Ideas for ready made stuff I can buy to eat?

[wagyu 50]

Hi All, I don't have much time to cook for myself and in all honesty i don't know how to cook well at all. I tried and they call tasted baddddd.

Any ideas of what I can buy in the supermarket that I can just grab and buy and eat (pop into the microwave and it's a done deal) that is healthy and that you guys post op have approved and worked for you?

I mean deli hams work but eating them everyday has been boring. Maybe Soups? What kinds do you buy that doesn't hinder your weight loss?

I have low fat cheeses etc. But I feel like there is more out there I just don't have ideas of what.

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

I don't know if you are a costco member or have a trader joes nearby.... but if you search for either of those you will find threads started by me where people put in "favorite finds" from those places.

I like to cook but am often time challenged, so I love healthy - nearly ready to eat food.

There are some who eat lean cuisine type dinners but I can't bring myself to do it.

I feel like I eat so little - I want it to be stuff I love or at least like!

I bet others will post some easy peasy stuff but here are just a few things:

-greek yogurt

-all natural sandwich meat with cheese, ideally wrapped around a dill pickle

-low carb/low calorie/healthy sausages - there are several varieties I really like and can just heat and eat

-I buy salmon patties (from costco, but you can get them elsewhere) I grill em and put them on top of a yummy bed of salad greens. I use olive oil and white balsamic vinegar for dressing and it is really really good!

-Do you like seafood - lots of places have ready to eat shrimp... yum

-egg beaters and baby turkey sausages are a regular Breakfast for me - lots of Protein and very low cal/low carb

-any kind of sandwich, but instead of bread, use a lettuce and make a wrap!

-grocery stores often have premade things that are quite nice. It is expensive, but since 1 serving is probably 3 meals, it suddenly becomes more economical!

-tuna in a pouch can be good over salad or as a main ingredient in one of those lettuce wraps

Come on people - I know there are lots of other amazing ideas out there!

[wagyu 50]

I don't know if you are a costco member or have a trader joes nearby.... but if you search for either of those you will find threads started by me where people put in "favorite finds" from those places.

I like to cook but am often time challenged, so I love healthy - nearly ready to eat food.

There are some who eat lean cuisine type dinners but I can't bring myself to do it.

I feel like I eat so little - I want it to be stuff I love or at least like!

I bet others will post some easy peasy stuff but here are just a few things:

-greek yogurt

-all natural sandwich meat with cheese, ideally wrapped around a dill pickle

-low carb/low calorie/healthy sausages - there are several varieties I really like and can just heat and eat

-I buy salmon patties (from costco, but you can get them elsewhere) I grill em and put them on top of a yummy bed of salad greens. I use olive oil and white balsamic vinegar for dressing and it is really really good!

-Do you like seafood - lots of places have ready to eat shrimp... yum

-egg beaters and baby turkey sausages are a regular Breakfast for me - lots of Protein and very low cal/low carb

-any kind of sandwich, but instead of bread, use a lettuce and make a wrap!

-grocery stores often have premade things that are quite nice. It is expensive, but since 1 serving is probably 3 meals, it suddenly becomes more economical!

-tuna in a pouch can be good over salad or as a main ingredient in one of those lettuce wraps

Come on people - I know there are lots of other amazing ideas out there!

THIS IS FAB! what kind of low carb low calorie sausages do you buy? I hesitate to buy those because they are so high in calories and stuff, any particular ones you bought? Also the baby turkey sausages what brands/types.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

P3's, Triple 0 Greek yogurt, canned chili. (homemade chili -keeps well in the freezer!!)

[Ashlegal 525]

You will ultimately need to learn how to prepare food for yourself. It will support the success of your weight loss. Pre-packaged food often comes with loads of calories, hidden sugars, a high fat content and a lot of carbs. Youtube has a plethora of instruction videos, Pinterest has a ton of recipes that take you step-by-step through the recipe and many times local libraries or community colleges will have free or low cost cooking classes. Yes, supporting this decision will take a huge amount of dedication.

Like many people the reason why they are obese is the types of foods they ate. A lot of those food selections were made based on ease, convenience, taste and affordability. It is a habit that needs to be changed or their success will be derailed. It is just the reality of having WLS.

Aside from that pep-talk there are options. Many have already been mentioned but I'd like to add a few.

