LIEN CUISINE

krissyliz78
krissyliz78 Posts: 181 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
I am aweful @ selecting good meals so I opt for the easy way out and get Lien Cuisines. I like seeing the EXACT calorie count. Is this hurting me in the long run??

Replies

  • cushygal
    cushygal Posts: 586 Member
    I would just be careful of the amount of sodium in those pre-packaged foods. I will have a Lean Cuisine for dinner every now and again if I am not in the mood to cook, but for the most part its all homemade meals.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Most prepared foods are fairly high in sodium, so that isn't doing you any real favors.

    More importantly, you're looking to lose weight and keep it off, I presume. Are Lean Cuisines going to be a staple of your diet forever? At some point before you go to maintenance, you're going to have to work out what foods will allow you to maintain that weight.

    Get some frozen chicken breasts and start by discovering the simple joys of a stir-fry. :)
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
    Do you mean Lean Cuisine?
    Anyway, do you plan to eat them for the rest of your life? If you consider this a temporary change, and then you go back to eating like you did before, then you'll end up in the same place or worse (bounce back effect).
    Personally, I don't want to eat packaged foods for the rest of my life. I do eat them, including frozen meals -- although I prefer others to Lean Cuisine, but one of the important things for me is to learn how to track other items -- especially those bits of snacking I was doing that were adding up. And I can eat more and feel better when I make some fresh meals. So for me learning to estimate was critical.
    Your mileage may vary... good luck.
  • flobeedoodle
    flobeedoodle Posts: 176 Member
    Do you mean Lean Cuisine?

    I really hoped this was going to be a thread about the high cost of food that is both healthy and tasty; e.g., "We had to take out a second mortgage to cover the asparagus and fresh fish!"
  • ActiveGuy81
    ActiveGuy81 Posts: 705 Member
    There is something I read about the high levels of sodium in Lean Cuisines that after a while you will stop losing weight.
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
    The highsodium content could mask any weight loss you get from eating them.
    That and the calorie counts on frozen meals are not necessarily accurate.

    What is preventing you from making the same type of food at home?
  • gumigal82
    gumigal82 Posts: 350
    if you have little time for cooking, try to find prepared meals with "low sodium" or "heart healthy" on the label. (like soups that offer this now) But these can be very tough to find.
    It can be easier (not to mention tastier) to just look for a cookbook or recipes online that are easy,quick and healthy. Even prepare them ahead of time and freeze or put them in the fridge. Good luck:)
  • angrydolly
    angrydolly Posts: 22
    I only buy lean cuisines as a filler easy go to food.

    The idea of losing weight on pre-packaged microwave meals doesn't sit right in my head at all, it's just as easy to steam a giant helping of fresh veggies in the microwave and add a little rice vinegar for lunch, and I feel more full after a bowl of brussel sprouts than I do after a lean cuisine. I only buy two or so to keep around so that when i am feeling lazy, I don't run off to a fast food place or something along those lines instead.

    I'll buy the Kashi microwave meals too, the difference being i found out the hard way to read the box, what I thought was chicken, was really, literally, a baked banana. strangest insta-meal I have ever eaten o.o
  • Bikini27
    Bikini27 Posts: 1,290 Member
    Do you mean Lean Cuisine?

    I really hoped this was going to be a thread about the high cost of food that is both healthy and tasty; e.g., "We had to take out a second mortgage to cover the asparagus and fresh fish!"

    Yep, had the same thought!
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    Do you mean Lean Cuisine?
    I really hoped this was going to be a thread about the high cost of food that is both healthy and tasty; e.g., "We had to take out a second mortgage to cover the asparagus and fresh fish!"
    (high five)
  • josol1971
    josol1971 Posts: 46 Member
    Do you mean Lean Cuisine?

    I really hoped this was going to be a thread about the high cost of food that is both healthy and tasty; e.g., "We had to take out a second mortgage to cover the asparagus and fresh fish!"

    Sad isn't it? And they wonder why so many people are overweight.
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
    I'll usually pick up a few of these when the stores have a sale on them. They're good to have now and again when I don't have time to take a proper lunch at work, but I wouldn't want to make a steady diet of them.

    Like other posters have warned - check the labels carefully if you're watching your sodium as well. When I do buy Lean Cuisines or similar meals from their competitors, I try to pick the ones that are lowest in sodium.
  • dakoerber
    dakoerber Posts: 308 Member
    I used to eat those all the time because they were quick and are good. But then I saw a new report that the FDA allows them to post calories within 25% difference + or -. ( I think that was the correct number) the point is that even though they say the calories it can be off.

