whats your opinions on lean cuisine microwavable meals?

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Replies

  • smkcx
    smkcx Posts: 69
    Throw them away.

    this

    take some responsibility and eat real food. many people justify eating this crap by saying they are just too busy. thats bs. its because they are lazy

    That is a huge generalization. Having a baby at home wrecks your sleep and messes up routine and meal times. They don't care that you need to cook in order to eat.

    ^ yes.

    It must have been the way I worded my question because I think alot of people are under the impression thats all I bought to eat for lunch everyday LOL! I did buy cottage cheese, spinach, broccoli, tomatos and tilapia as well. ekk! but, oh well.
  • mandimuscles
    mandimuscles Posts: 107 Member
    I used to eat them all the time. Until I figured out I wasn't losing as fast. Then I started making sandwiches every day and started losing again. It's all about the chemicals and sodium they put into them, they may not be real high in calories, but weight loss truly isn't just about calories and there are much more healthy quick things that can be done!
  • smkcx
    smkcx Posts: 69
    Waaaaay too much sodium. I would only use them as a last option if I had no time to get something good. Go to www.skinnytaste.com for some great suggestions. I use that site all the time to do a lot of my eating now.

    ^ I actually got a few recipes from there when I first discovered the site. Good stuff.
  • MelissaGraham7
    MelissaGraham7 Posts: 406 Member
    someone just posted 35 low cal lunches like yesterday? day before? have a look around, i'm sure you can find it. i didn't post in it sadly ;(

    maybe someone else could link it?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/658405-35-quick-low-calorie-lunches

    here you go :)

    OMG! That is fabulous with 35 great ideas!
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
    If that's your ONLY option, then it's not the worst thing ever - but I highly doubt that's really your only option.

    I prefer real food...
  • tpittsley77
    tpittsley77 Posts: 607 Member
    Throw them away.

    this

    take some responsibility and eat real food. many people justify eating this crap by saying they are just too busy. thats bs. its because they are lazy

    Judge much? So the one day a week I eat like this, I get up at 4:30 am, get ready for work, go to work where I am on my feet all day,get home at 4:15. Then have to get my girls ready and out the door by 4:40 at the latest to drive 35 minutes to soccer. There til 6:30, 35 minutes back home. Now my baby is ready for bed at this point. So a quick tubby, bottle and bed for her, while also feeding my older daughter. Its now 7:40, and I still haven't sat down all day other than the drive to and from soccer. And my oldest daughter still needs a bath and to get ready for bed. My husband works evenings so he isn't around to help. So by your opinion, if I then eat a frozen meal, instead of cooking a full meal I am being lazy? Wow, guess I am one lazy woman then.
  • rcbeck99
    rcbeck99 Posts: 56 Member
    Throw them away.

    this

    take some responsibility and eat real food. many people justify eating this crap by saying they are just too busy. thats bs. its because they are lazy

    Wow. Judgemental much? I eat them. Not every day, but I eat them. I work outside the home and have two small children. Sorry if you don't consider that to be "busy" but I'm on the move from the moment my youngest wakes up (usually between 5-6am) to the moment they hit the sack. Don't judge a book by it's cover. You never know what a person's day is like.
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
    I don't eat these because really, I don't have a freezer. I eat lots of eggs, chicken and sandwiches.

    You can always cook your own freezer/microwavable meals by making a huge batch of something then freezing it in individual portions.
  • smkcx
    smkcx Posts: 69
    If that's your ONLY option, then it's not the worst thing ever - but I highly doubt that's really your only option.

    I prefer real food...