Deli made chicken salad. You have to be careful as a lot of places use a Miracle Whip type dressing and not a mayo based one. You can always ask before you buy. Many grocers will offer already shredded rotisserie chicken in their Deli's cold case. Making chicken salad is not hard. If you can make tuna, you can make chicken salad.

Hormel canned chili. I have had both Turkey and Vegetarian, as well as regular. It is great with a few sprinkles of cheddar cheese, some sour cream and a splash of Tabasco.

There are frozen meals that cater to high Protein needs. Just pay attention to their carb content.

I used to eat Tomato Soup with a sprinkle of cheese and a slice of Avocado. I also would heat a can of refried Beans with some shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa (smooth no chunks) and even Progresso Light Soups as the veggies/protein in them are super tender.

[Djmohr 6,965]

I don't eat any prepackaged meals but there are a few things you can buy and simply enjoy.

My number 1 go to lunch is 1 percent cottage cheese, I will have that with some slices tomatoes or a small garden salad. I use dressings with olive oil or balsamic and olive oil. Cottage cheese has a lot of Protein and is delicious.

Fresh mozerella cheese with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil balsamic vinegar and olive oil also makes a great lunch. You could add a slice of lunch meat for added Protein.< /p>

I make chicken salad a lot and it is super easy using a can of chicken breast meat, chopped celery, chopped dill pickle and either mayo or miracle whip. I spread the chicken salad on cucumber slices or a few crackers. I can eat 3 crackers with chicken salad for lunch and I am full.

Baked ham luncheon meat with a slice of cheese rolled up in it.

Ready to eat peel and eat shrimp makes a great lunch or snack

Beef jerkey makes a great snack

[Sharon1964 2,530]

Do you have a friend that can come over and teach you some cooking basics?

I buy Swai fish fillets (it's a very mild white fish). Heat a pan on the stove on medium heat, melt a tiny bit of butter in it, put in the fish fillet, sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cook a couple of minutes until the bottom is lightly browned, gently turn over and cook the other side. One fillet is two meals for me, and you can reheat in the microwave. If you want, you can put a spoonful of cream cheese in the pan after you take out the fish, melt it, stir it around, then pour the sauce on top of the fish.

Ready-made frozen meatballs can be heated in the microwave. You can put a tablespoon of ready-made Pasta sauce (alfredo is usually lower in carbs than marinara) on it.

I like Hillshire Farms kielbasa. They have turkey varieties if you want lower fat. Slice it on the diagonal and heat it in a pan (with or without butter) until the edges just barely start to blacken. This is something else that is easily reheated. Kielbasa is technically already cooked, I just like the texture better after it is cooked in a pan. For a slightly more advanced dish, thinly slice an onion and put it in with the kielbasa. Cook until the onions are "carmelized" - they will be completely limp and brown, and will add a sweetness to the kielbasa.

I take precooked frozen shrimp to work and run them under hot Water to thaw, then mix a little mayo and a little ketchup for a dipping sauce.

Edamame can be found with the frozen vegetables.

You can get a cooked rotisserie chicken at many grocery stores (costco usually has larger and less expensive ones) and that will make a number of meals.

I also like tuna salad on cucumber rounds.

[reree6898 1,164]

I like the pre cooked frozen grilled chicken breast. It's diced up so its easy to measure out a small portion and heats up in like 45 seconds in the microwave. It's pretty moist and tender and has a very good flavor. Tyson has it out but also if you shop at Aldi's they have their own brand that I like better then the Tyson one.

[Sophie74656 1,572]

lean cuisine or weight watchers frozen meals are good and are periodically on sale. They're smallish portions and some of them are pretty high in Protein

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

You can bake swai fish, it is basically fool proof.

If you really want to be healthy it is better to cook for yourself so you know exactly what you are eating.

[Babbs 14,681]

Great suggestions!

I would also suggest getting a crock pot if you don't already have one! Cooking in a crock pot really doesn't take a lot of skill, and there are so many great low carb recipes on the internet you can find. Just throw in your ingredients and let it cook! Easy peasey! That way you can eat more "real" food and keep the processed stuff to a minimum.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I wouldn't recommend boxed meals like lean cuisine and such, even the low sodium ones are barely food. A good nutra bullet/Ninja blender will be invaluable to you. ETA: Totally agree a crockpot would be a great investment.

