Smart Ones - Are they really?

When I first got back on CC about 6 weeks ago, I switched from sandwich wraps to salads with chicken. This wasn't cutting it for me. Wasn't satisfied at all and ended up eating too many chips to fill me up later. Anyway, that's not the point.

I decided to try some "healthy" frozen meals for lunch. I figured they would be quick (I only get about 20 minutes to prepare and eat my lunch) and filling and would offer a lot of varieties. I picked "Smart Ones" because they have the Weight Watchers logo on the package, so I figured they HAD to be healthy.

It seems like they have a lot of sodium, but I don't think I eat too much sodium throughout the day so I'm not really concerned about that.

My question is this - is there something I'm missing? Easy to make, a wide variety of meals, low calorie, very filling, satisfying, etc. They seem too good to be true.

Is it bad to eat one for lunch 5 days a week?

I'm really naive about nutrition so I really appreciate your input.

If you dont have sodium problems or blood pressure its not bad and I wouldnt worry about it. Smart ones are actually my lunch of choice this week cause they were on sale. I like the mini pizza and I have the ravioli florintine to make still. They did fail with the mac and cheese though that was completely tasteless but filling. All the prepackaged meals usually are high in sodium you cant escape that.

Personally, I prefer Lean Cuisine, or the Safeway Eating Right brand -- but they are all pretty similar.  Mostly too high in sodium and usually a little deficient in fiber.

But -- if they work -- then go ahead.  I ate lots of these en route to my weight loss, and suffered no ill affects.

Less processed is best, of course -- but we do what we can do and hope to move on from there at some point.

Original Post by gem86:

They did fail with the mac and cheese though that was completely tasteless but filling. 

Oh my gosh, I know what you mean! It was the first one I had. I was so excited to try it and so let down, even with lots of pepper on it.

Thanks for the advice, both of you. coach_k, glad to know they worked for you!

I eat a Smart Ones or Lean Cuisine meal every day for lunch.  They're controlled portions, it's filling and mostly tasty.  Actually, my favorite frozen meals are the Kashi--they're ridiculously tasty and have more fiber, but they're a bit pricey.

I think as long as you're watching your sodium in your other meals (the "analyze" tool is great for that) they're not bad. 

Having a hot lunch with lots of protein is the only way I can keep from snacking throughout the day, a sandwich jsut does not cut it for me.

I prefer the Lean Cuisines as some others said, but yeah, for the most part they are a bit high in sodium, and typically have more carbs and less protein than I would like. 

But I eat them a few times per week for dinner. 

HOnestly the Lean Cuisine mac and cheese is not bad at all in my opinion.  certainly not as creamy as it might be... but a good substitute in my book. 

Smart Ones® Pineapple Beef Teriyaki

Cooked beef (beef, beef stock, and less than 2% modified cornstarch, dextrose, salt, sodium phosphates, hydrolyzed soy protein, beef flavor [beef broth, monosodium phosphate, flavor, beef tallow], autolyzed yeast extract, caramel color, spice extractives), cooked enriched white rice (water, enriched rice [white rice, ferric orthophosphate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid]), water, pineapple, bell peppers (red, green), carrots, brown sugar, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt, alcohol, vinegar, lactic acid), contains 2% or less of: soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt, alcohol), pineapple juice concentrate, cornstarch, garlic puree, onions, canola oil, spices, paprika, flavors, xanthan gum.

Hm, by looking at the ingredients label... I can see A LOT OF ingredients that have no need in your body...

- Dextrose

- Modified Corn Starch

- Corn Starch

- Autolyzed Yeast Extract

- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

- White Rice

- Brown Sugar

- Soy & Canola (but this is up for debate - but in my research these ingredients are no good)...

*Eating these meals is up to you, but I just wanted to make you aware that there are unnatural ingredients lurking in all of these frozen, quick & easy meals...

*There are healthy quick meals out there though... why not get a can or pouch of wild salmon & pour the contents on some bagged green or frozen steam veggies in the single size packet (since you have a microwave and all to cook these other meals)... And then you can drizzle the concoction with olive oil (if around) or use mustard as a "dressing"...

*Oh and in this beef dish... there is ABSOLUTELY NO FIBER (and LOADS of SALT!!)! If you do decide to continue eating these meals, you need a side salad at least!

I eat like one or two frozen meals a week although its stocked high in my freezer... haha bought them at a sale. Anyhoo I never really find them (I think I like healthy choice out of all the 3.. I usually eat Lean cuisine though, stock up on it during sales) that tasty or filling. I mean I'll eat it when I have no time to cook but I think making your own food and bringing it to work might be a better healthier decision. Then again people don't really have time for stuff like that....

There are worse things to eat, by comparison to eating out at fast food joints it's really healthy.  By comparison to making your own frozen meals it's very unhealthy.  If you have the time one day a week and a bit of freezer space you can easily cook a pot of brown rice, broil some chicken breast and toss in your favorite frozen veggies, then it's ready to be reheated and it's guaranteed to be something that you like to eat.  Sauces are usually overrated imo, but a bit of mustard or a dressing wouldn't be amiss.

When I'm completely out of time I typically pick up frozen meals from Trader Joe's.  I highly recommend their chicken burritos and their vegetarian lasagna.

Original Post by delaney86:

I decided to try some "healthy" frozen meals for lunch. I figured they would be quick (I only get about 20 minutes to prepare and eat my lunch) and filling and would offer a lot of varieties. I picked "Smart Ones" because they have the Weight Watchers logo on the package, so I figured they HAD to be healthy.

