Frozen Healthy Choice meals

As a full time college student and working full time I don't always have time to make myself lunch for work. I pick up frozen Healthy Choice meals that have 340 calories or less to eat when I forget the lunch. I recently heard that those meals have something in them that don't help you to loose weight because the company wants people to continue to buy their food.

Anyone heard of this?

Tanya

no, if anything i think they might be talking about the sodium content or something on the ingredients list, but a lot of people have lost wieght off eating portion controlled frozen meals. its helped me, too

Ive bought some too, (trying to learn portion control) and they seem alright to me.

I havent heard this and it seems like this would actually work against them.  They want you lose weight with their food so you continue to buy it.  Perhaps a rumour begun by marketing for Lean Cusine? :D

I have heard about sodium content also. However, I am a big fan of the frozen food. I eat lean cuisines, healthy choice, smart ones. I love them.

My friend Leisa used them to lose weight.

Michelle

Actually, one of the things unique about Healhty Choice dinners is that they are lower in salt and fat then other TV dinners.

This is uncomman with frozen dinners.

I don't like any of the frozen dinner brands, except Amy's, or another organic type.  Healthy Choice tastes particularly nasty to me, and doesn't keep me full.  I taste the sodium in every bite, and they just don't taste good to me at all.  The meat always has a weird texture to me, and I'd rather make a fresh salad and eat that than buy a HC or LC 'dinner'.

I like this brand and find the portion size good.   It's easy and tasty.    I have not heard anything about strange additives.  I think they would want people to think if they eat their frozen dinners we would lose weight.  That would be a huge marketing point for them. 

If you eat frozen food three times a day, that might be too much sodium. But I think it's totally okay if it's just for lunch once in a while.

Sodium does not only cause water retension, it's not good for the kidney either.

the only complaint I have about them is the skimpy portion of vegetables.  Most of the calories seem to be in the various sauces, and in the starch portion.  If you can add some raw veggies, a serving of a fat free dairy product, and a piece of fruit to your meal it will be more balanced

I haven't heard of or seen any problems with them myself, other than the sodium which is a typical problem for any frozen or canned food.  Personaly I prefer the Lean Cuisine meals, though there are a few Healthy Choice and SmartOnes that I don't mind.  I've gotten where I mostly prefer to cook my own foods, especially for dinner, but these can be handy for lunch, and since I don't cook much with salt the sodium in them has never been an issue.

As far as pizzas go, I think some of the Lean Cuisine ones actually microwave better even then any of the regular ones I've had.

Definetly choose Lean Cuisine pizzas over Healthy Choice's. hc's are good and all but lc's is just better, and i feel more full eating the brick oven style ones. im havin the bbq recipe chicken pizza tonite as a way to open the weekend (FINALLY)

I will have a HC dinner on occasion, always supplemented with my own fresh veggies. I am still hungry if I just eat the HC dinner.... and, frankly, would prefer less sauces and more food!

MOLLY

Mmm, the bbq chicken one is yum! Now you're making me wish I had one left in the freezer for dinner tonight ;)

(my other post was talking about the Pizzas from both lines)(lc's seem to taste better, but hc's seem to be bigger) EXCEPT for Lean Cuisine Dinnertime Selects- forgot to mention. i can't stop saying enough good things about 'em...my favorite (that ive tried) is Jumbo Rigatoni with meatballs :)

I know you asked this some time ago but for other people who come here.. here is what I know and don't know about this topic.

The people who are into Atkins say that "low fat" is code word for "carb additives" -- that when the fat is cut out, carbs are added in their place.

Of course, in a low carb diet, that is anethema. But in a low calorie diet, as long as the additive carb is healthy it should stil lbe better because one unit of carb still have about half the calories of a unit of fat.

I don't know for certain that they even add carbs -- sadly, it is hard to believe everything you hear from every diet organization, especially those who are convinced theirs in the only way to go (Atkins for me resulted in gall bladder surgery so I'm not so hot on it.

But i think that is probably where the rumor you heard got started.

I agree -- not enough veggies in HC but easy to solve with a nice mixed lettuce/spinach/tomato/onion/pepper, etc. salad or just the addition or more cooked. I'd add more fruit, too -- the helpings you get in the bigger HC are great for "hitting the spot" after you eat the rest of the meal, but probably shouldn't qualify as a fruit.