Parsley Box meals.

Snap shysal ? . Portion control and weight gain are behind my reason for ordering.

Processed food like this surely can’t compete with fresh home cooked food.
There was a thread about this product not so long ago and if I remember correctly the general consensus of members who had tried them was that they were insufficient, needed added vegetables and not appetising.
If you are trying to eat less try putting less fresh home cooked food on your plate.

I'm interested in perhaps having some on standby for my boy.
We don't eat the same things at all, and it's tedious having to think about cooking a meal sometimes.

My friend tried them. They are very small, have good ingredients - but a nasty 'tinned' overboiled taste. She had to add spices to make them edible!

I've now got an ad showing for 'balance box' meals.

Wonder what they're like?

A far better idea is to double your vegetable intake (easy for me, being vegan) to fill you up. Cabbage (instead of spaghetti) with Quorn and mushroom 'bolognese' sauce is a favourite.

Hetty, I intend to add lots of vegetables to my plate, as I always have.

I would need to try the meals myself, because I think some people are opposed to women opting out of cooking, and dismiss anything which may facilitate it. (I'm not one, obviously!)

Some of them taste better than others. The lasagne was horrible but some of the stews were nice. Also the curries are nice. I bought loads of them during the first lockdown as I was worried about food supplies. The sausage and mash is sausage in a sea of gravy but the sausage itself is nice. Have you heard of Jane Plan meals? Like Parsley Box in principle (don’t need to be stored in a fridge). Saw it on a shopping channel one night and now they’re advertising on mainstream tv.

I ordered a box of the Asian meals. The ones I've eaten so far are lovely. I think another time I will order individual meals and not a set box as there are so many meals that I like the look of and want to try.
For me the main advantages are not that they don't need to be frozen, can be kept until you need them in a cupboard or similar, the quantities are okay and you can microwave them. They are a perfect way of having a good quality meal and you don't need to go outside shopping for them.

shysal, try this:

Cook at a time when you're not hungry (after lunch?) cool the food and divide into sensible meal-sized portions. Plate up one dinner for the fridge, then freeze the rest. Just microwave at dinner time (you won't be tempted by seconds).

Shop or order online when you're not hungry too!

My 89 year old neighbour has these. He says you need to add veg as portions not big, but he seemed pleased with them, found ringing up and ordering quick and easy.

Should add he has a son living nearby, who brings him hot meals almost daily, these are a supplement maybe for lunch if not had a big meal.

He is very fortunate to have a caring family so handy.

It's the stewy, meaty, sausagey meals I would be getting, as that's what I don't eat so much.

My OH took up one of Parsley Box's offers in order to try their meals.
He was not impressed -not only were they much too small for him, but he found them tasteless too. (What can I say, he's used to my excellent cooking! ?)

Personally, I think that being so small could make them counter productive as regards portion control, unless on a very strict diet, as they are likely to leave you feeling hungry immediately.

If you have the time, inclination and the freezer space, you might do better to start cooking in bulk and freezing foods in what you consider to be 'sensible' portion sizes?

I was just about to suggest something similar to Hetty58.
By just controlling the amount you put on your plate to eat, put similar amounts in freezable containers immediately and never have seconds just to finish something up.

Many people do try to lose weight in January but, imo, it's the worst time. It's cold, wet, miserable and there are often leftovers from Christmas hanging around.
February is a good time. I will start in February (I really will).

X post with MamaCaz

I type slowly

Poor Shysal she started a thread to exchange reviews of Parsley Box meals, instead she's getting advice on nutrition and how to cook!

All this talk of batch cooking is falling on deaf ears here.
I can think of few things worse..

My mother really didn’t like Parsely Box. In fact, after the first two meals she asked me to remove them from her freezer.

Sorry Shysal
I have nothing to say that is in the slightest bit helpful!

Because you have to add your own veg anyway we started buying tins of stewing steak or casseroles from the supermarket and added our own veg. It did make me re discover instant mash, though. I must say Parsley Box customer service is very good, though and they are delivered very quickly. The little bottles of wine they sell come in handy for sauce making. I do wish M&S did a delivery service, though. When my weight crept up a few years ago I started buying their ready meals. Sometimes it’s helpful, when your weight has crept up, to not have to think about food between meals.

I know quite a lot of people who enjoy the weightwatchers meals for that reason.

I don’t know about Parsley , but a friend who lives alone sometimes buys m and s ready meals which she says are delicious. She is the first to admit she will eat anything, so that needs to be taken into consideration but calories/ fat etc are shown which would help when cutting back.
Iceland do some nice ready dishes which are recommended by slimming world and they deliver free if you spend a minimal amount.

MayBee M&S does a delivery service through Ocado. I only drink the coffee they sell in jars at a fiver each but last time I also added eg their £12 meal for two which gave me a bottle of wine also.

Their web site is so comprehensive I almost lose the will to live as it is so long and comprehensive. I found it difficult finding items I wanted and I know their shelves very well!

I was thinking about buying the curry boxes from Parsley Box and as others have said I could buy the small bottles of wine for cooking. £19 is the amount to order for free delivery. If ordered eg early on a Monday it arrives on a Tuesday which is excellent service.