I think you may be confusing low calorie for healthy. They are definitely NOT the same thing. High calorie foods can be nutritionally dense and wonderfully healthy, and low calorie processed foods are often nutritionally void and full of junk additives.

As for the wraps, I think they're ok but not great. You could do better (eg, a less processed food with less additives) but you could also do worse.

Well, I personally try not to consume/buy frozen meals too much because of the sodium and additives to it but if I do, I tend to try to supplement it with more veggies if possible. Sort of try to "balance" it out, ha.

Take the Lean Cuisine Mac-n-Cheese for example, I'd throw in a cup of broccoli in it and some sliced cherry/grape tomatoes, pretty good with crushed red pepper flakes and cracked pepper. I also do that with the pizzas, add some baby spinach or broccoli on top, even on the veggie pizzas because I feel like it isn't enough! You really could do that with a lot of the frozen entrees.

Stay away from the jasmine rice from lean cuisine.  unless you like the super flowery (rose like) flavor.  It was way to strong.

I have a few that I use on days the family is having something I didn't budget for and I'm starving. I might eat one every 3 months. and I add to them as others have said.

Why did you stop the wraps? there are good low carb (=low cal around 80) wraps that are full of fiber (I like Joseph's at the deli) and you can stuff them full of veggies, grilled meats (leftovers) and a drizzle of low cal dressing.  If you can't find joseph's the other brand I like is "It'z a wrap" they are a little smaller for the same cals. 

You could also do half a wrap and some soup. now that it's starting to get cold here that's what I will be doing. 

Ideally you shouldnt eat frozen packaged foods anyway, all the chemicals and preservative crap it has in it. But i guess if its within your calorie limit then its ok, but i highly disadvise you to eat it 5 days out of the week.

Original Post by niccole-abel:

Why did you stop the wraps? 

I just got tired of and bored with them. I would just have a wrap with mayo, provolone, deli chicken, lettuce and tomato. I really like tomato wraps but they are impossible to find where I live, so I was stuck with some pretty bland ones.

I saw an interesting TV 'experiment' once ('Diet Doctors') where they set a fit, slim, healthy, female aerobics instructor the task of eating nothing but ready-made foods (like Lean Cuisines) for two weeks.   Her normal diet was pretty typically healthy...veggies, salads, fresh foods, grains.  Usual stuff.

After two weeks she had actually gained 7lbs, and several inches around the waist...  this despite carrying on with her job as an instructor and her usual exercise activities. She found the ready-made foods were not as satisfying as her normal diet so she ended up eating more than she planned just to feel full.  The salt content had contributed to the increase in waist measurement.  And she wasn't feeling good in other ways... constipation, for example.

Now that's a TV experiment and it was an unrealistic set up i.e. ready-made foods 24/7 rather than just lunch.  But I think it's worth noting.  Keep the frozen meals as occasional treats rather than trying to live off them... choose fresh foods the rest of the time.  If you make your own sandwiches etc., you can tailor them just how you like them

Oh dear. That is very discouraging..

As I said, it was an unrealistic exercise done for TV, although the reason for doing it was that the 'patient' on that week's programme was a woman who genuinely ate almost nothing but ready-made foods and couldn't work out why she was fat, bloated and had no energy.  There is always a trade-off for convenience...  

I think the lesson to take away is 'everything in moderation'.   If you had a frozen dinner on Monday, make sandwiches Tuesday,  a pasta salad Wednesday, a filled pitta Thursday and another frozen dinner Friday.... that kind of thing would work, no problem.  Eat fresh foods at your other meals and it would be a good balance.

I actually make my own frozen meals by cooking spare portions of regular food.  Chilli Con Carne is a favourite.... heated up at the office with a wholemeal pitta it's a really nice change from sandwiches and I know it's quite healthy because I made it myself..

I perfer healthy choice meals. They have about the same calorie content, but there is more food, and aklways some vegetables with it. If you are watching your sugar, you can just not eat the little dessert that comes with it, but in general, they seem to be better nutrition wise form what Ive read on labels compared with SO and LC. I feel much more satisfied. Plus, they are only about $2 each at Wal-Mart. LCs cost more where I go.

For a change in your wraps try using hummus instead of mayo.  lots of flavors to pick from.  use leftovers as your fillings grilled/roasted chicken. ground turkey meat w/ a sprinkle of taco seasoning. even grilled eggplant. 

what if you did     frozen meals on Monday (busy day)      tuesday dinner leftovers,       ;        wed. super filled wraps,      &nb sp;             thur. salad with loads of veggies,deli meat, hard boil egg whites, shredded cheese.(like a chef salad)      &nb sp;     fri.  dinners choice. 

I  LOVE frozen dinners, so I'm not bashing on them here, but you could always try the time-honored tradition of making something on sunday and dividing it into freezer containers for easy lunch-microwaving throughout the week.  Maybe have 2 lunches of that, 2 wraps, and 1 frozen meal.   Or switch those numbers any way you want.  You WILL get tired of frozen meals.  (Try the spinach lasange though).

Alternatively, I'll just spout some wrap stuff at you.

Tomatoes + good mozzarella cheese + spinach + oil = wonderful wrap

Tuna salad with chopped peppers

broccoli ground up with ham in a blender

pepperoni and spinach (lots of spinach!  I love spinach)

PS- flatout wraps are only 100 calories, so you can fill them with even more stuff.

If you want to change things up, try miracle whip instead of mayo.  Gives everything a sweet taste.