"Eating Right" is Eating Wrong… and other nutritional tidbits

Not sure how many of you have the Safeway supermarket chain where you live, but for those who do, here’s a major warning: Stear clear of their store brand “Eating Right” frozen dinners.
– They taste simply awful.
– They have a ton of crap in them nutritionally that make them anything but “Right” for your body.

And regardless of what supermarkets you have, let me offer you a short and pretty solid list of what you should look for when food shopping:

  • Partially-hydrogenated oils, as I’ve explained here, are evil.
  • If the product contains lots and lots of items you can’t pronounce, that should tell you something.
  • Got a ton of salt (>700mg per serving)? That also shows a lack of creative seasoning.
  • Cottonseed oil? No health-conscious companies use that anymore. It’s horrible for you!
  • Lots of saturated fat? Not good.
  • Tons of sugar? Your body isn’t going to be happy for long.
  • Little or no fiber? You may enjoy the food while you eat it, but it’s not going to keep you full for long!

These wisdom-bits above are admittedly likely old-hat for many of you, and in case you’re curious, they’re pretty non-controversial hints from reputable sources like Nutrition Action Newsletter and Harvard Medical School Letter and so on.

And let’s face it — most of us DO know when we’re eating something good (whole wheat bread, broccoli, oranges, etc.) and when we’re not (Ben & Jerry’s, Triple-cheese pepperoni pizza, and so on). Our goal, IMHO, should not be to eliminate the ‘evil’ in our food per se, but to balance it out with a lot more of the good stuff.

Since I’m striving to lose 15 pounds and have more energy each day, I’ll use this blog entry as a public reminder to myself :D. Hope it’s helpful for you, too.

Oh, and hopefully some consumer watchdog group tweaks the hell out of the disingenuous jerks marketing the disgusting “Eating Right” brand. Yuck! Just don’t ask me why I bought two of those dishes in the first place. :O


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125 responses to “"Eating Right" is Eating Wrong… and other nutritional tidbits”

  1. Jenny Avatar
    Jenny

    I think they taste good, but maybe cuz I’m high?? I don’t know, but I thought they tasted aight.

  2. zag-geek Avatar
    zag-geek

    I dunno…I just ate the roasted turkey one and thought it was the best of its kind I’ve eaten.  The comparable one in lean cuisine is inedible.  I’ll probably eat it again in fact just based on that.

    Sodium IS high, but *sigh* most frozen meals are in the 600-800 range, so that’s not too surprising.

    Thanks for the heads up on some of the other ingredients though.  Mine doesn’t list cottonseed oil—didn’t know that was bad though.  Why is it?

  3. Holly Avatar
    Holly

    I actually LOVE the new “Eating Right” meals.  Especially the shrimp version.  Much better than any of the other (numerous) brands I’ve tried.

  4. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    I think the Eating Right frozen dinners are great!  They have lower sodium than all of the other brands I’ve compared them too.  It’s still high, but hey, that’s what you get when you eat prepackaged food.  And they taste MUCH better than their counterparts in lean cuisine.

  5. John Avatar
    John

    I gotta disagree. These are some of the healthiest, best tasting meals I’ve found.

  6. Adam Avatar

    What the heck?  Did Safeway’s PR company suddenly discover my post or something?  All comments on an old entry posted within 2 weeks of each other, none of them with URLs, all from the U.S… forgive me for perhaps having B.S.-meter paranoia, but something smells fishy here 😉

  7. zag-geek Avatar
    zag-geek

    no url because I don’t have a blog *L*

    Adam, I think you may have google’s indexing to blame for all the comments, at least in my case.  Safeways are just starting to stock these meals en masse in a lot more locations and when I did a google search for “eating right” this was one of the first hits that came up.

  8. Adam Avatar

    Heh, Zag-geek, yours actually sounded a bit less suspicious anyway.  But yep, funny you should mention it… I did just do a Google search for safeway eating right and noticed that my blog entry comes up first.  Wow, they’re gonna love me as much as Etrade does :-P.

  9. zag-geek Avatar
    zag-geek

    Yeah, well after further experiments with these meals, I’ve pretty much decided the quality varies widely.

    A lot of their saucier meals are truly not good either in my opinion, but some of the others (again, the roasted turkey comes to mind as my favorite) are not half bad.

    As for bad things in them…*L* well, um, I have yet to see many frozen entrees that don’t have some crap in them, though I do like Kashi as fairly healthy.

    I’m on a weight loss plan myself where I’m trying to eat foods with only exact calorie counts/nutrition info and then tracking it at http://www.calorie-count.com.  Sadly, frozen entrees are usually some of the easiest to keep track of, high sodium or not.

    Anyway, that’s what you get for having a blog…some posts will just be belatedly popular and proceed to spam you with comments.  I highly doubt this one will be THAT controversial though.

  10. Paige Avatar
    Paige

    I found your post when looking “eating right” meals up via google as well so somehow they must have caught your blog in a recent crawl.

    I actually really like the eating right meals.  I am vegetarian and finding decent frozen veggie meals is a nightmare unless you want to pay $5 and higher for Amy’s or one of the organic brands.  I know there are obvious downsides to frozen meals, but for what they are, the Eating Right brand is better than a lot of the other options.

  11. Dayna Avatar
    Dayna

    Hi Adam, I found this blog via a Google search for “eating right” dinners. My local Dominick’s store just started carrying them, and I purchased five separate ones to give them a try. I carefully compared the mainstays such as Fat, Sodium, Carbs, Sugars, etc. and found them lower in fat and sodium than most other comparable “healthy” dinners. They are much cheaper as well – and the one dinner I have tried so far was excellent!! I tried the “Five Grain Beef & Vegetables”—290 Calories (45 cal. from fat), Total Fat 5g; Chol 20mg; Sodium 390mg; Carb 45g (only 15% of total daily); sugar 6g; protein 15g.  I don’t think I recall ever seeing a frozen dinner with as low sodium as this one.  The taste was awesome, and I will definitely be purchasing more of these.  The other 4 I will be trying this week are Glazed Chicken, Chicken w/Basil Cream Sauce, Lasagna w/Meat Sauce, and Chicken w/Peanut Sauce.  If I think of it, I’ll give you another update at the end of the week trial. 😉 

    Dayna

  12. Isabelle Avatar
    Isabelle

    Good to know about their frozen meals.
    While I was visitng the US, I bought the Eating Right instant Soups. They were by far the best and healthiest I’ve tried compared to the other instant brands.  I tried the Potato and Roasted Garlic (I think that was the name) Potage.  It was rich and creamy, and had very few calories from fat.  The Tomato Basil Pasta Soup was hearty and filling.  Since I bought them, I have lost 3 pounds in a few days. I am planning on driving across the border again just so I can buy some more for my work meals!

  13. Jeanne Avatar
    Jeanne

    I have only tried Eating Right Turkey with dressing. It was the best frozen turkey entree I have ever tasted. I plan to try some of the other ones to see if they are as good.

    It seems to me that, while you didn’t like the brand, you are way outnumbered by those who did. 😀

  14. Jeanne Avatar
    Jeanne

    However…after examining the package I have second thoughts. It is clearly labeled “No Trans Fats” – yet in the ingredients list it states “partially hydrogenated soybean or cottonseed oil” which is clearly trans fats. Perhaps the amount is insignificant but it is very misleading. I bought the product based on the NTF labeling and I didn’t search the ingredients.

    I guess you can’t trust anyone.  8-|

  15. Clare Avatar
    Clare

    I found your blog when doing a google search of Eating Right brand…so far I like the meals.  I have had some really tasty ones, and believe me I know from frozen meals…I track all calories/ nutritional stats etc on Fit Day, and eat alot of frozen meals to get through lunch hour.

