A low-carbohydrate diet may be worth considering if you need to lose weight and you do not want to give up foods such as meat and eggs. A challenge you may face with almost any weight-loss program is a lack of time to prepare meals from scratch, and pre-packaged meals are convenient solutions for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A low-carbohydrate diet may lead to nutrient deficiencies, and a nutritionist can help you develop a nutritionally adequate, balanced meal plan for weight loss.
Low-carbohydrate pre-packaged meals may be frozen, dried or canned, and they may be ready to eat or require a small amount of preparation. Pre-packaged meals can help you stick to your low-carbohydrate diet because they are quick alternatives to cooking from scratch or giving in to temptations to eat at fast food restaurants. On a low-carbohydrate diet, most of your calories come from fat and protein, since you only get about 50 to 150 g, or 200 to 600 calories, from carbohydrates per day.
Breakfast
To limit carbohydrates, pre-packaged meals may be low in grains, beans and starchy vegetables, and high in meat, poultry, seafood, cheese or eggs. Options for low-carbohydrate frozen breakfasts may include omelets or scrambled eggs with cheese and breakfast meats. Read the label to avoid high amounts of cholesterol-raising saturated fat from fatty sausages or bacon and full-fat cheeses. You may be able to find high-protein, low-carbohydrate, cold or hot breakfast cereal, and the best choices are high in fiber and enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.
Lunch and Dinner
Low-carbohydrate pre-packaged lunch and dinner entrees often include a source of protein and a side of high-fiber vegetables. Choose a lean protein, such as fish, shrimp, chicken, turkey breast or lean beef, to limit your saturated fat intake. A benefit of low-carbohydrate pre-packaged meals, compared to many regular pre-packaged meals, is that they do not provide empty calories from added starches, such as refined pasta or white rice. However, low-carbohydrate meals are not good sources of heart-healthy whole grains and legumes, such as beans.
Meal Replacements
When you need to eat in a hurry, a meal replacement bar or shake can help you stick to your low-carbohydrate diet. These pre-packaged options may be high in dietary fiber, which is a filling nutrient because it slows down digestion, notes MayoClinic.com. They may also be high in protein, which suppresses your hunger for longer after a meal because it slows down food from emptying from your stomach, according to the Harvard School for Public Health. Meal replacement bars and shakes may come in sweet flavors, such as chocolate or cookie and cream, and they may be sweetened with sugar substitutes to limit the carbohydrate count. Choose a shake with vitamins and minerals added to it.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Low-Carb Diet: Could it Help You Lose Weight?; May 2010
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; January 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet; November 2009
- Harvard School of Public Health: Protein: Moving Closer to Center Stage
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