Frozed foods

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karenbobaren
karenbobaren Posts: 127 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know they're not the best for you, but with school and work I don't have much time to cook during the week. I usually eat lean cuisines for lunch along with a side salad because they rarely fill me up. I also drink a lot of water throughout the day and I'm pretty good with staying within my sodium limit. So my question is are frozen foods okay if you drink enough water and stay within your sodium limitations?

Replies

  • ab_shutterbug
    ab_shutterbug Posts: 203 Member
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    I'd distinguish frozen food from frozen processed food. Some of the frozen meats and veggies are okay if they don't have more than several ingredients. That's actually a simple way to evaluate frozen foods - if they have more than a half dozen ingredients stay away!
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
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    I know they're not the best for you, but with school and work I don't have much time to cook during the week. I usually eat lean cuisines for lunch along with a side salad because they rarely fill me up. I also drink a lot of water throughout the day and I'm pretty good with staying within my sodium limit. So my question is are frozen foods okay if you drink enough water and stay within your sodium limitations?

    the lean cuisine, weigh watchers, and healthy choice meals are decent meal replacements on occassion! they may not be "fresh" but they are making them better and better for you all of the time! if you can eat them for 1 meal/day (I eat mine at work), and then you fill the rest of your day with healthy options, PLUS you are staying under your sodium...then you are good to go!
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    Have you thought about preparing your meals ahead of time on the weekend so that you don't have to worry about cooking throughout the week? A lot of times I'll cook up about 5 servings of chicken, brown rice, and some sort of vegetable - pre portion them out into lunch containers - and then I have lunch every day of the week without having to worry about trying to find something healthy. I'm personally not a huge fan of frozen meals, mainly because most (not all) of them really aren't that good for you - they don't fill you up, don't have too many vegetables, and are pretty heavily processed.
  • chicky89
    chicky89 Posts: 262 Member
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    Have you thought about preparing your meals ahead of time on the weekend so that you don't have to worry about cooking throughout the week? A lot of times I'll cook up about 5 servings of chicken, brown rice, and some sort of vegetable - pre portion them out into lunch containers - and then I have lunch every day of the week without having to worry about trying to find something healthy. I'm personally not a huge fan of frozen meals, mainly because most (not all) of them really aren't that good for you - they don't fill you up, don't have too many vegetables, and are pretty heavily processed.

    I do the same. Im always gaurenteed Sundays off, so I used this as my shopping/cooking day. Every week, I try a new recipe, portion it, and it lasts all week. Keeps it fun, and I always get something new.
  • erintheinfj
    erintheinfj Posts: 28 Member
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    I second what jrdoty8986 said! :) If you have time to cook up a big batch of something (even something like chili or a chicken/turkey stoup), you can portion it into freezable containers which you can then pop into your lunchbag to take with you.

    Heck even when I don't make a big batch of something and I just have leftovers, I pop them into the freezer! I've frozen roast beef, pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, lasagna, chili, the list goes on!
  • karenbobaren
    karenbobaren Posts: 127 Member
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    Have you thought about preparing your meals ahead of time on the weekend so that you don't have to worry about cooking throughout the week? A lot of times I'll cook up about 5 servings of chicken, brown rice, and some sort of vegetable - pre portion them out into lunch containers - and then I have lunch every day of the week without having to worry about trying to find something healthy. I'm personally not a huge fan of frozen meals, mainly because most (not all) of them really aren't that good for you - they don't fill you up, don't have too many vegetables, and are pretty heavily processed.

    Although this is a great idea I know myself too well that If I have the same thing for lunch by day two I'll be over it. I like variety in my diet and if I dislike what I take for lunch chances are it will go to waste and I'll find myself at the nearest fast food joint. It's happened before when my mom has tons of leftovers; I can only eat it once more for that week.
  • karenbobaren
    karenbobaren Posts: 127 Member
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    I second what jrdoty8986 said! :) If you have time to cook up a big batch of something (even something like chili or a chicken/turkey stoup), you can portion it into freezable containers which you can then pop into your lunchbag to take with you.

    Heck even when I don't make a big batch of something and I just have leftovers, I pop them into the freezer! I've frozen roast beef, pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, lasagna, chili, the list goes on!

    Hmph I can try this instead of sharing my food. I can save my leftovers for at least one meal for the week which is one day less that I'll eat a frozen food. Thanks!
  • bcunning
    bcunning Posts: 81 Member
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    I like some of the Marie Callender's steamers for those days when I just realllllly don't feel like cooking. They are pretty low-cal, without too much processed food.

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