  16. Liz Avatar
    Liz

    I think the reason for all the recent comments is that they’ve added a whole bunch of new products recently—I don’t if anyone has mentioned this to you yet.  So far, I like them.  I usually don’t eat a lot of frozen meals but it’s finals week and I’ve found their vegetarian masala to be pretty tasty.

    And no, I don’t work for Safeway! Like everyone else, I found this on a google search to try and find some calorie info.

  17. Joanne Avatar
    Joanne

    I too have tried the Eating Right entrees as well as the cereal.  They have been VERY tasty in my opinion.  I was following Jenny Craig, but the food was way too expensive.  I compared their ingredients, calories, fat, etc. to the Eating Right entrees and they were very much on the same page.  I bought a week’s worth of food for $35 compared to $120 a week on JC.  For me, the frozen food route works best when trying to lose weight because the portions are controlled and it is so much easier to cook.  I have tried Lean Cuisines, Health Choice, and the JC food.  Eating Right is actually better!  No, I don’t work for Safeway, your blog comes up first in a Google search.

  18. Paulina Avatar
    Paulina

    Hey everyone,
    I bought 30 Eating Right frozen entrees yesterday from Safeway and I was surprised to find that they tasted so delicious!  I’ve tried Healthy Choice and Smart Ones in the past and I was never as satisfied and full as I am with Eating Right.  So far I’ve tried the Pineapple Black Bean Chicken, Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans, and the Linguine Shrimp.  They all tasted great.  The food is very flavorful too. I recommend this product to everyone. Sorry you didn’t enjoy this brand as much as I did, Adam =)

  19. CalicoRose Avatar
    CalicoRose

    I have been keeping an eye, and am glad to see more good responses to this line of product!  I made a special trip to Safeway just to get a load of these things, and my first entree was NOT dissappointing!  I just had the roasted turkey with carrots.  The dressing was really good, and I found a nice touch with tiny raisins in there!  Very tasty. Two things that could have been better:  the could have gotten more carrots in there, and I wish they were separated like the healthy-choice does.  But, that’s OK.  lots of protien, lean on the fat, and my tummy’s full. I feel like I had a treat for lunch. I bought some of the other varieties, and just cannot wait for lunches to try them all out!  So far, I have lost 3 pounds just going with the frozen entree for lunch instead of the cafeteria.

  20. Naomi Avatar
    Naomi

    I just bought the Eating Smart brand for the first time as well.  I’ve had the Chicken w/Basil cream sauce and must say that it was very good.  I eat frozen meals for lunch for the convenience and cost and these were definitely worth the money.  😉

  21. Liddie Avatar
    Liddie

    While some of the Eating Right meals were good, some required additional salting!  And the mac and cheese made my tummy bubble for a few hours (not good!)  The sodium is not surprise, but the partially hydrogenated oil was disappointing to discover.  That isn’t “eating right” to me.

    Also, no one should believe the Nutrtion Facts at face value.  It has been widely advised to always read the list of ingredients to find “hidden” trans fats.  If you eat a few things a day that contain less than 1/2 gram trans fat, it adds up.

    I think all brands have been hit-or-miss with particular meals.  Here are my personal favorites:

    Healthy Choice: Chicken margherita (YUM), Beef tips portobello, Chicken fettucini, Meatloaf, and Baja Chicken.
    Lean Cuisine: BBQ Chicken pizza, Cali-chicken panini, some spa-cuisines aren’t bad.
    Smart Ones: Chocolate chip cookie sundae, strawberry shortcake, Santa Fe Rice and Beans.

  22. Liddie Avatar
    Liddie

    Anyone else think it’s retarded that less than 1/2 gram trans fat doesn’t have to be acknowledged?  I think the rule should be ANY amount, even if it is 0.000001 grams, should be labeled on the front of the package so we don’t have to look for anything.

  23. vivek Avatar
    vivek

    hey Adam, i think you may have made a judgment of the eating right entrees after just trying out one or two. they have about 18 different ones.  though i am yet to find even one store with more than ten on sale. their veggie masala is the best.  so is the meatloaf. i do agree that some of the entrees are awful.  the dry soups are good even if you have them cold.

  24. soccer24/7 Avatar
    soccer24/7

    Found this site searching more information on the Eating Right brand. Just goes to show that anyone can blog about anything they want to – whether they know about the subject or not. As a former Lean Cuisine eater – I am thrilled with the new Safeway Eating Right entrees. For the record, I don’t have 15 pounds to lose – just want to be healthy. Regarding the entrees, I would agree with most of the posters of their good taste and nutritional value – and I have to say that if you want to eat right, macaroni & cheese isn’t a good choice, no matter how healthy you think it is – so that posting is hardly credible.

  25. Lainika Avatar
    Lainika

    I was just telling one of my co-workers that these are the best frozen meals I have ever tasted.  The turkey one is awesome and the spaghetti wasn’t bad at all.  I expected bland but not at all. They are good.

  26. Dana Avatar
    Dana

    I like the entrees. I’ve tried more than 5 different onces, and I’m pretty happy.  HOWEVER, today I’m eating The Lemongrass Chicken.  It contains 13% Cholesterol!! I immediately went to the company freezer and flipped over other frozen dinners from Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice.  Sadly, Eating Right was the highest. Is anyone else worried about the amount of Cholesterol the meals contain??

  27. Ann Avatar

    I have tried several of the “eating right” meals and have totally enjoyed them.  Being vegetarian it is very hard to find something with a reasonable price tag that meets the requirements.  Yes they are a little high in sodium but so are most frozen meals. I have also used several of the dressings those are also really good.  Maybe you should try a few more to get an overall opinion?  You may have tried the “not so tasty” ones first and got a really bad first impression.

  28. LisaAnn Avatar
    LisaAnn

    :-O

  29. LisaAnn Avatar
    LisaAnn

    Did anyone notice that each food has a special “dot” on the front that indicates what is “healthy” about it.

    It will say something like “High in fiber” or “Low fat” or whatever.

    I like being able to glance at the box and see what matters most to me.

    I have tried several of these and I like them very much. I will continue to try the new flavors as much as I can. I usually have them for lunch. With the help of these I have lost 4lbs in the last 3 weeks!

    Sorry to disagree with the blog host but there you have my 2cents worth.

    LisaAnn

  30. ck Avatar
    ck

    Hi,

    I found this blog by google searching “eating right frozen dinners.” I’m somewhat suspicious of them being a Safeway brand, as most of safeway brand items are not nutritious.  However, I had a coupon and they offer some interesting food choices, so I decided to give them a try. 

    I’m having the Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce for lunch today and I think it’s delicious. But it’s actually too much pasta for one serving in my opinion.  But very flavorful. 

    I have also had the Chicken Enchilada and Sweet and sour chicken and both were pretty good. So far they spaghetti is my favorite as far as taste.

    I will keep checking this blog for further nutritional info though because I am doing the Alli low-fat diet and want to make sure these meals comply with it. When I looked at the box some of the meals were very low in fat grams, while others weren’t.

    Thanks to everyone for your posts and to Adam for creating this blog page 🙂

  31. Adam Avatar

    My goodness!  Of all the crazy things I’ve written on this blog… of attending a camp for swingers… joining Google… a date with a supermodel… detailed and passionate thoughts about the music industry…

    …who woulda thunk that it’d be my entree, er, entry on Safeway Frozen Dinners that’d be so wildly popular 😛

  32. Q Avatar
    Q

    I’ve always disliked the Safeway brand of frozen meals.  I didn’t know Eating Right was affiliated w/ Safeway; I bought them there when they were having a sale.  I was surprised by the taste.  I was googling to send the company kudos when I came across your opinion.  Eating Right is the best tasting I’ve had in the ‘healthier option’ frozen entree arena.

