TV Dinners~ bad for you?

[mom'sfolly]

I think frozen dinners have their place, but I prefer real food.

There are lots of foods that can be prepared in bulk, and frozen. Spaghetti sauce, lasagna, soups, stews and most casseroles are easy to freeze, and may actually taste better. It takes a few days of cooking to start a stock pile in the freezer, but then you have go to foods when you need them.

Another technique is to fix something like roast chicken or roast beef and plan two or three meals from the leftovers. Night one roast chicken, make two, and de-bone them the same day as cooking, and set the bones on the stove for stock; night two, a pasta dish with chicken or casserole; night three, chicken salad; night four, chicken soup. Roast the chickens on the weekend, and do prep work and then just throw it all together during the week.

Salad mixes can be a life-saver too. Spend a little more for coleslaw mix, stir fry mix or salad mix, and use the meat cooked on the weekend to make dinner salads or quick stir-fry.

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Plug the crock pot in the water safe outlet, it will trip if anything goes weird. But they are cheap these days, I just replace them once a year and never had a problem leaving them on alone. Or get a pressure cooker. New ones don't explode.

 

[KenK]

Quote:
I do not believe this is true and don't believe there is any research available to substantiate it.

 

[key west chick]

I keep my freezer stocked with frozen foods. I try to find the healthier ones. After a long day at school and then running miles for cross country practice, DS comes home and eats one as a snack, while I cook the real dinner. I figure its better than cookies and chips. 2 hours later he is eating a home cooked meal though, with veggies and green stuff. Hes a bottomless pit and those little dinners help tie him over until dinner. But I totally agree with the plastics being bad for you.

 

[KrisH]

umm, I do not believe you cannot cook without radiation of some sort or another, just depends on the wavelenghth. Heat and light IS radiation. And unless you read braile, you cannot read this without radiation as well.

 

[MeatKing]

Quote:
I do not believe this is true and don't believe there is any research available to substantiate it.

If the plastic containers have "BPA" in them they are not safe. I am Canadian and our government has recalled all plastic baby bottles made of this.(And sippy cups) Cause it's worse for wee ones growing.. But they left it in adult type plastics

Anywhoo, last time I checked the American government hasn't jumped yet..

 

[Illia]

Quote:
x2

 

[babylady4]

Like everything, concentration of exposure and tolerance levels must be taken into consideration.

Great article (with sources) to check out on the issues surrounding BPA, microwaves and plastics.

http://www.scn.org/~bk269/plastics.html


I for one will not purchase those nasty TV dinners. They use that absolute worst cuts of meat, fill them will fillers, and load you up with as much sodium as possible.

Crock pots are the busy person's best friend. Learn to love them if you are on a tight schedule.

I try to make as much food here at home.... but occasionally I do enjoy a night out, but I avoid fast food/chain restaurants as much as possible. I would rather have my meal freshly prepared.

 

[saddina]

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Crockpot love, dump in a few things in the morning, put on low, come home to dinner.

 

[sourland]

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2 hours?? Dude we need to talk. I can get a good meal on the table in 30 minutes or less.

ETA: I cooked cornish game hens tonight with little work and it took 90 minutes. Weekend cooking. My weekday cooking takes about 30-45 minutes. Most are about 10 minutes.

I've got to agree with Debi. The Princess cooked the first 25 years, and the last 22 have been my responsibility. Most of the from scratch meals that I prepare take less than 30 minutes. For those that take longer I make double or triple amounts and freeze 2 servings. Works for me, and I know what's in the meal.