I'm new to JC...what foods are good and what are bad? I need some advice for next week's menu!
Thanks!

Kili, try them all. Do the planned menus for the first 3 weeks so that you try everything yourself. Everyone likes different things so there really isn't anything "bad", it's all personal preference. Also check out the Special Editions. Jenny Craig really does a nice jopb with their packaged foods in my opinion. I would recommend buying the Creative Recipes booklet for the JC foods ($6.95). It's been fun to see what's on my menu, then look up that item in the booklet and see different ideas for how to fix it.

Kili,
It's true that it's totally a matter of taste, because I've seen that some people say that certain foods are horrible, when I actually like them. But in my opinion, the frozen foods have better flavor. I've found myself buying the same foods over and over-I recommend: potato soup, chic. fajitas, fettucine, "new" basil chicken, muffins, chili con carne (add it to salad-Yumm) & garden vegetable soup. Good luck, you can do it!

Definately try everything, and make up your own mind.
Some of my favorites are
Breakfast
Silver Dollar Pancakes w/Veggie Sausage
Sunshine Sandwich (I toss the sauce and add salsa or fresh tomato instead)
Lunch
Swedish Meatballs
Pasta Ole (I add 1 Tbsp fat-free sour cream which is a limited free food)
Pizza
Dinner
Mac & Cheese
Chicken Fettucine
Vegetable & Chicken Potstickers (these are a limited time offering)
Snacks
Chocolate Cake
Cheese Curls
Enjoy trying the foods, and if there is something you don't like now, try it again in a few months, your tastes may have changed so that you like it.

I agree with Laura, you really need to try them yourself. If you read through the message boards you will find a number of foods that someone LOVES and just as many who HATE those same foods.
My two cents: try the raspberry swirl cheesecake!

Thanks! I was on JC several years ago and remember there were some foods I just couldn't stand, some that were great and some just fair. I guess we all do have personal preferences. At least all the "duds" will be out of the way by then!

it is for sure a matter of personal taste. I know people who hate the Chicken pasta parmesan & the Beef & Potatoes but I love them myself

I also think it is important to try everything - my policy has been to at least try it once. Most things can be made fab with addition of free foods if you don't like them in their native state. One item it took me several months to get to but that is wonderful is the lemon cake - the chocolate is okay but the lemon is great.

Knowing I am somewhat fussy, I personalized my menus after week 1. I make sure I include at least 2 days per week of new items to try. Eventually I will have tried almost everything. Some people will say you should do the planned menus for 3 weeks..I didn't and my weight loss has been wonderful!

My favorites are:
Chicken fettucine
Chicken Fajitas
Veggie burgers
Sunshine sandwiches
Silver dollar pancakes
lemon cake
new potstickers
tuna salad kits!
I find that some things taste a thousand times better when I prepare them on the stovetop, or add flavor enhancers like salsa, lowfat cheese, mushrooms, etc (depending on the meal choice).
Good luck!

I must agree, it totally depends on your taste.
Both my sister and myself agree though that the frozen food is the way to go. The shelf stuff just tastes too "fake" to me. Not to mention I have issues eating meat that doesn't need to be stored cold.
All the cakes are yummy and I highly recommend them all. I am a pastry chef and can hardly tell the difference from something I make in my bakery.
Hope that helps

I agree, try all of them to keep it interesting. And be careful of the microwave-you can really overcook stuff and ruin it. Use a lower power setting to be safe. There are foods I tried my first few weeks that I didn't care for that I ended up loving later. Keep it fun!

Hi! Taste and learn...personally, I'd stay away from the Swedish meatballs and the hearty beef soup. Both smell like dog food.
Some of my faves: Beef Chow Mein, Beef Sirloin tips, mac & cheese, fajitas, potstickers, pasta ole, and oh yeah...cheese curls, cheese curls, cheese curls!

Too funny, goreed -- I love both the meatballs & the soup, and have never had a problem with the smell. It's wild how different people's tastes are.

I hated the chicken sandwich...well, let's put it this way....I never ate the chicken sandwich. It looked like an uncooked frozen piece of chicken on the roll. I wanted to hurl. SO, I tossed it! Very unappetizing looking. I love the mac and cheese, the self-rising pizza, the fettucini, the basil chicken, the breakfast scramble...the pancakes, the fajitta's, the cheese enchilada... Everything is very good. The cakes, especially the carrot cake...is DIVINE!! I prefer the frozen meals to the shelf meals.... Though they really aren't bad!! Plus, less expensive!!

Hi All~
You guys are soo funny! Esp. Goreed! Ha ha.. I couldn't place it w/ the Swedish Meatballs. Ha ha! On the website when you are making your new menu, it lists them as "Frozen meal", and lo and behold, they are a travel meal. I love this thread! Even though we *all* know that we should try it all, it is interesting to see everyone's preferences! For instance, I didn't like (Hated!) the carrot cake- chucked 1/2 of it. Here are my favorites:
Fish and Chips
Lemon Cake
Beef Chow Mein
Breakfast Scramble (Buh-bye!)
Sunrise Sandwich
Pasta Ole'
Macaroni and Cheese
Dislikes:
Potstickers! EEW.. Liked the potstickers, hated the fake tofu/chicken
Carrot Cake
Any of the breakfast bars (too sweet)

I agree with Tracyface. chicken sandwich was a slab of boring chicken on a boring bun!
I thought the potstickers were the best thing I've tried so far. I also like the dinner entrees that are meals: like Turkey with gravy, meatloaf with bbq sauce, ad salisbury steak.