  33. A Avatar
    A

    I bought 5 eating right meals today and had the shrimp one. For the first time, I actually enjoyed a frozen meal.

    A lot of things are horrible for you, but sometimes you just have to see whats least horrible for you. I don’t plan to eat these everyday, just one days where I am too tired to make something and the alternative would be something unhealthier.

  34. lady Avatar
    lady

    Yep, I googled my way here, looking for someone to tell how freaking good the Pineapple Black Bean Chicken one is…  and only 6 points… (I’m on Weight Watchers)

    Portion control is handy… and who has time during the day… its easy, its good… yay!

  35. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I am a huge fan of the lasagna and ravioli’s. I havent tried any of the other frozen meals, but I find these two to be quite fabulous and more filling/have larger portions then lean cuisine/smart ones/other lower calorie frozen meals.

  36. booty girl Avatar
    booty girl

    Hello,i’ve tried several of the “eating right” entrees and the soduim is about 1/2 amount in other frozen entrees.  They TASTE WONDERFUL.
    One thing though, they buse alot of garlic powder and it made me fart just awful.  /it was the lonf wet sounding farts and my husband kicked me out of bed.  The others made me happy to eat them.  No eattie the chicken mushroom fettichini anymore or i will end up sleeping in the garage.

  37. JasonL Avatar
    JasonL

    I just tried my first one of these as well and loved it.  I picked up 5 last night at Safeway for $10 and don’t regret it.  Not to mention I don’t really see how unhealthy the Five-Grain Chicken with Plum Sauce one is.

    190mg of sodium is not bad.  Not great, but its far from horrid. 

    In addition, I also was looking for the company via Yahoo search and found your blog first.  🙂

  38. Sickolympian Avatar
    Sickolympian

    I wanted to warn your bloggers about Eat Right TV dinners.  I got very sick on one—the mushroom was very bad and I ended in E.R.  The Store manager was irrate when I brought it back.  Threaten to send police after me—tried to walk me to my car and I just left the lot and called my husband.  It was one of the beef ones.

  39. TunnelJumper3 Avatar
    TunnelJumper3

    I had never heard of this brand until yesterday when I came across a sale and purchased one just to try it out. It was also a mushroom dish, and the reason I am commenting is because of the other illness. I actually got pretty ill after eating that TV dinner and, while it tasted quite wonderful, I wasn’t able to eat until 24 hours later!!!

  40. Ralph Avatar
    Ralph

    These are the best meals.  Maybe you have bad taste buds….the spaghetti is amazing and the meatloaf is awesome.

  41. Diane Avatar
    Diane

    I too am here because of Google.

    I bought the basil cream sauce chicken meal at Safeway, and was looking to see what brand it was. I didn’t know it was a Safeway brand (thanks for blogging about it, hehe). This flavor is the only one I’ve eaten, and I am suprised by how tasty it is.

    I’m really picky.. not a good thing when you’re trying to eat healthy. I bounce back and forth between Smart Ones and Healthy Choice meals. Why does everyone have to put mushrooms in everything?

  42. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    They aren’t too bad if you need to grab something on the run. It may not be the best thing in the world for you, that’s a given. But still, they don’t taste awful.

    I like the Vegetarian Masala

  43. Bryan Avatar
    Bryan

    Have to agree with the other posters.  Compared to other frozen meals, these are at the top in terms of flavor, value and nutrition.  They are on sale frequently.  The meatloaf and chicken enchiladas are actually filling and have less than 500 calories for the box.  I also recommend the chicken chow mein, although it has 750 calories for a bag (just use 1/2 sauce and noodles to lower).

  44. Philip Avatar
    Philip

    The Chicken Poblano is awesome!  What is wrong with you?

  45. sickolympian Avatar
    sickolympian

    I didn’t quit eatting the Eat Right meals, but I did want to warn folks that if the mushroom tastes bad, stop there.  Overland foods called me and had me record what happened.  I was eatting the beef and five grain meal and believe me they wanted to know if i was going to sue.  I said no,but wanted my returned meal checked to make sure no child was hurt by a similar meal. Social Conscious is sometimes needed even if it makes a person unpopular for the minute., Overland foods handles Safeway Eat Right TV dinners.  I bought other TV dinners and they tasted okay.  I am not a picky eatter

  46. Cheryl Avatar
    Cheryl

    You went to a camp for swingers?

    Where was it?

    What did you do?

    How long did you stay?

  47. Adam Avatar

    Er, Cheryl, I think you’re looking for this entry:
    My experience at a camp for swingers” 😀

  48. xeyda Avatar
    xeyda

    Hey, thanks for the commentary, but I gotta say, I LOVE the “Eating Right” brand.

    I eat a frozen one for lunch virtually every work-day and with only rare exception, I find they are delicious and fit well with my doctor advised diet.  Yes, the sodium tends to run a bit high, but compare the quality (taste) of food, variety of choices and portion size to, say, Lean Cuisine, and you will invariably get more and better tasting food with much better over-all nutrition.  Granted, this ‘extra’ amount of food may be more rice or veggies, but I -welcome- that, and have never felt stinted in the amount of meat or fish included.

    Because of the great success I’ve enjoyed with the frozen lunches, I have recently expanded my pantry to include more “Eating Right” products.  So far, the cereal bars, rice, oatmeal and frozen waffles all taste great and are not out of line for nutrition for for those items.  Again, perhaps a little more sodium, here and there, than I’d prefer, but not ‘diet-busting’.

    I applaud the move in to other foods because it helps ensure that the ingredients and portions listed are comparable and fairly static, and so far, quality seems to be fairly universal; if one product tastes good, the others probably do too.  My husband and I are going to sample our first ‘Eating Right for Two’ (slightly larger than double portion meal) for dinner this week.

    Eating Right meals also tend to run a bit less expensive than non-sale prices for “brand name” foods like Lean Cuisine.  🙂

  49. janie tee Avatar
    janie tee

    I just googled “eating right safeway” and came up with your blog..i was actually looking for an “eating right” website so that i could complain to the source! 

    I can’t beLIEVE how much sugar they add to their things.  the “fruit bars” may be low in fat, because they’re made mainly of sugar!  and the frozen yogurt is almost good, but it could be great if they reduced the sweetness by half!  just because we want low fat choices doesn’t mean that they have to be killer sweet!  I agree that “eating right” is in fact “eating wrong” – another misleading marketing scheme to rake in the cash…it’s actually really sad to me that some of these things are on the shelves under the guise of being healthy.  :-O

  50. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    I’ve been eating these entrees as well, and so far have loved them all.  I don’t eat them daily, only when my time is limited.  I agree with other posters, the spaghetti is really yummy, and the portion is more than enough to satisfy.  And the pineapple black bean chicken is SO good!

    My husband and I just had the waffles this morning, and they’re just as good as buying a name brand frozen waffle, though they were quite high in fat and low in fiber for a multigrain waffle.

  51. Sickolympian Avatar
    Sickolympian

    Overland foods in California has something to do with the “eat right” Safeway brand.  If you want more real food and less sugar I will hunt up address.  They did write me back when i contacted them. I plan to write again as i want to know if the contents of the packages are USA foods.  I am trying to buy USA foods and foods grown in the USA and up here in Olympia, Wa this is getting to be a hard thing to do.  Our Tomatoes are coming from Canada unless we go to Farmers Market in Olympia.  The Super markets don’t carry tomatoes from Yakima or local Tomatoes.

  52. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    I have been eating these for lunch for awhile. They all taste great, especially better than other frozen meals, and this is coming from someone who cooks tons of meditteranean and asian foods from scratch, which require lots of different spices and seasonings. I had the Vegetarian Masala yesterday and it tasted great, also was high in fiber.

