Frozen meals - not ideal but sometimes a day saver

[Grace]

I have several days a week that are just crazy, driving 4 hrs total, taking care of my MIL, her shopping, docs, etc.
I have found that of course those are the days it's hardest when I get home to make something healthy and low carb. I also seem to want comfort food the most (logical).
So I went looking for any frozen meals I can find that will still be within bounds so I don't mess up like last night and eat something that will make me sick all night :-(

I've only been to 2 sites - Lean Cuisine and WW Smart Ones - I found 5 meals I can just eat and 1 more I can work with. Would love to have you folks add to the list.
We know these aren't ideal as they have preservatives, etc, but there will be times it's just better to heat something up than not eat at all or eat things that make us sick. This is real life.

Lean Cuisine
Herb Roasted Chicken 170 cal, 19 carbs, 16 gms protein
Roasted Turkey and Vegetables 200 cal, 18 carbs, 16 gms protein
Roasted Garlic Chicken 170 cal, 11 carbs, 17 gms protein

Smart Ones
Slow Roasted Turkey Breast 200 cal, 17 carbs, 18 gms protein
Chicken Santa Fe 140 cal, 11 carbs, 20 gms protein

One I can "work" with...
Smart Ones
Chicken Parm (lose the pasta - values estimated) ~150 cal, 18 carbs, 23 gms protein

[Rae]

You might try making your own frozen meals. Cook up some chicken and place a portion it in a freezer bag with some seasoned veggies. Different veggies in each bag. Pull out of the freezer when you need it. Good luck!

[Grace]

Thanks Rae. I have been doing some cooking ahead but it seems I've gotten really lazy about cooking in general since the sleeve. If I can't enjoy it anymore, why bother?

[leeking]

Thank you for that. I try and live on chicken breast, trukey breast, etc. but every now and then crave something a little more. I might try part of one of these meals.I think it would be good to have one or two of these in the freezer, just to make sure I had something in case. What did you eat that made you sick?

[connie]

Thanks Grace for the info. I like corned beef hash, it comes in a can and you can add a egg to it. Very quick and easy. Since the can is so big I measured out I think 1/2 or 1/4 cup and put it in a little bag and froze it. I also made soup and froze it in 1/2 cup portions, I think they are Glad containers from WalMart.
Put some soup in your crock pot and let it cook all day---will give you a smile because your house smells so good and you can freeze single servings. OH--I also found KASHI - I think that is what they are---protein bars --- OH MY GOSH---they are the BOMB!!! quick and easy!! Hugs to you- Connie

[Grace]

Leeking - I made meat sauce with lean ground beef for hubby to have with ravioli. I had about 1/3 cup of the sauce/meat. Up all night. I've had tomato sauce on chicken so it had to be the beef. I'll try ground chicken next time and I bought some frozen turkey meatballs today.

Connie, I like the kashi golean, but with my carb issues, I can only eat 1/2 of one a day. Still they are good to have on hand in my purse. I bought some stew meat today. I'm going to put it in the crockpot and make some stew/soup, just meat and veggies. I'm not entirely sure I'll even be able to eat it because beef just isn't going down. If it does go down, I'll freeze 1/2 cup servings. But at least if I can't eat it, I can throw some potatoes in and hubby will eat it.

Sorry if I'm seeming negative I'm really trying to love this sleeve but at this point I really don't. I'm not a very patient person, unfortunately, and I want to stop having my whole life be about trying to get food down and just be able to eat, but less and get on with my life. Maybe in a few months. Talking to a therapist about it all.

[connie]

Grace, You are a week behind me---I KNOW exactly what you mean---I WANT TO LIVE AND STOP PAYING SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS!!! Well, it is so slow in getting here, I just started to feel a little of the comfortable that I have been so patiently waiting for. It will come---it is just change, and well, change is hard for everyone, WE CAN DO IT!!!!!!!! GO GRACE GO GRACE!!!! Hugs- Connie

[Grace]

Thanks dear Connie. I don't think I'd survive this with any semblance of sanity without you wonderful kind people.

[Susan Y]

I don't eat vegatables, so the only frozen dinner I eat is Stouffer's Baked Chicken Breast Entree. I think it is 240 calories. I've had them about 2 or 3 times since I had my sleeve in April. The carbs are a little high, but hey, I'm not eating them every day.

[joycelyn34]

hi Grace im sorry your having trouble but i to feel the same way slow in progression im3 months out and still struggling with eating so how how much of the chicken can you eat i to hope this shall pass

[Grace]

hi Grace im sorry your having trouble but i to feel the same way slow in progression im3 months out and still struggling with eating so how how much of the chicken can you eat i to hope this shall pass

Thanks. In general I can eat about 3-4 oz to be comfortable. 4 is where I feel too full. I try to aim for 3. I feel best when I eat 2 oz 5 times a day...

[joycelyn34]

so never the whole entree do you try anything else besides chicken im stuck not that much of options because of me nothing wanting my stomach to hurt or feel sick

[leeking]

It will get easier! I don't think of my sleeve often. I also don't have situations where I eat too much. After two months, I knew what would be too much and I never want to feel like that! If I am stuck out to dinner, I can eat a few bites of my kids food. I can even eat steak (tenderloin, sliced paper thin and eaten in small quantities). I feel so fortunate. I had a few bites of my son's birthday cake, no problem. The other night I made teriyaki chicken. I love cold chicken. I cut it in strips and eat it all day long. No problems. I hope that you are soon able to get food down and not think about it so much! I think with time it will come. I was very afraid to try anything for the first six weeks.

[Grace]

so never the whole entree do you try anything else besides chicken im stuck not that much of options because of me nothing wanting my stomach to hurt or feel sick

I made some beef stew with lean round stew meat yesterday. Cooked it for hours in the crock pot, until it was very soft. I used "better than bouillon" beef base in the water. I added only veggies, no potatoes and only thickened it a little. I cut up the meat tiny before I reheated it and it went down very nicely. I put 1/2 cup servings in cups in the freezer (this was a hint from Connie).

Oddly, I know we're supposed to be able to eat ground beef before other kinds of beef but I can eat beef soup, stew, and even rare steak. The times I've tried ground beef, cooked any way or in anything it has kept me up all night, even chili. I am thinking it is either the fat content or the texture.

I eat steamed haddock, crustless quiche, soft poached eggs as well. I tend to put sauces over my steamed chicken or it goes down too hard.

I'm wondering if you have considered if you might have food intolerances that have gotten worse since surgery? I drank milk on occasion pre-surgery but afterward I can't drink even a little, or have whey protein powder. It all has to be soy, which goes down nicely for me. Also, if you are using a lot of sf sweeteners, they could be making you feel sick?
When my stomach was really bad at the beginning I ate a lot of progresso light new england clam chowder. Soup is boring (to me) but is a good option.

[lynnden]

Grace, I love your post. It is a good opportunity for each of us to start thinking about easy meals to eat in a pinch. I will look through my freezer later and post some ideas for you. I did want to say that I was talking with a bariatric anethesiologist the other day and I was telling him how difficult I thought all of the counting of protein, carbs etc was and he said it is very difficult for the first year but after that you won't even give it a thought. He assured me I will be so glad I did this. He just encouraged me to stay focused and positive and so I am trying to do just that. I can do anything for a year. Yes, I know this is a lifelong commitment, but it would be so much easier not to have to worry over everything I eat. Keep strong Grace...together we can all do this.
I'll post some foods later