    I never implied that it was my "only" option ~ just looking for new ideas for lunch and opinions on lean cuisine.
  • Lynn_SD
    Lynn_SD Posts: 83 Member
    Lean Cuisine has a line called Market Collection, they are steam-cooked in bags. I really like the Chicken Alfredo and the Garlic Chicken, both have a good balance of white meat chicken, some pasta and a lot of chunky veggies (broccoli, carrots, asparagus) for about 300 calories, 5 gm fat, 4 to 5 gm fiber, 23 gm protein and 38 gm carb (type of pasta and veggies vary with variety as well as exact counts). Sodium is not too high either, around 650. I usually eat them for dinner. If you can't cook fresh, they are the best ones I've found and the best tasting. (I had one for dinner last night). There is a shrimp scampi one but it's not as good as the veggies are cut too fine and not as plentiful as the chicken dishes.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I eat them and like them. I look for the lowest sodium and carb content.Usually the chicken and veggie ones. I also add left over frozen veggies to make them more filling. No worse then most sandwiches.
    Healthy choice have some healthier options too.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    If lean cuisine meals work for you, I say eat them. They are not the best for you, but they are a good way to control your portions if that is an issue for you. I love the Veggie Egg Roll ones! People eat certain things that are awful for them everyday. If this helps keep you on track and you can eat healthy the rest of the day, don't feel bad about it.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    Also, if you are eating these a few days a week and eating clean the rest of the week, I wouldn't worry about it at all. People on here have their "cheat days" and their "cheat meals" .... a lean cuisine isn't gonna hurt ya any worse than their fast food cheats. :).
  • vltaylor35
    vltaylor35 Posts: 72
    good on calories but full of rubbish. i dont think they are good for your body at all so i stay clear of all ready meals. much better to make your own meals and eat left overs or make a big batch of something, divide into portion sizes and freeze so its convenient for when you want it. i do this with healthy chilli, bolognase, low fat turkey curry and a few other things
  • karylee44
    karylee44 Posts: 892
    i used to eat them all the time.. but since i started eating fresh foods.. i can't stand the weird taste of them..

    i say make things you can reuse.. say a chicken.. you can make soup one day, fajitas, pot pie, stirfry, chicken salad.. something new each day from only really cooking once. :)
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    I love them in a pinch. My husband works 16 hour days, he is ill, my mom has alzheimers, I try to help out with my grandkids, etc, etc. and it's nice to have a few of the frozen meals in the freezer! No one else eats them but me but when I'm crazy busy, home alone, etc. , the extra sodium and carbs in them don't matter to me. I KNOW that the calorie count is low enough and it's worth the convenience. I don't eat them everyday but I'm sure the occasional frozen dinner wont hurt me!
    My favs are the thai spring rolls and the salmon with basil. Both are high in sodium but they are pretty tasty and filling.
  • ollyflo
    ollyflo Posts: 3
    Absolute rubbish. Save your money. Its so quick and easy to make a vegetable soup, tinned tuna salad, etc.
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,552 Member
    When I don't have time to cook, these work OK - not great, just "OK".....
    Do not make this the staple of your food intake.
    For optimal health, clean eating is best.
    And that's lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
    Simple - good luck :flowerforyou:
    [/quot

    I agree!
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,552 Member
    I agree!
  • TexanThom
    TexanThom Posts: 778
    I love them, eat one every day. To the people that don't like the way some people live their lives....Go eat a radish. (Go eat a radish=kiss my ***)
  • cfunk4g
    cfunk4g Posts: 1 Member
    I eat them only as a last resort or for a quick meal replacement in a hurry. I would rather eat "real" food, try grilling up a bunch of chicken, but some bagged salads and when you need a quick meal there you go. I usually grill a couple lbs of chicken on Sunday just to have it in the fridge for the week. Good luck.
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    Lean cuisines are, in my opinion, too expensive to be really worth it. I can make a 500 calorie meal (tilapia, brown rice, and steamed broccoli, for example) for a lot less money. If time (not money) is the issue, try cooking a lot of food at once and then freezing it in portions. It's easy to set aside one day (like a weekend when your hubby is home) and do all the cooking for the week then. It takes a few hours, but then you don't have to worry about cooking ALL week long!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    They are expensive, don't taste very good and aren't very filling.
  • emuhawk
    emuhawk Posts: 62 Member
    I eat Lean Cuisine (or something similar) most days during the work week for lunch. Yes, they have more sodium than some options, which is why I watch my sodium intake elsewhere. For me they're inexpensive, quick, and easy to buy in bulk and store -- all things I need. I say if you like the taste and it fills you up (both true for me), go for it.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Throw them away.