  53. eatTheBread Avatar
    eatTheBread

    Crazy—doesn’t anyone consider steamed veg’s with salt and rice a full meal? After a lifetime of crap I find it very satisfying to be unsatisfied—- well, anyways:
    I bought their bread “Ancient Grains” – I liked the name, but it was a bit too sweet for me. I liked the other kind of bread I bought, but forgot the name. The only thing—they have these dots, I can’t figure them out. They’re color-coded, but what if their package printer does a poor job on the color quality? I can’t figure out if I’m “Soy Protein” or “Low Cholesterol”. And it’s got a big red one for “Omega-3”. But hey, I was looking for the cholesterol info.
    I think they’re doing a great job, and I hope they have started a trend that continues. But I just can’t figure out the colors!!! Hopefully a savvy company crawler is monitoring your blog—it’s still one of the first on google.

  54. Samira21 Avatar
    Samira21

    I Havent yet tried the Eating right meals yet, but i’ve been eating Healthy Choice for lunch and dinner for the past 3 weeks, personally i need to lose 100 pounds but i have already lost 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks so i guess its down to 90 now , I just have cereal and 1% milk for breakfast a frozen meal for lunch with green beans and tomatoes a larger calorie meal for dinner with the beans and tomatoes and a piece of moderately natural sugar fruit i.e no bananas
    and the weight is just melting off p.s i also started exercising for a good 30-45 minutes daily at a slow/powerwalking speed . It works for me because i am 100% committed to losing all the weight no matter how hard it gets.But i’m definitely going to check the eating right meals soon since they are pretty affordable right now.

  55. givejadeajob.com Avatar

    I like Eating Right too! It taste so much better than the leading brand (like lean lean cuisine). I had the vegetarian masala today for lunch and I thought it was great! I was so happy to get something different than chicken or pasta – it had an indian flare, all I needed was some naan and it would have been perfect!

  56. zag-geek Avatar
    zag-geek

    To the last person – personally I say ew when comparing Eating Right to Lean Cuisine…LC is so much tastier!  And generally lower calorie too.  But that’s a matter of taste I understand and the rice/pasta comment is true…

    But if you want to try something else try Amy’s Vegetarian meals or Kashi Nine Grains.

  57. sickolympian Avatar
    sickolympian

    I just wanted to tell Samira21 that I support her in her diet and I have used her clues of green beans and tomatoes to lose 10 lbs also. You just can’t live totally on TV dinners.  For one thing the low calorie and salt ones don’t fill your up.  Be sure to get some calcium and vit D or your bones will fall apart eating a lot of commercially packaged food.  Let us know how you are doing.  sickolympian

  58. Carole Avatar
    Carole

    Isn’t it amazing how ol’ Al’s “Super Information Highway” works at times??  😉

    I Googled “Eating Right entrees” to try to find a list of the various entrees available so I could specify which flavors to buy on my shopping list (for my daughter to do the shopping). I’ve had 5 different “Eating Right” entrees and found them to be delicious and proportionally perfect for me. It appears that having an opinion (and taste buds)that defer from the norm, in this case, turned out to be a real attention-getting means of individuality!

  59. N.Riley Avatar
    N.Riley

    😛 I googled “eating right” to see the variety they had. Vons just recently started carrying them, in my area at least. I tried the chese quesadillas, And I think they are pretty good for frozen low cal food.

  60. Katy Avatar
    Katy

    OMG – I just tried their Vegetarian Breakfast Patties, in hopes of finding a cheaper alternative to MorningStar Farms. Terrible! Inedible! Don’t know how I choked down one bite. Even my cats won’t go near them. So, so, so bad! Guess I’ll shell out the extra $$$ for the real thing next time. Just sad that $4.00 and 10 patties are now going in the trash.

  61. John Avatar
    John

    Gotta add to the list…

    I think they are great… and nearly all meals are only 6 points on the Weight Watchers scale…

  62. Deejay Avatar
    Deejay

    Cottonseed oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the cotton plant after the cotton lint has been removed. It must be refined to remove gossypol, a naturally occurring toxin that protects the cotton plant from insect damage. Unrefined cottonseed oil is therefore sometimes used as a pesticide. In its natural unhydrogenated state cottonseed oil, like all vegetable oils, has no cholesterol. It also contains no trans fatty acids. However, it does contain over 50% Omega-6 fatty acids and only trace amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, and the imbalance is considered unhealthy if not used in moderation or balanced elsewhere in the diet. Further, these polyunsaturated fats can potentially go rancid during the extraction process.

    Some consumers are wary of cottonseed oil because cotton crops are one of the most chemically-intensive crops grown in the U.S. Many chemicals approved for use on cotton are not approved for use on food-based crops. Cotton field leftovers, or gin trash, is frequently fed to cattle.

    Cottonseed oil is rich in palmitic acid (22-26%), oleic acid (15-20%), linoleic acid (49-58%) and 10% mixture of arachidic acid, behenic acid and lignoceric acid. It also contains about 1% sterculic acids and malvalic acids in the crude oil. The cyclopropene acids are undesirable components, but they are largely removed during refining, particularly deodorization, and also during hydrogenation. They are not considered to present any health hazard in cottonseed oil.

    Cottonseed oil is commonly used in manufacturing potato chips and other snack foods. Along with soybean oil, it is very often partially or fully hydrogenated. The growing consensus is that in hydrogenated (trans fat) form these oils are very unhealthy. Cottonseed oil was the first oil to be hydrogenated in mass production, originally intended for candle production, and soon also as a food (as Crisco). In part because regulations apply differently to non-food crops, it has also been suggested that cottonseed oil may be highly contaminated with pesticide residues, but insufficient testing has been done.[citation needed]

    Cotton (oil) is also one of the big four (soy, corn, rapeseed/Canola,[1] and cotton) genetically modified crops grown around the world.

  63. Deejay Avatar
    Deejay

    There are only a couple of these meals that dont have the cottonseed oil.  I don’t recommend anyone eating the ones that do.  A little trans fat is not going to hurt you with a litte bit of exercise and continual healthy eating, but if you have health problems relating to heart or cholestrol it is better to just stay away from them.
    I did try the Salisbury Steak and Mac and it tasted fine.  It was very high in protein which is what I am looking for and low in fat.  I try to keep track of my calorie, fat and protein intake on http://www.fitday.com with whatever I eat.

  64. Jack Avatar
    Jack

    A couple of comments: the sesame chicken is very sweet, and it is not sugar, it is worse ingredient: high fructose corn syrup, which is nasty. The ingredients are printed on the side of the box with the tab that you rip off to get to the tray, which i threw into the trash and can’t review the rest of the ingredients. This must be another ploy: hide the ingredients on the part that you throw away first! Eating Wrong! Not buying this again.

  65. Daling Avatar
    Daling

    Just took a look at the ingredients in their cereals; High Fructose Corn Syrup is NOT eating right. Hydrogenated soy oil is NOT eating right. It does not matter what colors you put on the box and how many happy people you have on the box, HFCS is poison and poison is NOT eating right.

  66. Jack Avatar
    Jack

    Just noticed that there’s a safeway’s web site about eating wrong … er right … but there is no place to leave a comment about what makes their products “right”. I hope Safeways is reading this!

  67. Tim Avatar
    Tim

    I bought a few of these the other day and I think they taste as good if not better than the rest of the lo-cal brands out there.

    I work in a store for eight hours straight so I have to brown bag it.

    As far as how nutritious they are, who knows.  I’m not completely paranoid about food, but I try to eat as healthy as possible.  In my opinion, there’s far worse out there than these dinners.

