It's pretty much each to their own. When I'm focused and on a mission (like now) I have 3 shakes a day and 3 liters of water, nothing else!!! I find if I have the meal (SS+ ) I want to eat more and my meal gets bigger and my losses get smaller, so as a matter of doing it and getting the fastest loss possible without temptation I stick with SS (3 CD products nothing else). If I really get desperate I'll have a 4th product.
But everyone is different and some find that it's easier to stick to it if they have the meal. There's little or no difference in the losses whichever way you choose. But the meal leads to cheats for me, I can't do that this time.
When I first did CD and lost 72lbs I did it the way I'm doing it now, I'm having to be super strict because I've learned what I can get away with. I'm offering myself no alternative because I refuse to go on holiday fat again. I know SS works so long as I follow it to the letter, so that's how I'm doing it.
Good luck with whichever way you decide to go. I'm here doing it with you, I'm only on day 2 right now so you're not far behind.