freezer on Craigslist for $75 and it's been a perfect solution!
Well we've got 2 fridge freezers anyway and theres only the 2 of us, so I think another one would be excessive!
Time to clean out the freezers
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I had tried utilizing frozen dinners years ago, trying to lose weight. They didn't work for me at all. I'm back to cooking my own meals.6
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kshama2001 wrote: »_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »BecomingBane wrote: »_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ wrote: »I do meal prep once a month and make 25-30 meals to freeze. It gives me variety, convenience, and full knowledge of exactly what I'm putting in my body. It's worth the couple of hours I spend cooking every few weeks.
This is fairly the point we were trying to make. This is side shaming someone for not being able to meal prep food and eating "processed" food.
Food is food, and while it might not be up to your personal standards, there's no logical or helpful reason to shaming and spreading misinformation.
Also, don't assume that everyone has a few extra hours to prep that many meals at once, the capability of doing so, or even a lifestyle and finances that allow it.
As well, having the ability to actually freeze 25 - 30 meals at once might be problematic for most.
I keep a few Healthy Choice meals around for the nights where I'm on my own for dinner, want something calorically and nutritionally decent and don't feel like cooking just for me.
Yes I currently have this problem, I cooked up some lentils recently and put them in the freezer, that took up space. I have tons of frozen fruit, veg and meat in the freezer so there is not much room. Then last night I spotted loads of half empty rice packets in the cupboard (this is my partners fault, opens something, has a bit of it, buys a new bag) so i thought, well I will cook it all up, measure it out and then I have some frozen portions of rice. But now I can barely pull the freezer drawers out because its too full.
I had the same problem! I found a small chest freezer on Craigslist for $75 and it's been a perfect solution!
Well we've got 2 fridge freezers anyway and theres only the 2 of us, so I think another one would be excessive!
Time to clean out the freezers
Theres nothing forgotten out there. All the food we eat is frozen, frozen meat, fish, veg and fruit. I have a virtual greengrocer in one of them. Actually while Im typing this I know that there is a bag of broad beans in one of them, I HATE broad beans and dont know why they're there. They can go.4 -
I only like a few of them - usually the spicier options. I don't find them filling for the calories they have. In a pinch they are okay for me. If I can, I'll heat one up and dump it on top of some fresh greens so it's more food for not many more calories. I really try not to rely on them since it's such a tiny amount of food.
One thing I love is the frozen precooked chicken breast strips. I can use those so many ways - with some quick steamed veggies and maybe a little soy sauce (can also be over a little rice that comes packaged as microwavable in little cups), put some strips in a quickly rolled wrap with some greens, on a salad, on a sandwich, etc. I get full on less of the strips and the calories are so low that the bread or rice or whatever calories fit just fine. Heat the strips before any of this of course.1 -
missysippy930 wrote: »My husband works 2 pm to 10 pm, so they definitely have a place in my life. I only buy them when they are on sale. I can get the Michelin[a]s’ lean gourmet 10 for $10.00 on sale. I stock up then.
This the brand I usually buy too, when I've eaten them. They're cheap enough but, like others, I just don't find them that filling and they take up too much room in my freezer, which is almost always filled to the brim w/meat & seafood that I buy on sale in bulk.
So, I haven't eaten any of these frozen meals in a long time. Nothing against them but my idea of an "instant" meal is to boil some ramen noodles and add some defrosted shrimp and fresh veggies to it. Just takes a few mins and it fills me right up. So, much so that I really don't feel like eating anything long after.
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frozen techniques are so advanced, heck even better sometimes than eating fresh vegetables that were in transit as frozen vegetables are ripe and frozen, while transit ones are picked barely young to survive transport. That's why local food is also best.0
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I don't really understand the contention by some that frozen meals are all "processed" in an evil, negative way. Many brands these days are recognizable food items, cooked in recognizable ways, then frozen. (Sure, some have some non-home-kitchen ingredients, but mostly not scary, and some brands don't have anything but regular home-kitchen food in them.) Putting them in a box and freezing them ruins nothing, vs. home-prepped same ingredients.
For my needs (as a vegetarian), I find most types long on low-nutrient-density carbs, and short on protein and veggies. But the calories are low enough that one could supplement with added veggies (also frozen) and maybe some cottage cheese or something, and be just fine, nutritionally. And I think the meaty ones are often better on the protein side, so maybe only veggie (or dessert fruit) supplementing would be fine (and that's with my "eat way big amounts of veggies/fruit" prejudices).