  68. luke Avatar
    luke

    SUCRALOSE is eating wrong. READ LABELS.

    my wife recently purchased CANNED PEACHES by EATING RIGHT. i was curious because i don’t trust food products with TITLES that claim they are “right,” proper or appropriate for eating.

    Well i was right, i checked the ingredients and low and behold, the “no sugar added” peaches actually has SUCRALOSE (splenda, an artificial sweetener) in it. it has been approved by the FDA, but like other no-sugar-sweeteners it has been known to cause BRAIN TUMORS and can cause symptoms that mimic M.S. (Multiple Sclerosis). Paraesthesia, or partial numbness, of one side of the body is the common symptom from DIET POP/SODA drinkers which contain ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS.

    MORAL: Read labels, research unknown ingredients, find reputable sources, and share reputable research from independent (unbiased) researchers (not from .com sites)

    **you can do this by searching “peer reviewed” or “scholarly” journals and use the operator -com to eliminate .com sites from your search (as .com sites are funded by biased companies).

    do you enjoy (splenda can cause): Shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage), enlarged liver and kidneys, atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus, reduced growth rate, decreased red blood cell count, hyperplasia of the pelvis, extension of the pregnancy period , aborted pregnancy, decreased fetal body weights and placental weights and chronic diarrhea?

  69. David Avatar
    David

    So….also found on Google – I was wondering if Eating Right was just another branding of Lean Cuisine – Tried the Sesame Chicken – okay, but the cause was a little sweet.  Not great, but not bad enough that I won’t try another….well, at least the other I have in my freezer.  Not a frozen dinner person, but I think I’ll even try buy the turkey since so many people have raved about it. 

    Now to find out if the one I just has is already in fitday’s catalog.

  70. Ellen Avatar
    Ellen

    Didn’t read the label when I bought it. My bad. While it was in the microwave, I read the ingredients. You know what Michael Pollan says: more than five ingredients, things you can’t pronounce…and what Dr. Oz says: no High Fructose Corn Syrup, no hydrogenated fats…well the Plum Chicken tasted OK but failed both these tests. Granted, the first five ingredients were chicken, brown rice, carrots, italian cut green beans, and some other actual food item, but then we had a long list of “not food” and “not pronounceable” and we even had HCFS and hydrogenated fats. And as Pollan says – if it makes health claims, it is probably lying. Now we all know that a little bit of anything won’t hurt us, but if we don’t have to have it, why should we? I can find frozen meals that don’t have anything but actual food and if they cost a bit more…well, heck…it is your HEALTH we are talking about. Eating truly right is not cheap. If you are worried about cost, just eat lots and lots of junk food. Very cheap. Or just skip the Starbucks..and buy actually healthy food with what you save.

  71. Jenni Avatar
    Jenni

    I bought 5 of the Eating Right dinners because they were on sale.  I was really impressed with the chicken in the meals.  When I eat the Lean Cusine brands I constantly find myself throwing out the chicken because it has so many nasty fat chunks.

    I really really liked the meals I have tried so far.  As far as all of the bad ingredients in them?  I figure it is much better than driving through Taco Bell or Jack in the Box and paying $7 bucks for a 1500 calorie meal.

  72. Audrey Avatar
    Audrey

    OMG, adam.

    I googled “safeway eating right” to see if i can get the nutritional information on all the frozen entrees and found you.  random.  🙂  but it seems that everyone else found you too.  i just happen to know you!

    I’ve been eating these for lunch with a yogurt and a banana because how else can you eat hot lunch without having to prepare anything for about $2.50?  but I also have high blood pressure and a weak lower intestine so i watch my salt and this “five-grain chicken with plum sauce” that i just ate has 190mg of sodium and 5g of dietary fiber.

    i usually get a stack of these for lunch for the week but i only got this on last time because all the others have way more sodium and i was getting tired standing at the freezer looking at sodium content.

    anyway, i’m trying to cook more of my meals myself but it’s hard, you know.  there’s swing dancing to be done.  🙂

    i haven’t seen you out recently but i’ll sign off “see you on the floor” anyway…
    ack

  73. Ricky Avatar
    Ricky

    I just wanted to add my two cents. I love the Eating Right meals. Out of all the frozen dinners in the grocery freezers – these are the best and healthiest ones I’ve ever tasted.

  74. Angela Avatar
    Angela

    Hey, I searched safeway eating right frozen meals, and came across this page. They may be bad, but dang if I dont love these meals, I have lost 15lbs eating them for lunch and dinner and taking the alli pill. I add a gigantic green salad at night and call it a day, go to bed full and feel like I ate something yummy. IM going to drop another 5 lbs on these meals. The best I have tasted, so much better than smart ones!

  75. Donna T Avatar
    Donna T

    I too found your site by googling “eating right dinners” after having the pineapple black bean chicken which was delicious.  I’ve been eating either WW Smart or Lean Cusine for lunch at work for some months and the last 2 days have had Eating Right and they are, by far, the best I have eaten.  I will buy more.  Would it be better if I cooked something fresh, sure, but I wouldn’t.  If I don’t buy the frozen entres, I go out and we know how bad that is.

  76. Lora Avatar
    Lora

    I have been eating the Safeway brand eating right and I think that it tastes sooooooo good!!!  They have so many different products and it is really reasonably priced…I have been using them for 2 weeks and I have already lost 10 pounds!! I have recommended their line to everyone.  I love Eating Right.

  77. Meggie Avatar
    Meggie

    I am acutally kind of in love with Eating Right. I have had a lot of the options and have been pleasently surprised by each of them. My top two favorites: Butternut Squash Ravioli and Pinapple Black Bean Chicken but I think the Masala comes in a close third. One last thing is that the beans and rice is a great thing to grab before your go out for a night of partying.

    Has anyone tried their Flax seed crackers?? they are GOOD!

  78. Jennifer Avatar

    I just tried the Veggie breakfast links, which are basically fake sausage.
    This is the first time I’ve ever had vegetarian “links” and I gotta say – they were GOOD! Sodium 190, so about the same as real sausage, but less fat and calories. And no HFCS or transfats (I checked after reading all these posts!).
    I’ll buy them again.

  79. justjojo Avatar
    justjojo

    Picked up (thankfully only) two cans of the Eating Right soup, only to get home and discover they both contain HFCS.  Silly me!  I’m a stickler for that stuff.  Now I’m’ debating – throw away the two cans, or donate them to the food bank?  I will definitely be much more careful from now on.

  80. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Found ya on google. Eating Right/Wrong has become a staple for me for lunch. Better tasting than most LC/Fat Ones/Filthy Choice meals! Faves are Lasagna w Meat Sauce, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Lemongrass Chicken and the Mac n Cheese!
    The Chicken with Plum is disgusting and the Pineapple Black Bean is totally gross. I haven’t read the ingredients cuz I KNOW they are full of crap, all frozen meals are. But for a cheap, easy lunch, it’s prolly better than McDonalds..

  81. Marie Santa Cruz Avatar
    Marie Santa Cruz

    You might be the best ad for Eating Right ever.  You don’t like them but almost everyone else does, including me.  I have tried many frozen entrees and these are my favs.  I do cook “real food” for dinner and take these for lunch.  It is a small amount of food that is healthy enough and gets me through the day.
    I don’t work for Safeway either but was just checking out the meals because I wondered if something so good had a secret life.  I’m ok with them.

  82. Peter Avatar
    Peter

    I have been eating Safeway Eating Right entrees for lunch at work for quite some time now and they are the best tasting and cheapest frozen entrees that I have found. They are the only product that actually tastes consistently good across the product range (with one or two exceptions e.g. The Mediterranean Style Chicken).  I am however a little worried that the long term effects may not be as ‘right’ as the label suggests. There is a mix of quite a few marginal food additives in the ingredients. It would be nice if someone could come up with a really ‘natural’ product along these lines. Perhaps I should check out Trader Joes and Whole Foods to see if I can find a natural and organic substitute… anyone know of one off hand? I found here in California a company called Amy’s out of Petaluma do a small range that is probably better for us.

