Lean Cuisines..

Bad for you or good? I sort of live off them but I see CC gave a lot of them no higher then a B scoring. Is there's something I'm missing?

High sodium content..love them anyway though!

yeah theyre pretty much god in a small black pan.

Eat fresh, whole foods and fresh, lean meats primarily.

Though low cal, those Lean Cuisine meals are processed and packed with preservatives, sodium, and artificial ingredients, just like every other boxed meal.

blech.  overprocessed, overpriced, and unsatisfying.

Sure, the food purists will tell you that you should eat real food-and I agree, except that a lot of the time Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice are your best bet because you don't have time to spend in the kitchen. I heat them with a full cup of frozen vegetables. There is generally enough sauce (and sodium! no need to add salt!) for the whole thing,  it ups the nutritional value, and hey, you eat more food and stay full longer.  

Original Post by katiimenya:

yeah theyre pretty much god in a small black pan.

 LOL! "god is small black pan"  Everyone hit the reasons they get the lower nutritional score.  I too resort to eating the lean cuisines, smart ones, and healthy choice on far more occasions that I probably should, but like Gunnercade said, they are often your best bet when you don't have time to spend in the kitchen.  I do the same thing, always add additional veggies (fresh or frozen, but usually frozen - green beans, my fav) as well as a fruit.  I look back at my food logs and found during my crunch weeks I probably eat a lean cuisine every day for lunch and sometimes for dinner too (eek!).  However I do try to balance it out the rest of the week with more wholesome, whole-grains, lean protein choices and while the sodium is high (and for me the protein amount is low) I still come in far under the average for sodium intake within a week.  So, I'm saying the same thing as everyone else, for me they are better choices then the fast food option, but obviously not as great for you as if you prepared a meal from scratch.  

I think that Smart Ones have a better taste! But I got tired of eating all of them lol

I have them 1-2 times a week at work.  I usually add about 2 servings of frozen veggies to them to make them more satisfying and to get in more veggies during the day.  Like everything, it's probably not TOO bad in moderation.

great Idea!!

They are great for a quick, low cal meal. To get more healthy benefits, I always buy the ones that say they have twice the veggies, or at least a full serving of veggies.

Ive always wanted to try them because I HATE cooking but Im too cheap to buy them because EVERYTHING is way over priced in my tiny town.

Kashi also makes great frozen meals. The Chicken Florentine is my favorite. They have tons of whole grains, and I find them more filling than the Lean Cuisine. Still high in sodium like the others, but they taste more like real food to me.

Original Post by heathmarpar:

Kashi also makes great frozen meals. The Chicken Florentine is my favorite. They have tons of whole grains, and I find them more filling than the Lean Cuisine. Still high in sodium like the others, but they taste more like real food to me.

 I eat Kashi at work. Lemongrass chicken my favorite.

Can't say they taste great, but it's better than grease-dripping burgers they sell around the corner, bleah.

EWWIE! I hate those things!!!!! Try not to add any unnecessary sodium to your diet though, when eating a lot of them

Like another poster said, adding your own fresh/frozen veggies will help make them more satisfying and add a punch to the nutrition of the meal.

Although, I can eat like 3 of those pans and not feel a bit satisfied. Lol.

Original Post by heathmarpar:

Kashi also makes great frozen meals. The Chicken Florentine is my favorite. They have tons of whole grains, and I find them more filling than the Lean Cuisine. Still high in sodium like the others, but they taste more like real food to me.

 Kashi always gives me really stinky burps =/  I suppose fiber will do that to a girl!

Lean Cusines =yummy, I'm single and I don't cook much so I eat them about 3 times a week, they  are a god send! The BBQ Chicken pizza is the best. But full of preservatives-I will eat a small side salad with them and V-8 juice... 

have to be really aware! i read an article that says that their nutritional content varies from time to time and might not be accurate. aint sure how true isit though. but it rocks, nevertheless!:D

Really? I did not know that flyingmuffins....I love them though...I've tried other brands (except Kashi) and Lean Cuisines really help in a time crunch.

i would advise to stay far away from pre-packaged meals. although relatively low-cal, they are packed with sodium and other nasty preservatives that have their side effects. I would recommend eating a very clean diet, its better for your mind and body. Although time consuming and more expensive, cooking foods from fresh organic ingredients will make you feel so much better

i saw that too about the b rating .  I know they are high in sodium and i try to balance them out with fresh foods but i always still end up eating a few of them a week. i have tried to make some of my favorties fresh and see how they add up. the only one that is pretty easy to replicate for me is the santa fe style rice and beans...and man is it good!

 

:)