Shelf Stable Pre-Made Packaged Meals - Opinions?
 

Okay so right now I am working insane hours to pay off a bunch of stuff and also I hate cooking in general and spend no time on it, does not matter how much someone tells me I just won't sorry. I am pretty much living on protein/nutrition shakes and whatever food I buy when on lunch. However now I want to save money and buy packaged meals that are pre-made so I can bring them to work.. can't do frozen.

So what I could find that looked decent was
Hormel Compleats Balanced Selections
Healthy Choice Lunch Express
Campbells Chunky Healthy Request

And best part is that I can find coupons for all three and get them for really cheap prices at Wal-Mart.. I wish there were higher quality packaged meals like this, I will try Trader Joe's and Central market to see what they have but what does everyone think about these products? I mean It's better than eating mcdonalds everyday right.

Well since you asked. :) Just my opinion... and I certainly don't consider McDo a decent alternative either... but honestly not sure it is any worse than this stuff. Loaded with (undoubtedly GMO) corn and soy, as well as MSG and other disgusting ingredients, it is definitely FAR from being healthy, regardless of what the label says.

For example

http://www.foodrenegade.com/decoding...mushroom-soup/

Again, just my opinion. :)

I really like Hormel Compleats. There are about 20 different varieties. The beef stew and Manicotti are my favorites. They heat up really fast and are no higher in calories than frozen meals.

I cook most of my food now and trying to lose weight while eating prepackaged meals was a big reason I couldn't stick with a "diet" in the past, because I would just get so freaking tired of eating that unappealing food, but here's some ideas:

peanut butter or tuna for sandwhichs
those starkist or bumblebee lunch kits
fruit, hard cheeses, soup

I have tried most of those meals you mentioned in the past and the best I can say for them is that they were edible.

Trader Joes is awesome! I love their boxed Indian food and always have it on hand. I will pack a big bunch of spinach in a zip loc bag and microwave it with the indian food for lunch if I don't have time to cook. TJ's has good frozen options too and they are usually thawed by lunch. Check calories and nutrition to get the most nutritional stuff. I add greens (also at TJ's) to just about everything!