  83. Natalie Avatar
    Natalie

    I love these things. The white garlic pizza is good, the veggie marsala is good, the chicken enchilada is reallllly good. I’ve liked most of the ones I’ve tried. I’m just afraid of getting CANCER cuz I don’t see how they could be that good and cheap without some weird ingredients……….

  84. Felicia Avatar
    Felicia

    As far as taste goes, I think “Eating Right” falls short.  Many of the varieties are pretty bland to me and I’ve tried a lot.  I just got finished eating the lemongrass chicken entree and compared to lean cuisine…it SUCKS!  The nutritional values aren’t too bad (IMO), but the taste wasn’t good.  I’ll honestly stick to Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones for my frozen lunch selections.

    Adam, you’re right with regard to taste.  Maybe a lot of people’s tastebuds were ruined somewhere.  I know food, GOOD food and this line, isn’t good food.

  85. Claire Avatar
    Claire

    I also just finished the lemongrass chicken for lunch, and I have to say it is one of my favorite frozen lunches ever.  Like others have said, the vegetarian masala, chicken enchilada, chicken pomodora (don’t know if anyone mentioned this one specifically yet) are awesome.

    I will agree with someone’s post about the ingredients being printed on the side of the box that you open so that you can’t read them once you have torn it open…seems a little fishy. Now I want to check to see what ingredients were in mine, and I can’t. I think this post has been helpful and I will check ingredients from now on.

    In general, I like the Eating Right brand, and I do think they revamped their line since the original post was written. I do think they taste better than Lean Cuisines or Smart Ones, and they are generally cheaper. It’s true that eating them everyday probably is ‘eating wrong,’ but I think, like many others here, that on the days I grab one for lunch, the things I’d be eating if I didn’t have one, would be far worse.

    I would like to know how people think the organic/pricier alternatives, ie. kashi, amy’s, taste.

    Also, does anyone else have a problem with the lemongrass flavor exploding all over the microwave?? This is the only flavor this happens to me on and it happens consistently every time. If someone from Safeway is reading, please adjust microwave instructions.

    Thanks all.

  86. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    I just bought some at $2.00/each (on sale); I thought they tasted pretty good. I personally look at the label for TOTAL fat not to exceed 30% percent of the calories for the total meal. All the entree’s I choose fit that guideline. Its hard to get everything nutritionally from a frozen dinner- but with a good price, and the way GASOLINE is going up- this $2.00 meal is pretty handy!

  87. Dawn Avatar
    Dawn

    I just tried my first ‘eating right’ meal and was pleasantly surprised.  I’m not too keen on frozen foods and attempt to cook the majority of my foods from scratch…however I’m watching what I eat these days and salads were getting old.  I had the sesame chicken and thought it was great.  Not the typical frozen meals I’ve had in the past.  What also impressed me was the choice of ethnic dishes.  There was a good variety of interesting meals…I’m actually thinking of heading back to the store to pick up some more since they’re on sale for only $2 each.

  88. Shade Avatar
    Shade

    Yep, I just bought them on sale too, at $2 and that was the only reason I did buy them! I needed something easy and CHEAP for lunch so bought 10 to keep in the freezer at work.

    I’m not finding them too bad at all. I LOVE the butternut squash ravioli! and just now had the pepperoni pizza…

    I too found this blog by googling < instantly gets sued for using google’s name as a verb > the product and now I am going to go (dreadfully) read the actual nutrition panels. I’m really hoping they aren’t all that horrible. I mea, they certainly have to be better than mcdonald’s… right? < gets sued for bad-mouthing mcdonald’s >

  89. Cat Avatar
    Cat

    I love eating right meals.  In fact, for the summer I am in an area without Safeway and am trying to figure out where I can buy these.  They are good for weight watchers, they are cheap… 5 for $10 and they are good.  I don’t really like their meat so I stick with a few of my favs: raviolis, mac and cheese, the pizzas.  They don’t fill me up completely, but with a piece of fruit they are great for work!

  90. BenzGirl Avatar
    BenzGirl

    Hi Adam,

    I actually really love Eating Right meals. My friends and I always buy that for lunch, dinner, etc… and we love it. In comparison to the other healthy-eating meals (and I’ve tried them all) this is best one so far.

    I had the Lemongrass Chicken and it was good. Have you tried the others?

    I totally agree with you trying to lose weight and gain energy. I’m on that road also. I also include ALOT and I mean ALOT of fiber in my diet. I eat the Fiber One cereals and bars and they are good. They rainge from 9-13 grams of fiber per serving… it fills you up throughout the day you don’t ever feel hungry.

    You should try it. =)

    But yes, I LOVE EATING RIGHT…. =D

  91. Adam Avatar

    My goodness, if only all my other blog posts got as many passionate comments ;-).

    BenzGirl and others who took the time to tell me how much you love (or hate) Eating Right dinners, thank you!  And BenzGirl, yep, adding fiber to one’s diet is a great idea… but it’s best if it’s *natural* fiber found in whole grains, fruits and veggies.  Sadly, the fiber in stuff like the Fiber One bars is pretty artificial stuff and unproven to actually do good things in the body :-(.

    For an example of a food that’s really good for you, try Ak-Mak Crackers.  Very few ingredients, and the ones that are there are all-natural (and it’s made with 100% whole grain wheat, which is naturally high in fiber).

  92. R Johnson Avatar
    R Johnson

    I love the eating right meals.  They rock.  Mac and cheese with 18g of protein! Plus the dinners are like $2 each at my safeway. I bring them to work for lunch and they are way better than anything I would be eating around my office building.

    ~R

  93. BenzGirl Avatar
    BenzGirl

    Thank you. I will try that because I’m really trying to up my intake of Fiber. I didn’t know that Fiber One has artificial stuff in it. I need to research that more. Thanks! =)

  94. a raid Avatar
    a raid

    Wow lots of arrogant comments up in here.  Like everyone else..googled the brand because its so damn good! Just finished lemongrass chicken—delicious.  Also the mediterenean style chicken-loved it.  Tomato basil pasta soup—I don’t know that it gets any better than this..4 for $5..thick noodles in a tomato basil soup?? Makes me mouth water just thinking about it.  FYI I believe the brand name “Eating Right” means..eating a 250 cal meal that has important nutrients, fast and easy to make, and tasty?? Cmon. Eating wrong? Act like its a bloody steak dripping in gravy with breaded cheese balls on the side.  Mega giant brownie thunder pie for dessert.  Haha, I like the poster above who basically says “You might as well get it allllll right (no trans fat, no omega this, monos not polys, % this and % that, less than 50 mg sodium…) or you might as well go eat all wrong (mickie dees jumbo size) GIVE me a goddamn break.  We’re mostly americans up in here.  Sorry, forgoing my once a week $5 starbucks is not going to buy me gourmet anything, bitch.  Maybe you were born with the silver spoon? And is everyone above a licensed nutritionist? Sure act like it.  And quit being so paranoid.  Fox news much?  :-O

  95. a raid Avatar
    a raid

    ooh and uh i dont think the ingredients were put on the side so that when you open the box you cant read the ingredients any more.. really you folks sure you aren’t a bunch of conspiracy theorists? cause i like conspiracies… but i prefer ufos and fbi secrets.. i do not like dumb shits mulling over ulterior motives like they have some sort of sway in what happens.  how old are all of you? id guess old.  im 20.

