Healthy Choice Meals

They're not the best option - what are you currently eating, and why do you feel you need to change?

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.

Read the label, yo

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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...............