I like cooking from scratch, and find home-cooked foods tastier, but I'm retired and have the time so rarely eat the frozen meals these days (I did when working). I don't see why a good-quality frozen meal is "lesser", if in a context where one's full nutritional and caloric needs are met overall.12 -
As a once in a while, sure, but as a regular event for me I learned that I wasn’t willing to tolerate the amount of packaging waste associated with frozen ready made meals. Some months ago, I switched over to wide mouth glass mason jars for nearly all my storage, especially and including the frozen meals I prep for myself (that I used to store in freezer grade plastic deli containers that could only be reused a few times). .5
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I primarily food prep, but also keep a few of the frozen meals on hand. Helpful if I can't get to store when I want, didn't prep quite enough meals, or just don't feel like eating something from weekend prep. After my husband died, for several months I had healthy choice or similar almost every night for dinner-wasn't up to cooking for myself and didn't want to go to fast food every night. I think they can fit in as well as anything else. I can gain weight and eat "unhealthy" home cooked food ( I can make some killer fried pork chops and pan gravy) so to me it finding what works for you to stay within your calorie/food goals. If the frozen meals help use them.5
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I'm fine with them, although I prefer the taste of the 'fresh' ready to go meals like youfoodz (https://youfoodz.com/) and mymusclechef (https://www.mymusclechef.com/menu). I actually find their meals delicious - even my husband does and he's not trying to lose weight - and the fact that they're calorie controlled makes life so much easier for me. I'm really busy at work so I cook things during the week and freeze them but the youfoodz and mymusclechef meals have seriously made life so much easier for me plus helped me to monitor calorie intake during my fitness journey. I've lost 29kg since January so the calorie controlled meals have definitely helped.1
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I suppose fresh ready made meals are good for those shopping on way home from work or such like - but would defeat the purpose for me.
As the times I use frozen meals is as back ups; convenient if I am home alone because my husband is working overtime and occasionally at work if I haven't time/ items to take a lunchbox.
Generally unplanned events and voila, find one of these in freezer
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I don't really understand the contention by some that frozen meals are all "processed" in an evil, negative way. Many brands these days are recognizable food items, cooked in recognizable ways, then frozen. (Sure, some have some non-home-kitchen ingredients, but mostly not scary, and some brands don't have anything but regular home-kitchen food in them.) Putting them in a box and freezing them ruins nothing, vs. home-prepped same ingredients.
For my needs (as a vegetarian), I find most types long on low-nutrient-density carbs, and short on protein and veggies. But the calories are low enough that one could supplement with added veggies (also frozen) and maybe some cottage cheese or something, and be just fine, nutritionally. And I think the meaty ones are often better on the protein side, so maybe only veggie (or dessert fruit) supplementing would be fine (and that's with my "eat way big amounts of veggies/fruit" prejudices).
I like cooking from scratch, and find home-cooked foods tastier, but I'm retired and have the time so rarely eat the frozen meals these days (I did when working). I don't see why a good-quality frozen meal is "lesser", if in a context where one's full nutritional and caloric needs are met overall.
While it wasn't me who previously mentioned processed foods, I'll respond. Some brands are super high sodium to fix taste quality problems. When I freeze meals I don't have to add 18 types of salt and sodium in order for them to be palatable when reheated.
From the Salt chapter of Michael Moss's "Salt, Sugar, Fat":
"In the world of processed foods, salt is the great fixer. It corrects myriad problems that arise as a matter of course in the factory.
..Among all the miracles that salt performs for the processed food industry, perhaps the most essential involves a plague that the industry calls "warmed over flavor,"
...One of the most effective cures for WOF is an infusion of fresh spices...But fresh herbs are costly. So manufacturers more typically make sure they have lots of salt in their formulas. The cardboard or dog-hair taste is still there, but overpowered by the salt.
...The same Hungry Man turkey dinner that listed salt nine times among its various components also had nine other references to various sodium compounds.4 -
I see frozen meals as another tool in my journey. When I first started tracking on MFP I relied heavily on them at the end of the day to keep my calories on track. My husband and kids were not interested in lower calorie meals and I needed something to help keep me away from the higher calorie family meals. I have portion control issues. Once I felt more disciplined I was able to adjust my strategy.
Since the topic of meal prepping was introduced, I’ll admit that I am also a meal prepper. I do prep 20-40 family style meals when meats go on sale largely so that my teenagers can pop dinner in the oven while I am on my way home from work. It’s another tool that works for me. But I still keep 10+ frozen Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine meals on hand for me. Some weeks I don’t eat any. Other weeks are more hectic and I end up eating them daily.