  96. John Avatar
    John

    I’m in a hotel for a week.  The first day I tried to cook a meal with a hot plate and they threatened to kick me out if I did it again.

    So I bought a few Eating Right meals.

    I’ve only tried the Vegetarian Masala so far, but I thought it was pretty good.  I would recommend it if you’re in a situation where a microwave meal is teh best option.
    The ingredients are almost all real food and spices.  Almost no chemistry at all.  (Phophoric acid)

    No trans…
    No hydrogen…

    Salt is kinda high…

  97. dee Avatar
    dee

    you are . . . . so ignorant. just so u know. anyone who has taken a nutrition class laughs at those who fear thing partially hydrogenated. u are an ignorant sheep.

  98. sickolympian Avatar
    sickolympian

    I love this site, I blogged on it sometime back, since then nutrition has started to hit home. These meals are just not great on greens.  If you can’t afford to buy spinach,kale,collards and such, they are a lot easier to grow than I thought. You can grow turnip greens even in late summer.  Then you can have a little nutrition aong with the Eat right meal in a box. Really, I think the Vegitarian masala is the worse meal. I am also wondering what country the ingredients come from.  I sort of like USA Beans, tomatoes,rice,and chicken. please don’t call me ignorant and paranoid, but some ingredients really are scarey. Greens are good to protect your eyes and stop old age degeneration of the eye. You need some real food along with this stuff.

  99. Amante Avatar
    Amante

    Taste wise they range from decent to bland. A few particular ones taste better, but it is a budget brand for sure – priced well, but noticeably inferior in taste to, say, Lean Cuisine.

    As far as nutrition goes, I haven’t noticed anything particularly bad; in fact, they seemed to have the lowest sodium of the brands I checked, which might account for some of the bland taste (as microwave food makers typically aren’t too inventive with ways to make things taste interesting).

    The Kashi brand stuff would definitely be better (both in taste and nutrition), but they’re prohibitively expensive.

  100. EatThis Avatar
    EatThis

    All I have to say is that the first comment is hilarious – made me laugh out loud. My co-worker eats them everyday so I searched and found your blog. There needs to be a poll on this blog because I cannot really get a consensus.

  101. Gaelacha Avatar
    Gaelacha

    I’ve read most of this blog. Sorry Adam, you’re off base on this one.

    I have been doing Medifast for awhile now. Great plan, soy based protein, and balanced nutrition designed for weight loss but not always very tasty. Very, VERY expensive. The premise is you eat 5 substituted meals per day spaced two hours apart with their products of bars, soups, crackers, soy crisps, shakes, and one lean meat/green veggie meal of your choosing. I began looking around for specific soy based items that would be nutritional equivalents to many of the Medifast products when I stumbled upon the Eating Right line at Safeway.

    For the last two days I’ve substituted exclusively the Eating Right products (nutrition bars, soy crisps and soups) and discovered I’d lost 2 additional lbs when I got on the scale. I’m sold on this line of products.

    Frankly, I’m a bit confounded at Adams assertion that this food is crap. It meets nearly identical nutritional guidelines as Medifast, which was a hospital designed bariatric program for weight loss. It actually has a better flavor profile than most of the Medifast products which makes it more palatable and obviously works as a weight loss product. I should also mention I’m an insulin dependent diabetic, which makes losing weight quite difficult. If this works for me, I suspect others will find value in it.

  102. DS Avatar
    DS

    I just ran across this posting from searching on “Eating Right” meals, as they recently hit my Albertson’s. I tried the Cashew Chicken and was favorably impressed. It compares well with Lean Cuisine & Healthy Choice.

    Looking at the documentation on the packaging, I think I have to point out a few things:
    1) all packages nowadays are going to list a bunch of stuff you can’t pronounce. This is because they now have to break out all the components of every “compound” ingredient (like soy sauce). So if you take away all those parenthetical lists, the ingredients come up as:
    Cooked white rice, chicken breast tenderloins, water, sugar snap peas, shiitake mushrooms, red bell pepper, celery, carrots, bamboo shoots, and the “contains less than 2% of” group (the things that get broken out into lines and lines of stuff): sugar, soy sauce, cashew nuts, mirin sake, corn starch-modified, soybean oil, sesame seed oil, flavoring, ginger, milk protein concentrate, sodium phosphates, chicken base, onion powder, xanthan gum, caramel color, fish sauce, spices, salt, butter flavor.

    So all the “bad stuff” is in the “less than 2%” group, and of that, only the “flavorings” really has anything objectionable. All the major ingredients are readily identifiable when eating the food.

    I would prefer brown rice for better nutrition, but overall not bad:
    290 kcal, 4g fat (1g saturated, 0g trans), 30mg cholesterol, 460mg sodium, 46g carbs (2g fiber, 7g sugars), 18g protein.

    That’s not bad at all for a packed, frozen meal. Flavor wasn’t like home-made, but I can’t expect that from this kind of product.

    Maybe they have reformulated since your review 3 years ago. Maybe I just picked a good one. But at least with the one I picked, it doesn’t look or taste bad.

  103. ThatAdamGuy Avatar

    DS, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. You’re quite possibly right that my dislike could have been based on any number of factors… bad luck in my initial selection, improvement in the product, etc. And in a broad sense, I’m glad companies like Safeway are at least trying to offer healthier alternatives to saturated-fat laden frozen dinners and such 🙂

  104. johnboy Avatar
    johnboy

    I suspect all of you naysayers, beating up on ” eat right”dinners, don’t think a thing about the slab of meat you throw on the grill, or barby, loaded with marbled fat, full of steroids, and drugs! sit rightdown eat it along with hhand fulls of chips, beer, and the trappings that go with such meals, here are meals in the package, that those’ who cannot afford the side of beef, and trappings, can eat enjoy, with little effect on their health, except they got to eat!!

    I eat them, they are balanced and can help in a weight loss program! lighten up! you will scare people of lesser means away from them, that my friends, hurts them more than the meals will!

  105. kiersten ladydickpussy woods Avatar
    kiersten ladydickpussy woods

    ….get the ones usually gone…they taste awesome..honestly,,its micro’d …any forms of food poisoning is dead…people ..the term “organic” …means grown in feces…..and..thats not a problem,,,if cleaned….however,,,,they never tell us about the…”GMF”‘S…genetically modified feces…,do they?..if your lucky enough to be BORN INTO A family with their own farm…from chickens to game…and fish and vegeez n fruits…..Forget it…you are a GMO…genetically modified organism..and water too….and…even the FEEED must be made…lol…and DR.OZ is a tv bj face for alll the big complanies of food…he will tell u to eat DUCK SHIT because of its “antioxidants..minerals..cancer fighting,,and ANT i AGING and HEART HEALTHY properties….soo glad the SENATE SLAMMED HIS carb starved mouth up….,,,bottom line is PORTION control….So eat!

  106. kaitlyn Avatar
    kaitlyn

    I like the Eating Right dinners, they’re cheaper than Lean Cuisines and taste good. My favorite right now is the Chicken Poblano. My only complaint is the chicken they put in them (any of their dishes) – I get a lot their frozen meals with chicken and almost every single one has at least one bite of gristly chicken in it. Has anyone else noticed this? It drives me crazy and grosses me out. But for a $2 lunch..

  107. alex Avatar
    alex

    You are an idiot.. its about looking for better options versus a meal at a fast food place. Eating right brand gives you a option versus other microwave meals and they are lower in calories. If your smart you know there is no such thing as a frozen dinner from any store or company that is 100 percent “eating right”..you want “eating right” then go by healthy items and make it yourself. I think the meals taste good are there some that don’t, but not everything is going to be to your liking. I lost 30 lbs in including these meals into my diet combined with healthier snack options and dinner options. For a on the go quick meal i think they are great.