    I eat them only once in awhile now.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Depends on your goals. these tend to be high in sodium and carbs, both of which make me hungry hungry in a very short period of time. Most prepared foods throw my macro goals into a complete free fall.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    They're good in a pinch - I especially love the little pizzas that are in the 350 calorie range. If I'm craving pizza, I'll microwave one and share it with the BF.

    But of course, there are healthier options out there. :) You can always pair it with a big salad, as they do tend to leave you hungry not long after.
  • jadedlili02
    jadedlili02 Posts: 5
    Do you mean Lean Cuisine?

    I really hoped this was going to be a thread about the high cost of food that is both healthy and tasty; e.g., "We had to take out a second mortgage to cover the asparagus and fresh fish!"

    Yep, had the same thought!

    Amen! I have to budget a quarter of my paycheck just to cover fresh veggies! And don't get me started on fish!
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    I find Lean Cuisine high in sodium and I am always starving when I am done eating it.

    It is worth your while to make the extra effort to cut up some fresh veggies for lunch and pair it with a lean cuisine and a complex carb.
  • IrishHarpy1
    IrishHarpy1 Posts: 399 Member
    There is something I read about the high levels of sodium in Lean Cuisines that after a while you will stop losing weight.

    I have one every day Monday through Friday for lunch... and I assure you it hasn't stopped me from losing weight. :happy:

    That being said, they *are* rather high in sodium, so I compensate by making sure the rest of the day is sensible. For some people the meals themselves aren't enough, and if this is the case for you make sure that you add something like a side salad as a supplement.
  • watch48win
    watch48win Posts: 1,668 Member
    Personally I have never had one of them that looked like the picture on the box. For the same amount of calories, I can make my own lunch or dinner, and eat twice as much.
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  • InstantSunshine
    InstantSunshine Posts: 355 Member
    *googles "lien"*

    Oh right! Now that joke is funny.

    How had I never heard of that before?

    Slaps forehead.
  • etavi
    etavi Posts: 85
    I keep a few at work in case I don't have time to make a lunch in the mornings. I love the ravioli and vegetable! But, I figured since they're so high in sodium, they're good every once in a while (especially if they keep me from running to mcdonalds on my lunch break)
  • Elohvey
    Elohvey Posts: 65 Member
    When at work I would eat the healthy choice dinners for a majority of the week since it was faster, and more tastier than the sandwiches I was doing for two months. XD I didn't have to set time aside and since at the time I was swamped with school and work, the dinners were a preferred option. They usually have 500 mg of sodium in them so I tried to make sure my other food intake during the day was as low in sodium as I could get. =/

    I might switch back to salads and sandwiches for lunch (I do still have them at home though) ... but the dinners are more convenient and they only cost $2!
  • krissyliz78
    krissyliz78 Posts: 181 Member
    :laugh: HELLO GRAMMER POLICE!!!!! Thanks for all of your advice. I only needed to lose 10 lbs so Im not so much worried about regaining alot of weight back. Tomorrow im going to switch back to sandwiches. And I agree the pizza is a good craving killer!!!
  • krissyliz78
    krissyliz78 Posts: 181 Member
    CORRECTION 17 LBS to lose!!! :tongue:
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    I love those, as well as Healthy Choice and Weight Watchers Smart Ones, but I only eat them once a week ish because of the sodium and the fact that they're pretty expensive. The ones I like aren't very low calorie either.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    Those make a great snack...

    I used to eat those, but they left me so hungry, I would end up eating a second meal, which didn't help.

    If you don't like to cook, or you are in a rush in the morning, pre-make giant salads with a can of tuna on top or some roasted chicken. Make a giant pot of soup on Sunday and eat it every day.

    If you think about how much you are paying per pound of food (especially the veggies), you would think twice about buying them. Some chicken breast and a bag of frozen peas is going to cost you a lot less.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I eat them everyday for dinner. I don't have time to cook nor the energy to cook right with my job. I wanna pop one of those bad boys in the microwave and have a salad when I get home. I'm good. I don't feel hungry afterwards. If I am or know I will be, I'll make some extra veggies with it. They do have a lot of sodium, only thing. I think they are pretty tasty. Better than Smart Ones. I don't plan eating them for the rest of my life. For right now, they are perfect
  • gumigal82
    gumigal82 Posts: 350
    it's not so much about losing the last few pounds, just bout the amount of sodium/ heart health issues involved in "healthy" frozen microwave meals. I do like the snack size things, or the occasional steamer meals. They are still high in sodium, but are more flavorful and filling than most frozen meals
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