As we all know, home cooked is the way to go. It's healthier, it's fresh, it's delicious, and we can control what we put in it and thus what we put in our bodies. But some days there just isn't enough time. Even if you batch cook, your batch runs and you just don't feel like cooking. Whatever the reason, you need a quick, healthy option.
Enter the frozen dinner.
Healthy Choice
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| Stuffing! |
When I'm in a crunch for time, I usually go for Healthy Choice dinners. They tend to be fairly well balanced with a good amount of protein and vegetables.
Pros
1.) Healthy Choice tends to have more complete meals. They include a lean protein, complex carb, vegetables, and even a dessert!
2.) This turkey dinner contains 18 grams of lean protein to help support recovery and lean muscle.
3.) 8 grams of fiber to support digestive and heart health while keeping you full!
4.) Since all the food is pre-measured, it's easy to keep calories in check.
5.) 720 mg of potassium! This is essential for proper cell function, heart health, and overall hydration and many other processes!
Cons
1.) It may or may not fit your calorie needs for a meal. However, because it is pre-measured, tracking is easy.
2.) Price. At $4 a pop they don't seem that expensive but it can add up over time.
3.) It's just not as good as homemade! In a pinch, frozen dinners can be a solution but in the long run they just don't taste as good and you can't control what they are made with.
Lean Cuisine
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| Almonds on the fresh green beans, nice touch! |
Pros
1.) Customizable! There was no main carbohydrate source which allows you to add your own and at 190 kcalories, there is plenty of room in your "calorie budget" to add some quality carbs.
2.) Veggies! I always saw that Healthy Choice had the largest serving of vegetables but Lean Cuisine's Turkey Dinner blew Healthy Choice's vegetable portion out of the water! There were plenty of green beans to enjoy! They were also more fresh than the green beans in the Healthy Choice dinner.
3.) Fiber! With 4 grams of fiber and the ability to add your own whole grain, there will be plenty of fiber to keep you full.
4.) Again, everything is pre-measured. As long as you have the right portion of whole grains, you're good to go!
5.) With 15 grams of protein and more coming from the whole grains, you'll be supporting lean muscle and recovery from your workouts!
Cons
1.) Incomplete. If you want a complete meal with all the fixins, Healthy Choice is your choice. If you want a customizable meal, Lean Cuisine is the best bet. So this con may actually be a pro.
2.) Price. It adds up.
3.) It just doesn't stack up against homemade.
The Gist
It's generally ideal to have homemade, but when you're in a pinch or you just don't feel like cooking, Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine can help you stay on track and decompress!
I hope these articles help. Let me know what you think on our Facebook page. Share and help those around you be healthy and honor God!
Love God, love people.
-Chris
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