  108. Mark Petruska Avatar

    As a diabetic, these are a godsend: low in carbs, high in fiber, and – most importantly of all – they taste pretty damn good. Plus, the portion size is very conducive for those wanting to lose weight. I’m a fan!

  109. TJBIRD Avatar
    TJBIRD

    This is one of the few brands of frozen entrees that I can eat and tastes good to me. In my opinion, most frozen “low calorie” meals dump black pepper and other spices into the meal to make up for the lack of flavor from fat and calories. While the sodium is high, what mass produced food products aren’t? As for fiber, I don’t rely on these types of meals for my fiber needs. Your comment about the Partially-hydrogenated oils does concern me and I will look into this further. Over all these meals have been a good fit for me.

  110. nancy mcmillan Avatar
    nancy mcmillan

    I just had the “Asian-Style Chicken & Vegetables” and it was disgusting. The “dark meat” chicken was all fat and gristle. I will never touch another Eating Right dinner again.

  111. Lu Avatar
    Lu

    The Eating Right Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry was inedible. The white meat chicken pieces had skin and fat attached. I searched through it before I threw it out, and did not find one cashew. Ingredients listed included snap peas. There was not one whole one, I found two pieces. I took a picture and plan to return it to Safeway.

  112.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I buy them when Lean Cuisines and Healthy Choice are not on sale and they are decent, Two dollars for daily lunch is hard to beat. And, I am wondering….unless Adam is a licensed nutritionist, why do we care about his “Humble opinion” anyway. Get a life, dude.

  113.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I absolutely love “Eating right” meals. especially love their chicken poblano, very tasty! I’ve tried all the other meals…lean cuisine to eating right!e, healthy choice, etc. and eating right is tasty and least expensive. I’m making the change to Eating Right!

  114.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I think “Adam” works for the research dpt at eating right..lol. BTW Cholesterol and Fat are actually good for you.

  115.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    And $1.99 each! Taste great and they give a good portion.

  116.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    At least it’s not as bad as “Safeway select” 2$ meals. Take a gander at those ingredients.

  117.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    They are the best tasting brand of this type I’ve had.

  118.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I eat the soups. They seem to be relatively low in bad things and are very very tasty. Especially the potato leek soup. The taste and convenience with less bad stuff than others seems to be pretty tolerable. I will be stocking up on the potato leek soup for a quick snack!!

  119. Donna Lee Manning Avatar
    Donna Lee Manning

    I really like the taste. Also, I am eating them to learn portion control. Also they are full of vegetables and nutrition. I have lost 20 pounds so far and need to lose 100 more pounds. I eat 2 of the dinners a day and breakfast usually consists of a scrambled egg cooked in the microwave and wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. I track my foods on Livestrong.com, which is a fabulous free website for losing weight, getting healthy and achieving health goals.

  120. RICHARD PERSON Avatar
    RICHARD PERSON

    The ice cream with toffee is okay. So are the replacement shakes for meals.

  121.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    I tried the chicken poblano and chicken with peanut sauce and both of them were delicious and satisfying.

    I dislike many of the frozen brands I tried but will definately be purchasing more to help me lose weight with a very long work day.

  122.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    First time to ever buy them and I just ate the Eating right chicken tamale YUM!!! i also want to lose 15lbs and desperate times desperate measures :/

  123. Vicki Avatar
    Vicki

    I was visiting my bf’s family in South Jersey. They have a store called Acme there where they carry the Eating Right meals. My biggest joy was the chicken in peanut sauce. Lean Cuisine has one but they have changed the recipe from the original. It’s good but spicier and it used to have water chestnuts in it. The Eating Right meal tastes very much like the original lean cuisine dinner years ago. I loved it. Unfortunately, I live in TN and no store here carries the Eating Right meals and even the LC peanut chicken is only in one store for some reason now (Publix). I wish I could make the sauce from the Eating Right brand. I found a copycat recipe online for the LC version, but it’s probably the one they make now. I lost access to my email after forgetting the new password when i changed it so now I cannot find the recipe. I recall it used PB2, orange juice and reduced sodium soy. I think there was another ingredient but can’t recall what it was. If anyone could mimic the sauce from the Eating Right chicken with peanut sauce I would be so grateful. If I could find the meals here I’d buy it, but I don’t think anyone carries it nearby. I know Safeway has them, but I don’t live near one. Many of the online recipes (and I would prefer to use the PB2) sound like the spicier version of the sauce. How could I make the mild peanut sauce that is in that ER meal? Thanks if anyone has an idea or suggestion.

  124. Amber Avatar
    Amber

    Yet another person, even 13 years later, letting you know you were and are wrong about the Albertson’s/Safeway/Acme store brand frozen meals. I used to live in a state with Safeways, and when I moved away, I was so sad not to be able to get their store brand frozen food. I actually looked up a store owned by them and stocked up (mostly on Chicken Poblano) when I happened to be in the area, because it was about 40 minutes from my house. Then they ended up buying a line of stores that is in my area, and now I go there all the time to buy these frozen dinners. I get the Eating Right as well as the Signature Select. If you’re solely counting calories, a lot of those fall within a similar range. While I admit that sometimes you’ll get an off box without enough meat or something, in general, the whole range is better tasting and better quality than Lean Cuisine and other competitors. And it’s on sale frequently! Right now it’s on sale for $1.79 if you buy in increments of 5, and that’s how I found your post. I’m trying to make a shopping list and I was looking for a complete list of the products so I’m not hovering at the freezer for a half hour. I hope people who come to your blog read the comments and not just your post—which I really think could do with a revision pointing out that a HUGE number of commenters disagree with your assessment. And any other future commenters: try the Signature Select Moroccan Chicken! (I don’t know the sodium or fat, but it’s 290 calories.) My store just started carrying it and I feel cheated that they didn’t have it before! It’s got lentils, spinach, feta, tomatoes—not necessarily so Moroccan, but it’s not like most other frozen dinners, and it’s crazy delicious. Part of the reason I love these meals so much is their more unusual offerings like that or the Eating Right Chicken Methi Malai (chicken with a light creamy curry sauce, basmati rice, peas, and kidney beans). It’s totally random, but a yummy mixture of tasty elements. Every time Lean Cuisine offers something unusual, it’s limited time, tastes blech, or is discontinued. I feel like Lean Cuisine & Smart Ones are just made to rip you off, since half the meals offerings are just differently shaped or presented pasta with tomato sauce. I can buy a whole box of pasta for 77¢, a jar of tomato sauce on sale for $1.49, and add cheese I have for a 30¢ a portion, tops. I’m not going to pay $2-$3 for a single portion their macaroni in tomato sauce! The Eating Right & Signature Selects have fewer products, but a much broader selection. Last recommendation: Eating Right Turkey Meatloaf! I don’t even usually like ground turkey products like meatballs or meatloaf, but this one is one of my favorite meals, with just the right amount of mashed potato and a fresh-tasting veggie mixture. It seems to me what’s “wrong” (or at least nearly unanimously disagreed with) is your opinion.

  125. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    These meals are amazing!!! The Safeway Eating Right brand is a great and inexpensive alternative to the incredibly expensive Lean Cuisine brand of diet entrees. Over the course of 12 months, I lost 52 pounds dining on the Eating Right brand of diet entrees while also undertaking a regular exercise routine. Let’s face it; we all want to lose weight and all the diet food onbtte market is pretty much the same. So, why pay around $5.00 an entree with programs like Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem or $3.50 per entree for grocery store bought Lean Cuisines, when you can pay only $2.00 with the Safeway brand Eating Right entrees!!! They all pretty much have the same nutritional makeup, e.g high in sodium, low in fat and calories, so why not save a little money while losing weight at the same time???

What do you think?