Healthy Choice/Lean Cuisine/Weight Watchers Smart Ones

If I am craving noodles or pasta, I will have them due to the portion control. I also always roast or steam fresh veggies to throw in with the meals. I have alos made boneless chicken breast and added to some of pasta dishes.

I love Lean Cuisine for occasional meals. I use them more at lunch time. Easy/fast and delicious.

For me I wouldn't really go near the stuff...

Firstly they may be lower in fat/calories - but to compensate are pumped full of rubbish and far too much sodium. My general rule of thumb is look at the ingredients - if there are things in there that you can't pronounce, let alone know what they are then leave well alone! I get that people are pushed for time, but I'm a PhD student and so am a) on a budget and b) don't have a lot of time between studying and working. However I do fit in the gym 5 times per week and make all my own meals. Generally on a weekend I might cook up a big pot of chilli and freeze it in portions, so that when I'm busy in the week I can just pull one out of the freezer.

Lunch wise, I'll usually get the small tins of tuna (sometimes plain, sometimes with chilli etc) and make a salad from tuna, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and sometimes a bit of feta. I might take a yogurt for a snack in the afternoon. Breakfast tends to be scrambled eggs with a tomato/whatever is lying around in the fridge.

For a little planning (and experimenting) I think you will find less plateau with your weight, as if you cook everything then you control what's in it. As for adding in extras, opt for healthy extras - extra veg and spices are great to bulk and flavour something up. Don't be daunted by the kitchen... think of it as a chance to play around and discover new things to enjoy. There are great recipes on this forum which are well worth a look at!

H

I can't eat them (too much sodium) plus they never filled me up. I can make a giant plate of freshly cooked chicken and tasty veggies for the same amount of calories and way more nutritious.

Once you get the hang of measuring out your food and cooking for yourself, it becomes habit and easy to do.

I was eating them almost every day for lunch and just got sick of them. I don't think they're that bad for you but I do feel better making the stuff myself. I think for me it's just psychological...I feel like I'm being healthier with fresh ingredients. I'm not one that buys into "clean eating" either- I just don't like to eat these meals every day. I do keep a couple around for when I need something quick and really don't feel like making something.

I keep several for lunch when I don't have time to put something together. I was eating them a lot more often when I started out, but the sodium can really make you hate the scale. I still track it as one of my macros so I can check when I slow down.

I've become better at "making" lunch without necessarily cooking. A rotisserie chicken from the grocery store can be the base for several meals.

I've gotten flack for not cooking nutritious meals and such. You know what I give in return? The middle finger. I eat what I want, and if someone else doesn't like it, they can lump it. :devil:

Read the ingredients. If you think they are food and that nothing in them will negatively affect your health in any way or have ethical issues where the items were sourced, or that it's too time consuming to just cut some stuff up and fry it up, then eat them. You don't need anyone's permission to do what you are going to do anyway.

So since the opinions that go against what you, and some others, want to hear will be considered "mean" and "unsupportive" perhaps just do what you want without seeking validation?