    this

    take some responsibility and eat real food. many people justify eating this crap by saying they are just too busy. thats bs. its because they are lazy

    Wow. Judgemental much? I eat them. Not every day, but I eat them. I work outside the home and have two small children. Sorry if you don't consider that to be "busy" but I'm on the move from the moment my youngest wakes up (usually between 5-6am) to the moment they hit the sack. Don't judge a book by it's cover. You never know what a person's day is like.
    Wow, yeah I'd say judgemental! Spend days on end at hospitals with ill family members, try to fit in exercise, work, laundry, all of the yardwork, home maintenance AND then come home and prepare a meal from scratch? Yeah, I guess on those days I'm lazy when it comes to my meal but there is such thing as mental and physical exhaustion and I pray you never get there!
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    I also actually buy them because I find coupons and our Kroger often has deals on them, where if you buy a certain number, they are under $2 a meal. I buy the breakfast ones for my husband because he works a very early summer shift right now. So after my coupons, they come out to about $1.75 a meal. I am still not recommending them over "real" food, but they are great in a crunch.
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
    It is hard in your position. I do not have children or a job (I'm in college for 36 hours a week, with about 4 hours a day homework) but it seems impossible to "set aside" some time to cook for a week or a month. Instead of lean cuisine, my go-to lunch is sandwiches. I buy low fat/low sugar all natural peanut butter, 100% whole wheat bread, and buy preserves at the store. Or I'll get some lean cuts of meat, low-fat cheese (the real stuff, not processed), fat free miracle whip, and make a sandwich. Or egg salad, scrambled eggs, sloppy joe, fresh tomatoes, etc. Whatever I can put on bread, it goes on bread. I know I have better options but I don't have the time (also I need something that can sit in my 100 degree car for 5 hours waiting for me to eat it that doesn't need heating). I've found that sandwiches can be very versatile and filling. I usually put some fresh fruit or vegetable as my "side". It takes about the same amount of time as a frozen meal, but I think it's a lot better.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I'm a SAHM with 3 kids under 4 years old. I go to school two days a week and am constantly busy with homework, housework, etc. I make time to make healthy food from scratch. It's cheaper, healthier, more filling, and more delicious.

    My lunches are generally leftovers because we often have one or two servings left and my husband doesn't usually eat them. If there aren't leftovers, I'll make a sandwich, burrito, quesadilla, salad, etc.
  • elle18287
    elle18287 Posts: 267 Member
    Throw them away.

    this

    take some responsibility and eat real food. many people justify eating this crap by saying they are just too busy. thats bs. its because they are lazy

    Wow. Judgemental much? I eat them. Not every day, but I eat them. I work outside the home and have two small children. Sorry if you don't consider that to be "busy" but I'm on the move from the moment my youngest wakes up (usually between 5-6am) to the moment they hit the sack. Don't judge a book by it's cover. You never know what a person's day is like.
    Wow, yeah I'd say judgemental! Spend days on end at hospitals with ill family members, try to fit in exercise, work, laundry, all of the yardwork, home maintenance AND then come home and prepare a meal from scratch? Yeah, I guess on those days I'm lazy when it comes to my meal but there is such thing as mental and physical exhaustion and I pray you never get there!


    Yeah there is no room for judgement here. Of course we all want to cook our meals from scratch each day and eat clean. This just isn't reasonable for 99% of people and I won't feel bad about that. Eat on frozen meal lovers, eat on.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    In my opinion....If you just want a quick something to grab and go b/t going, going, going...I say go for it...It's much better than going through a quick drive thru and messing up your whole day....I understand being to busy to cook so eat them when needed...It is also better than not eating at all by far!! :)


    ETA:You said it's only on occasion anyway...You are not eating them daily(I don't think some people realize this part of what you said) and since you are just asking about Lean Cuisine's anyway...To me they taste okay but like others have said Healthy Choice is better tasting and more filling...Try different ones and see which ones you like most for those times they are a must have...

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