Frozen dinners.
Dinner for one.
Dinner for none.
Dinner for the lonely.
Okay so I'll admit it, I eat frozen dinners. I started eating them as a way to make sure I didn't over eat and not be eating fast food. Reality: too much sodium. I drink a lot of water but I don't need that extra salt in my diet. I don't add salt to my food, maybe black pepper, so I am not fond of seeing 1,000 mg of sodium in my food.
I find them quick and easy when I'm in a hurry at work, since we cannot predict how busy we will be, frozen dinners are easy. One of the ladies I worked with, she now has since retired, referred to them as: fresh frozen. *giggle* Yup, fresh frozen. We'd ask around if anyone was going to get something and most of us would reply, "No, I'm going to have a fresh frozen".
As disgusting as frozen dinners used to be, I have found some that are quite edible! I remember eating a frozen dinner when I was younger, because I was in a hurry, and it was D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G!!!! The box made it look so appealing and yummy. In reality, it was bland, gross and soggy. Why does frozen dinners get so soggy??? I could be the fact that our microwave at home is almost as old as I am.
Frozen dinners have become much nicer, healthier, and tastier. Here are a few that I found that are worth eating, once in awhile. There will be a few listed as the end that are NOT worth your time. *ick*
#1 Atkins Crust less Chicken Pot Pie
I was looking for something that didn't have too much bread in it, I'm not much of a bread person but some days I just want some good white bread and butter. This crust less pot pie is really decent for frozen meals. It has plenty of chicken and some good veggies in it. I think there is too much chicken and not enough veggies. I know the Atkins diet is all about protein and no carbs. I feel that some carbs are good, not too many, and too much protein can make you gassy and mess with your digestive system.
I have to admit, the chicken is lean and no hard spots, the veggies taste like veggies and over all it has alot of flavor. When I don't care for is the insane amount of sodium. Just over 1,000 mg of sodium, I need to drink more water. I would recommend this if you want a pot pie without the crust as a treat, but not a regular frozen dinner.
#2 Chicken Ranch Flat Bread Melt
This one I have once in awhile when I want a fast sand which. I noticed Lean Cuisine doesn't use alot of meat, too much veggies. At least the calories are within a good portion for a decent diet. This one has 370 calories and only 600 mg of sodium. This is nearly half of what the Atkins Crust less Chicken Pot Pie is!
It's okay in taste, about a 3 star, but the bread gets a bit soggy sometimes if you don't take it out of the microwave fast enough. I think it would be better in a toaster oven than the microwave. There could be more use of chicken but again or 370 calories, it's decent.
#3 Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken
This photo is a realistic photo of what it really looks like.
This is what the box looks like. This one from a previous year of breast cancer awareness. The box makes the food look WAY better than it is.
I like the noodles, not too starchy and sticky. There could be more veggies in this meal. I think the manufacturer only puts in a couple of veggies. At times the chicken pieces are good or sometimes they're terrible. Once I found a gross piece that was not edible at all. I think that was caused by the old microwave. At work, where the microwave is within the last five years, it's decent.
I like that they don't add any extra preservatives in Lean Cuisine dinners. I am allergic to MSG and found I will break out in a rash from dinners with too much MSG.
#4 Hungry Man Pub Favorites: Honey Bourbon Chicken Strips with Mashed Potatoes and Corn
I love greasy food sometimes. Yes my body will hate me later for it but it's okay once in awhile. I found this one slightly appealing. I know, it's one of the grosser dinners out there but the chicken is pretty good. The potatoes are decent but the corn is well mushy. I like crispy corn, real fresh corn. When I make homemade soup, I usually buy corn on the cob and use a "corn zipper" and cut corn from there and add it to my soup. The corn is nice and crispy, adding a different texture that you can't get from frozen or canned corn.
I noticed the cheaper frozen dinners I tend to break out in a rash on my throat after eating them. I don't like that and I especially don't like scratching my arms because the MSG is bothering me. I don't remember breaking out in a terrible rash from this dinner but I'll stay away from it. As tasty as it may be, I don't need a trip to the E.R.
#5 Banquet Chicken Fingers Meal
In my local Wal-Mart these dinners around $1.00 USD. Okay, so the meal is cheap and okay tasting. It has a lot of sodium in it, I can taste it, but it's okay for a cheap frozen dinner. My favorite part is the brownie. Every time I hear the word I giggle because I keep thinking of how Colorado and Washington State legalized marijuana! Stupid to giggle about but there were some photos on Facebook about Santa not eating the brownies left out.
The BIG problem with this meal is after eating it a few times, different ones mind you, I was scratching on my arms and my neck. This would indicate to me there is a large amount of MSG in the product that is causing me to scratch. So sad because I really enjoyed watching the brownie rise and it's fluffy texture.
I'd say to go on Pinterest and find some really good crock pot dinners or the dinners that you freeze. Those are better in nutrition and you can modify how much sodium is in your dinner. As well you can add whatever extra veggies and meat you want. I watch some www.youtube.com videos from Japan and Korea that have some great recipes that are healthy and I can eat.
Good luck everyone, stay healthy!
M.J.
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