Lean Cuisine...How many of you eat them?

Hi everyone!

I am new to this board but I love all the advice everyone gives! I was just wondering how many of you eat LC meals? I eat 2 a day for lunch and dinner. But I always eat a big salad with mine at dinner. So does anyone eat the meals? Thanks! :)

~Lyndsey

Sorry no...  I find they never resemble the picture on the box, they're overpriced and they're really undersized.   To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee... 'you can live on it, but it tastes like snit'

I have dieted and gained and lost weight several times, and all my  past diets always included the frozen LC, or Smartones, etc meals. Well this time aorund, I have decided not to eat any of them!  I have been on my life style change for 2 months and I Have lost 32lbs so far, and haven't ate any of the meals.  It's is more heatly, actually less calories, and far less preserviatves and sodium,  when I fix my own meals- and more fresh!

In my opinion I think it is easier to keep on your diet if you cook your own meals, and skip out on all the frozen dinners!

I do eat them from time to time. They are good to grab when you are on the go.

I would be careful eating them so much, especially for two meals a day! They usually have a very high sodium content. If you are going to eat frozen meals Kashi has some really good ones. Your body needs fresh fruit, and vegetables along with protein. I would try not to eat them as often, but that's just me. Good luck!

Used to eat particular ones quite a bit at work for lunch, but now they're rarely on sale, and I now have more time to cook, not so much anymore - so now I spend more time eating yummy leftovers.  

I have my favorites - some are suprisingly good, some of them suck.  I never harbored any expectations that the contents of any packaged food would ever match the picture on the box, so it's not like I was overly disappointed, even with the sucky ones.

I reserve them for the rare occasion when I'm really craving a taste for something that I know I'll go overboard on should I eat the standard version, such as pizza, sweet and sour chicken, pasta, etc.  The LQ portions are so small, I find that when I do eat one, I eat it slowly so I can savor the meal -- always with an added side of fresh fruits and/or veggies.

I'll indulge maybe once a month in a so-called 'healthy' frozen meal.  Otherwise, I stick to clean eating as much as possible.  I've found that it takes just as little time to grill a salmon fillet, or steam some fresh veggies, as it does to spend the 5-10 minutes on a frozen meal (more filling and less expensive too!).

Thank you all so much for your relpy's. I have been having such a hard time trying to figure out what I can eat and what not that I just stuck with LC meals. They are so much easier to count the calories. But I have heard good and I have heard bad things about them so I have been debating giving them up. I forgot to metion that I eat lots of fruits and veggies for snacks. I eat every 2 hours.

Goingtolookgood...I sent you a message. :)

I do sometimes, some of the frozen meals are good, but u just have to watch the sodium, i bought a couple of boston market tv dinners, and both had over 40% sodium.. i could literally smell the salt on the stuff before i even put it in the mcirowave.. gross!

I eat them at least a few times a week, because guess what? I like them. There's nothing wrong with eating them except the sodium. The size may be unappealing to some, but now that I have grown accustomed to smaller portion sizes it isn't that bad especially when you eat other balanced meals.

Some days when you are stuck for time you just don't want to have a sandwich everyday. Haha. Tv dinners are really no different then what Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig and the such are promoting off.

Also this makes it easier for the person starting a diet or doesn't quite get serving sizes and the such. It's a great way to learn. Some people just don't want to have to sit and measure all of their foods so this makes it much easier for them.

So hey girl, if you enjoy them the sizes don't bother you and you're pressed for time then nothings is wrong with these meals. Just make sure your other meals are more towards the low sodium side and drink plenty of fluids. :)

in general, i skip all frozen food.  the one exception to that rule is frozen pizza, which i usually have several times a week.  i aim for thin crust, multigrain pies with lots of veggies on them, and usually only have 1/2 a pie along with a big salad. 

amy's has a great low sodium spinach pizza, which i think is about 400 calories.  other favorites include the kashi pizzas.

I'm a teacher and several of my co-workers & I depend on them a couple times a week.  We know the sodium is high, but the junk they serve in the caf - even the teacher's lounge is high in sodium and HIGH in fat, so when you don't have time to make something or put together leftovers they are dependable.  Eeryone has at least 2 spares in the fridge at work. Supplementing w/ salad and fruit is great.  You might want to try to wean yourself from 7 days though.  My husband & I usually throw 6 chicken breasts in the oven every Sun night and buy lettuce & tomato so we can throw together a salad a couple times a week.  We make it at night & take it to work the next day.  Another thing I like is having fat free yogurt & blueberries.  You can add 1/4 tsp splenda if the berries are too tart.  VERY filling.  I use the Greek yogurts, w/ 0% fat because I figure I get enough fat everywhere else.

Good Luck!

I avoid it. Not filling, expensive, tastes bad, tons of sodium.

UD

I eat them several times a week for lunch! I know that the sodium is high,  but I still think it is a far better cry than Fast Food!

If they are on offer and I need a warm lunch then i will have Weight Watchers or Supermarket brand ready meals. Pureply because i am SICK of soup. I have eaten enough soup in the last year to sink quite a sizeable ship.... i can't stomach any more.... I can't even be bothered to cook anymore soup and i love cooking!!

blech.  i used to eat them, but i got better.

I do eat them every now and then, but I've realized I can eat more food for about the same calories if i make it myself. If im really in a bind I will eat them.

The ones i've come across aren't very high calories?? I've never eaten one over 400 cals... which i don't think is that bad for lunch...

Out of curiosity, I went to the Calorie Count page to see how the Lean Cuisine meals were graded.  I expected to see mostly D's, but was surprised to see mostly C's with a couple of B's and a few D's.

Still not the healthiest options out there, but they aren't quite as bad as I expected.

I still avoid them as much as possible since 'convienence' and not taking the time to prepare or plan ahead for meals are excuses that contributed to my getting to be over 400 pounds.  Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT saying that the frozen meals were the culprits..... my denial and excuses are what led to me being unhealthy.   

I have them for dinner every night because I don't have an oven/stove. I only have a microwave. So everything I eat, is usually packaged and crap.

I also have a salad with mine.

I eat anywhere from 1 to 3 a week. I love butternut squash ravioli and sesame stir fry with chicken. 

They make pretty good paninis too, but I try to get the ones with lots of veggies.

I have them for dinner every night.  I love them, they taste good, low in calories and fat, and are quick and easy.  I don't have time to cook "real" food when I get home.  Plus, I can know exactly how many calories I am getting, which is VERY important to me.  I don't have to worry if my three ounces of chicken has a little fat on it or not, etc. 

I don't watch sodium at all.  I add salt to lean cuisines, lol.  I have spoken to my doctor about sodium, and she said since my blood pressure is low, and I am healthy, I don't need to worry about it.  I LOVE salt, lol.