Frozen "Healthy" Dinners as Meals- Advice

I think you'll get a wide range of answers based on a someone's personal views.

For me, they are convenient and sometimes, when I work 9 hours I want something quick and easy to eat when I get home. I don't eat them daily or even weekly, but I do eat them.

Read the labels. Some of them are better than other ones. If you have issues with it, you'll want to watch the sodium in them as it can be on the high side (I don't have issues with sodium, so it doesn't bother or worry me).

They do have preservatives in them (which is where the "clean eaters" will come in and say "They are JUNK!"). Other people say they don't fill them up (they do for me).

On the weekends (or your days off) you could make a bunch of healthy meals yourself, portion them out and freeze them. That would be an alternative to them. Since I'm not much of a cook and would rather not spend my days off slaving in a kitchen, I'll just go and buy a couple of these meals to have around.

I really do not think they are very "healthy" i eat them for lunch occasionally. Try salads, whole grain cereals, eggs, chicken, tilapia, make a dinner where there are a few healthy options that you can eat and still a few things that he wants. For example here is a meal that accomodates everyone in my family.

Chicken breast
Side salad
Mac and Cheese

I eat the salad and chicken. My husband smothers the chicken in either bbq sauce or honey mustard on his plate, eats the salad and mac and cheese as well.
My son will eat the Mac and cheese and lettuce dipped in cesar or ranch.

Hamburgers
Fries
Broccoli

I will eat 1/2 to possibly a whole hamburger with broccoli and perhaps 2-3 fries. My husband puts cheese on his hamburger and tons of toppings, loads his fries with cheese in the microwave and broccoli. My son will eat the fries and broccoli.


I just try to make a "win/win" dinner for my family because cooking two separate meals would be way too much for me.

Like Cmh1211 said, they are high in sodium, and usually high in GI 9white rice, potato, pastas) but they tick the calorie box, and when you are simply out of time, then YES, use them.

I needed to kickstart my diet when i first started, so used them for almost every meal and it was great - for about 1000 calories I could get 3 meals per day which was a great boost. After a couple of months though, I made a shift toward whole foods. My weight loss slowed down, (I was eating more calories) but I felt more balanced.

I now keep 4 in the freezer all the time, just in case! Cheaper, and better for you than a takeaway!

I would really like some information on the frozen dinners such as Healthy Choice, Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine, etc.
Does anyone rely on them for every meal? Are they beneficial?
The reason I am asking is because my husband refuses to eat a healthy meal, so I usually have to fix what he wants then a healthy meal for me. These frozen dinners would make life so much easier!
What are some better alternatives?

uh oh...here's where my "strong willed, single girl" attitude comes in...
If you're cooking and he doesn't want it, isn't he free to make his own meal?
Besides, do you have to tell him it's healthy? Chicken is chicken right?

They do have preservatives in them (which is where the "clean eaters" will come in and say "They are JUNK!"). Other people say they don't fill them up (they do for me).

I guess I'm one of those but to me it is also about the "cooking" process. 60-80% of the nutritional value of food is lost when you heat it up/cook it. Half your plate should be fruits and veggies and eat as much as possible RAW or lightly steamed. It requires planning and effort to eat healthy.

I wouldn't eat them every meal, but they're not bad to have sometimes. They're usually high in sodium, and not exactly made from the best ingredients, but they're low in calories and usually have a good fat/carb/protein ratio.

bump

There are alot of meals you can make that don't sound or taste like "health" food, but are actually pretty tasty, and perfectly suitable for a household. Check out Skinnytaste.com, the food is great, seriously.

If he won't eat, then let him cook his own dinner. I cook healthy meals, and my son and husband can eat it, or not. They do.
If he wants pasta as a side, then make chicken and his side, and your side, if you do have to cook for him.

I think they are junk (sorry). for me, they cause huge cravings and make me want to eat more.

Healthy doesn't have to be boring. There are so many websites out there that have healthy meal ideas and are really good. Everything from the old chicken breast standby to casseroles and even mac and cheese. My favorite site is www.skinnytaste.com. Everything I have made from there so far my kids and husband love and it doesn't taste like "diet" food. Try the chicken broccoli noodle casserole and the healthy baked chicken nuggets.