You do you. If you like frozen meals and they help you stay on track go for it. If you are inspired by meal prepping, do that. But they aren’t mutually exclusive. You can try lots of different techniques and keep repeating the ones that help you meet you goals.
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kshama2001 wrote: »I don't really understand the contention by some that frozen meals are all "processed" in an evil, negative way. Many brands these days are recognizable food items, cooked in recognizable ways, then frozen. (Sure, some have some non-home-kitchen ingredients, but mostly not scary, and some brands don't have anything but regular home-kitchen food in them.) Putting them in a box and freezing them ruins nothing, vs. home-prepped same ingredients.
For my needs (as a vegetarian), I find most types long on low-nutrient-density carbs, and short on protein and veggies. But the calories are low enough that one could supplement with added veggies (also frozen) and maybe some cottage cheese or something, and be just fine, nutritionally. And I think the meaty ones are often better on the protein side, so maybe only veggie (or dessert fruit) supplementing would be fine (and that's with my "eat way big amounts of veggies/fruit" prejudices).
I like cooking from scratch, and find home-cooked foods tastier, but I'm retired and have the time so rarely eat the frozen meals these days (I did when working). I don't see why a good-quality frozen meal is "lesser", if in a context where one's full nutritional and caloric needs are met overall.
While it wasn't me who previously mentioned processed foods, I'll respond. Some brands are super high sodium to fix taste quality problems. When I freeze meals I don't have to add 18 types of salt and sodium in order for them to be palatable when reheated.
From the Salt chapter of Michael Moss's "Salt, Sugar, Fat":
"In the world of processed foods, salt is the great fixer. It corrects myriad problems that arise as a matter of course in the factory.
..Among all the miracles that salt performs for the processed food industry, perhaps the most essential involves a plague that the industry calls "warmed over flavor,"
...One of the most effective cures for WOF is an infusion of fresh spices...But fresh herbs are costly. So manufacturers more typically make sure they have lots of salt in their formulas. The cardboard or dog-hair taste is still there, but overpowered by the salt.
...The same Hungry Man turkey dinner that listed salt nine times among its various components also had nine other references to various sodium compounds.
Y'know, since I no longer have BP problems (weight loss happily fixed that, for me), I don't worry much about salt: I love fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi, miso, etc., and many are super salty. I'm over MFP's default goal frequently.
"Processed" and "too much salt" and "frozen dinners" would have a Venn diagram with some overlap, but not total.
All frozen dinners (I think) are "processed", but if salt/sodium is a problem for someone, there are some fairly reasonable choices out there, especially in context of an overall decent diet that isn't all frozen dinners, all the time.
Overgeneralization is a bit of a conceptual trap, IMO.10 -
I eat Amy's organic frozen meals on the regular for lunch. They are a bit more expensive, but they keep me full. Especially with a sparkling water Most of them are pretty healthy, but some have a bit of sugar, so just remember to look out for that. 🥗🍽 ps: Amy's are usually about $4 each at walmart. 5
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I love lean cuisine and smart ones.. but.. I don't lose weight eating them. I hate that part. and I'm one of those who lost my weight by eating all whole foods and prepared all my own stuff. If I could have just eaten three frozen diet meals a day life would have been easy.13
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I'll try them once in a blue moon. I feel it's more worth it to cook your own food. My money feels better spent elsewhere, and they don't really leave me feeling satiated.1
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I eat them every day because I do not wish to cool like I used to for years. I’m loosing weight staying within calorie and sodium goals set for me. I love them. Thank you frozen dinner makers smart ones and lean cuisine 😜😜😜🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾🏆🏆🏆8
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elisa123gal wrote: »I love lean cuisine and smart ones.. but.. I don't lose weight eating them. I hate that part. and I'm one of those who lost my weight by eating all whole foods and prepared all my own stuff. If I could have just eaten three frozen diet meals a day life would have been easy.
Eating three frozen “diet meals” per day would be roughly 900-1200 calories. You would lose weight eating that just as if you ate 900-1200 calories of Whole Foods you prepared yourself.11 -
One word says it all when it comes to frozen meals, low calorie or not. SODIUM! It's off the scale, most meals come in at close to your entire day's sodium goal. Which means they're not healthy. In the short term? If you have to eat them, do so. In the long term, they're just not good for you.
OH, and while eating those low, 900-1200 calories per day might seem like a great way to lose weight... again, that one word, SODIUM! Which means water retention, which means you don't see the results you might hope to see. 15
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