Well I know everyone will have favorites and not so favorites, but I love the cheese curls for snacks and toffee bites, and the rising crust pizza is VERY good, as is the breakfast scramble and chicken fettuchini -the frozen one.
I would definiteyl stay FAR AWAY from all of the soups. It just seems for the cost of the soup, you could get something else that tastes much better.
Just my opinion though.

Strawberry bar...bad...very bad....

I love the strawberry bar

Ok my 2 cents now-
I love : Pasta Ole , Mac and Cheese, BBQ Meatloaf, Chicken Fett. , Sunshine Sandwich(tastes just like an egg mcmuffin, the rising crust pizza ,and ohh Lemon Cake rocks my world!
Theres not too much I didnt like , except for the Fish and chips and all the shelf stuff. I too have issues with meat that doesnt have to be in the freezer.
I agree that you should try everything and then decide what you dont want, and even then go back to it once in a while , you might cahange your mind

Ok ... I will agree on the you must try for yourself...and you also know your like and dislikes...like I would NEVER try the potstickers...not a dumpling kind of girl(lol).
Favorites:
Cili Con Carne
tryi w/A dab of Trader Joes Salsa
a dab of fat free sour creme
a dab of low fat cheddar
on top of a cup of lettuce
Pizza (lunch)
Baked Potatoe (very filling) mix it....the blob look will go away
Chicken Fajitas
Complete Start Cereal
Toffee Bites
Cheese Curls
Chicken Fett. (yum)
Mac & Cheese w/ string beans (yum-yum)
Turkey w/gravy
BBQ Pita Bites (spicey, but yummy)
DISLIKES
breakfast honey oat bar...you need 5 glasses of water before/durning/after !!!

I didn't think I liked the Honey Oat Bar that much but this morning I tried something from the Creative Recipes booklet....toasting it in the toaster and then spreading light jam on it. It was good, more like a fresh pastry and not so dry!

I've been meaning to post this for awhile since I've tried all the foods a few weeks ago and wanted to post my final verdict (as many of you said, everyone's taste is different):
Thumbs Up:
Banana Nut Muffin
Blueberry Muffin
Breakfast Stuffed Sandwich
French Toast
Sunshine Sandwich
Complete Start Cereal
Fruit & Granola (very small though)
Honey Oat Bar (heated with Lite Strawberry Jam)
Strawberry Bar
Triple Grain Crisps
Breakfast Scramble
Smoothie
7-Grain Cereal
Beef Chow Mein
Brocolli & Cheese Stuffed Potato
Cheesy Enchilada
Chicken Sandwich
Chicken Stuff Sandwich
Jenny's Personal Pizza (with added mushrooms and artichokes)
Penne Pasta
Stuffed Shells
Turkey Burger
Beef Sirloin Rice Bowl
Chicken Fajitas
Jenny's Rising Crust Pizza
Macaroni & Cheese
Traditional Lasgna
Turkey with Gravy
Veggie Burger
Pasta Fagioli (surpise- I didn't expect to like any box meals)
Turkey Chili (another surprise - great mixed in with a big bowl of lettuce)
All the snacks!
Vegetable & Chicken Potstickers
Chicken & Asparagus Crepes
Fair:
Pasta Ole'
Bean with Ham and Bacon Soup
Chicken Salad Kit (great travel item)
Garden Vegetable Soup
Hearty Beef & Vegetables
Homestyle Chicken with Noodles
Spinach & Cheese Tortellini
Chicken Fettuccine
Meat Loaf with BBQ Sauce
Salisbury Steak
Lentils with Beef
Multi-Grain Cereal (but cool because you get a fruit with it!)
Thumbs Down:
Silver Dollar Pancakes (the pancakes are great but the sausage is terrible)
Mesquite Chicken
Chili Con Carne
Creamy Potato Soup
Zesty Chicken
Swedish meatballs
Beef with Mashed Potatoes
Chicken Pasta Parmesan
Island Style Chicken
Sweet & Sour Chicken
That's my 2 cents anyway.

It really does prove that we all have different tastes, since I absolutely love the sausage in the Silver Dollar Pancakes (I wish I could find something similar here in Canada, but we don't get Morningstar Farm or the breakfast Boca products), and the Swedish Meatballs.
P.S. Good for you for trying everything, even the ones that your didn't think you would like.

I agree with vl117 that the Strawberry bar is nasty, but there's not much else I've found I didn't like. However, I think I had to drink even MORE than 5 glasses of water this morning to down the Honey Oat Bar (yes, that's an exaggeration ). I wish I had read the suggestions about toasting it with jam or cream cheese BEFORE breakfast! Well, at least this way I won't cringe the next time I see it on my menu.

I have been on this program on and off for several years. My favorites are:
Breakfast
Banana Nut Muffin
Blueberry Muffin
Sunshine Sandwich
I miss the berry turnover
Multi grain cereal
Lunch
Tortellini
Chili
Swedish Meatballs
Homestyle Chicken
Veg Beef Soup
Dinner
Rising Crust Pizza
Chicken Feticcine
Turkey Dinner
Salisbury Steak
Beef Sirloin Rice Bowl
Snack
Brownie!
Lemon Cake
Popcorn
Pita Puffs