Lean Cuisine friend or foe?

Jennplus2 · June 2009

Hello everyone,
So I know that eating natural (not processed) food is always best, but I was wondering how healthy Lean Cuisine meals really are. They market themselves like it is diet food, but I a not so sure. A friend of mine was joking that people who try to lose weight by eating a big salad with a pile of bacon bits and dressing and Lean Cuisine are just fooling themselves. But I have looked at the cal in Lean Cuisine and I thought it wasn't all that bad. I am asking because I had the idea of getting the pizza from Lean Cuisine on nights that the hubby and kids are eating Round Table pizza. But if Lean Cuisine isn't that much healthier than I would rather eat the real bad stuff, lol.
Someone who knows please help!
:ohwell:

yentasdoitbetter · June 2009

well just gotta watch the sodium contents of those kind of foods....

as far as losing weight from them? if you're taking in less calories than you burn, you're going to lose weight regardless. lean cuisine's are good for portion size and lower in calories if you don't have time to cook alot. i go back n forth from lean cuisines to cooking on my george foreman.

Tamishumate · June 2009

the sodium thing is what gets ya I think, But, and this is just me, But I have had a Lean cuisine, or a WW frozen food , about 4 times a week since January, and I have had much success with weight loss. I only drink water though... maybe that helps flush some of the sodium out>:laugh:

yentasdoitbetter · June 2009

me too, i love smart ones and lean cuisines! i know im new to this site but last time i really was strict on a diet...i lost 17 lbs in 5 weeks and i ate them EVERY night. along with smart ones desserts.

weaklink109 · June 2009

Hello everyone,
So I know that eating natural (not processed) food is always best, but I was wondering how healthy Lean Cuisine meals really are. They market themselves like it is diet food, but I a not so sure. A friend of mine was joking that people who try to lose weight by eating a big salad with a pile of bacon bits and dressing and Lean Cuisine are just fooling themselves. But I have looked at the cal in Lean Cuisine and I thought it wasn't all that bad. I am asking because I had the idea of getting the pizza from Lean Cuisine on nights that the hubby and kids are eating Round Table pizza. But if Lean Cuisine isn't that much healthier than I would rather eat the real bad stuff, lol.
Someone who knows please help!
:ohwell:

You have to be a good label reader. look at fat, sugars, and SODIUM. That last item is where you can really get burned with "diet" frozen entrees. None of the brands are perfect, but if you compare your "bad stuff" with a "diet" alternative, you may find you can satisfy a craving without destroying the days eating plan.

For example, compare Michelina Budget Gourmet mac n cheese with Marie Callendar's and the Budget Gourmet looks pretty good.

I have never had Lean Cuisine pizza, but I do like some of the pizza options in Smart Ones. They are one brand where it pays to read the label if you are watching sodium.

One of the best pizza's around for what you get vs. what it "costs" nutrition wise are the Red Baron French Bread Singles. They are around 300 Calories, about 13 grams of fat, very filling and quite tasty. They are somewhat high in sodium, but if you plan the rest of your day prudently, you can enjoy one, and the damage is far less than a typical pizza. I compared one of these to the Papa Murphy Thin Crust Chicken Meditterranean, and in terms of filling you up, I will take the Red Baron Garlic Chicken w/white sauce French Bread Single. The flavor will not leave you feeling cheated either. If you eat 1/3 of the Papa Murphy's you will have over 600 calories and not be that full, whereas with the Red Baron, I am fully satisfied.

You obviously can't eat pizza and mac n cheese every day and consider yourself eating healthy, but if the alternative is to dive into a high calorie version of what you are craving, the "diet" options can allow you to enjoy something you might otherwise not be able to have if you are trying to stay commited to weight loss.

Remember veggies, fruits, lean protein and food as unprocessed as possible are your best friends when it comes to eating healthy.

MacMadame · June 2009

I think whether or not they are a good choice depends on your nutrition goals.

I have to really watch my sodium and my body prefers protein and does well on it. The Lean Cuisines and other frozen entrees like them have too much sodium and also they are very carb heavy. Sometimes, for convenience, I'll have a healthy choice dinner and only eat the meat and the veggies, but it's kind of wasteful so I only do it once in a great moon, if the cupboard is otherwise bare of leftovers and healthier choices.