Try socking up on staples:

• Low sodium broths are good.
• A precooked chicken breast is a good weekly investment. During the liquids stage it can be pureed then thinned with broth, during puree stage just pureed then soft food stage chopped up with a bit of broth to eat. Buy only what you can eat in a week. If you have more invest in freezer bags and separate them into sleeve size portions. With the Holiday's coming up you may want to do the same with turkey breast.
• Greek Yogurt is a good high Protein buy. If you buy the plain you can add a small bit of fruit to sweeten or use as a healthier alternative to sour cream.
• Canned Beans are good. Lentils, split pea or black bean have a decent amount of Protein in them. I prefer low sodium organic, but it you buy the regular ones, just drain and rinse before eating.
• Many people like refried Beans topped with shredded cheese and Tomato sauce.
• Fish often come frozen and is easy to prepare. (Poached in a vegetable broth with a few herbs and seasonings added, baked with some lemon slices, baked under diced tomatoes.)
• Spices are you friend. My basics: pink or Kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper, bay leaves, rosemary. I prefer fresh, but jarred works as well.
• eggs if you like them. At the beginning of the week boil a few eggs. It makes a great grab and go Breakfast and contain healthy fats.
• Cheese sticks - look for those made from low fat milk. They make a good snack.< /li>
• Nut butters - I was allowed one tbsp a day from the time I was on All liquids. That one tablespoon blended in a Protein Drink is a nice change of pace and adds a nice protein boost to your Protein Drink.< /li>

The closer you are to eating normal food you may be able to take advantage of a good deli or hot/cold salad bar. Just pop in and grab whatever high protein items are available.

I would also recommend picking up some wheatgerm, flax powder or psyllium powder. Many sleevers have issues with Constipation. A tsp a day sprinkled on yogurt, your protein drink or in Soup may help add a bit of Fiber to your diet so that is not an issue for you.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

A friend of mine told me a great idea the other day I had not considered, and that is when you go to a grocery store salad bar, they have grilled chicken. You can get their dressing cup (4 ounces) and fill it with the chicken. BAM! 4 ounces of Protein for about 35 cents!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

You've got lots of great suggestions. I don't cook much either but am trying to do more. I have a very small kitchen so use my microwave and toaster oven a lot. I would also echo the suggestion of using a crock pot.

I keep turkey burgers, fish, and chicken in the freezer.

Another thing you can do is go to the deli and get sliced meats. Try thickly sliced turkey or roast beef. You can make a deconstructed sandwich but you can also eat it like roast. Heat it up and add a vegetable like green Beans and a little gravy and you have a great comfort-food type meal.

I live on yogurt, tuna, cheese, etc.

One of my favorite meals is cottage cheese with some fresh, ripe, juicy Tomato and lots of black pepper.

[wagyu 50]

EEEE! Thanks a lot everyone. Great ideas!!!

Oh should've made it clear, I can bake and fry and stuff but not like lets make lasagna or stew kinds of things are what I meant. Also it's hard on the road and when you come back at 2am everyday (company gives us $$ for dinner but the problem with that is I don't know the calories when I am ordering seamless/grubhub) so I think it is safer if I had something canned or packaged with me so I can log it into Myfitnesspal and count the calories. I usually order a salad or something grilled/steamed but again logging it in myfitnesspal is difficult, and sometimes i don't know what's in those "light" sauces.

So just wondering what ya'll do or are there healthy alternatives. But it seems like not many healthy alternatives that are packaged and good to go.

I did bake black cod and salmon a couple of times the night before and brought leftovers to the office, but it literally stinks up the office the next day when I bring it for lunch and nuke it in the toaster and microwave and it isn't the same the next day. And sometimes I run out of the pantry as fast as I can so ppl don't figure it's me stinking up the office with my fish. Haha, so I kinda stopped doing that for a while.

I also have a packet of hard boiled eggs in the fridge and deli hams. I guess i just need to be creative with what i mix around with it because i just usually eat ham with cheese, or just the egg.

the cucumbers with the salad sounds good and totally doable. It's also been hard chowing down on meats so I've just been eating fish. I'll try the chicken salad, I've been terrified to go near mayo so I'll do that.