I will say back when I was 223, I ate budget gourmet and healthy choice almost every day for lunch. So I'm a perfect example of what Jennplus2's friend was talking about. But I never put bacon or high calorie dressing on my salads, so there! :laugh:

CubLub63 · June 2009

I eat Lean Cuisines maybe twice a week for lunch and so far I've lost almost 20 lbs. That's in 4 month time period. Doesn't sound too bad to me.

Azdak · June 2009

Hello everyone,
So I know that eating natural (not processed) food is always best, but I was wondering how healthy Lean Cuisine meals really are. They market themselves like it is diet food, but I a not so sure. A friend of mine was joking that people who try to lose weight by eating a big salad with a pile of bacon bits and dressing and Lean Cuisine are just fooling themselves. But I have looked at the cal in Lean Cuisine and I thought it wasn't all that bad. I am asking because I had the idea of getting the pizza from Lean Cuisine on nights that the hubby and kids are eating Round Table pizza. But if Lean Cuisine isn't that much healthier than I would rather eat the real bad stuff, lol.
Someone who knows please help!
:ohwell:

You have to be a good label reader. look at fat, sugars, and SODIUM. That last item is where you can really get burned with "diet" frozen entrees. None of the brands are perfect, but if you compare your "bad stuff" with a "diet" alternative, you may find you can satisfy a craving without destroying the days eating plan.

For example, compare Michelina Budget Gourmet mac n cheese with Marie Callendar's and the Budget Gourmet looks pretty good.

I have never had Lean Cuisine pizza, but I do like some of the pizza options in Smart Ones. They are one brand where it pays to read the label if you are watching sodium.

One of the best pizza's around for what you get vs. what it "costs" nutrition wise are the Red Baron French Bread Singles. They are around 300 Calories, about 13 grams of fat, very filling and quite tasty. They are somewhat high in sodium, but if you plan the rest of your day prudently, you can enjoy one, and the damage is far less than a typical pizza. I compared one of these to the Papa Murphy Thin Crust Chicken Meditterranean, and in terms of filling you up, I will take the Red Baron Garlic Chicken w/white sauce French Bread Single. The flavor will not leave you feeling cheated either. If you eat 1/3 of the Papa Murphy's you will have over 600 calories and not be that full, whereas with the Red Baron, I am fully satisfied.

You obviously can't eat pizza and mac n cheese every day and consider yourself eating healthy, but if the alternative is to dive into a high calorie version of what you are craving, the "diet" options can allow you to enjoy something you might otherwise not be able to have if you are trying to stay commited to weight loss.

Remember veggies, fruits, lean protein and food as unprocessed as possible are your best friends when it comes to eating healthy.

I agree. It's extra work to check the labels, but worthwhile.

My biggest problem when I eat them is that they are just not enough food. Or they don't have the right balance of carbs, fat, and protein for someone on a more calorie-restricted diet.

For me, I have had to be concerned with two things: I was diagnosed type II diabetic and I find that processed foods, dinners tend to spike my blood sugar; also, I have been unemployed for a while and find that, even on sale, those things are just too expensive for the amount of calories you get.

Each to his own--I have just found it easier to maintain my eating plan by eating whole grains and real foods that I make myself.

Jennplus2 · June 2009

Thank you for all the answers, I knew you guys would know:happy:

LeanLioness · June 2009

IMHO, you would be better off eating the fresh baked pizza than any frozen food...........

They are filled with sodium, sugars, preservatives and other chemicals that increases their "shelf" life in the freezer without getting freezer burnt, etc.............

weaklink109 · June 2009

That is a good point about frozen food. I am a realist. I am sure I am not the only one who has a schedule that doesn't permit making everything from scratch all the time. I have certain products which are prepared that serve a purpose for me and I incorporate them into my veggies fruits and whole grains.

If the choice is a Healthy Choice entree that I like, which has a reasonable amount of sodium, vs. my best friends homemade lasagna, dripping with calories, I am going to try and stick to the healthy choice so as not to derail my efforts for two or 3 days in "recovery" for something I ate for the sake of convenience.

There are times when I will plan to eat something that I would ordinarily pass by, but it has to be something I really want in order to make it worth it for me to go light in other areas to account for it.

beckythebunny122 · June 2009

When I'm in desperate need of a pizza fix, I make myself a Pita Pizza. Just take a pita, add 1/4 or 1/3 cup of tomato sauce, then top with mozzarella and veggies. It comes in somewhere between 200 and 350 calories depending on how much cheese and toppings you add - but much less sodium.

Lean Cuisine friend or foe?

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