Is there such a thing as delicious ready meals?

Glad to know there are others who find cooking a chore. I never really enjoyed it when all the family were at home but needs must, and they loved it so I cooked up a storm for over 45 years and still do when they visit. But now I want to hang up the apron and go easy with the cooking. As for my DH he swears he can cook but am afraid his experiments are usually dreadful, still he makes good rice and a mean tagine on occasion.

I think there are many ways to eat healthily without resorting to ready meals. I detest cooking, particularly all the faffing about chopping and assembling ingredients. I’m a great fan of Jamie’s and Ainsley’s five ingredients books, which both have lovely recipes which take minimum effort.
One range of ready meals I do like though is the Authentic brand. They only do curries, chilli con carne and faggots I think, but their curries are excellent. It’s far too much faff to make a curry yourself, which won’t taste as good, although the vegetable one in one of the 5 ingredients books is nice.

Cooking bores me to tears but I like to eat fresh every day. In our town one shop cooks cottage pie, lasagne and fish pie. So I buy these and add the veg. There are few shortcuts to eating healthily.

I also find Cook a bit hit and miss. Plus they're expensive given that they are smaller than the normal portion for one.

Since I last posted on this thread, I've bought Cook products from a garden centre. There isn't a big variety for vegetarians - curries and pasta dishes. The linguini dish I had yesterday was heavy on the pasta and short on the sauce which didn't taste of anything much. I certainly wasn't worth the £5.55 I'd paid. The best of their dishes so far has been the Katsu curry. DS1, a qualified chef (tho' not a chef nowadays), has offered to cook up some dishes for my freezer, but I know I could do it myself if I could be bothered!

For really good ready meals I don't think you can beat M&S, but most of the time I make a lot of food one day then put leftovers in the fridge to eat within the next couple of days, it means that all I have to do is warm up the leftovers. When family/guests come to stay there are generally a lot of leftovers, and what they can't take home with them we eat up over the next couple of days.

I disagree, Monica. Chef Akila and her team, making meals from traditional family recipes in small batches, produce much more delicious and authentic Indian meals than I ever could. Indeed they’re better than many I’ve had in Asian restaurants (and living in West Yorkshire, I’ve had a lot!).

Is there such a thing as delicious ready meals?

The simple answer is 'No', unless you make them yourself.

I had never heard of Chef Akila and the food looked gorgeous. My main problem will be to empty a drawer to fit them. My f/f is 50/50.

Amazon Hello Fresh sometimes has Charlie Bigham foods on yellow stickers and below 1/2 price but they go very quickly.

I used to love M7S curries, especially chicken Jalfrezi but it does not have the same taste for me these days. I find Prawn Bhuna tasty.

Before I realised this was an old thread (but for once it’s still relevant), I came on to recommend Chef Akila. I see others have too but I think it’s well worth repeating.

They’re hand made from quality ingredients. Also healthy, decent portions and, above all, delicious. We always have some in the freezer.

www.chefakila.com

I find a lot of ready meals have (too much) sugar and cheese to make them palatable but I make an exception for Bigham's fish pie. We sometimes buy Cote at Home meals and their portions are large enough in some cases to serve two meals rather than one. But most ready meals from elsewhere don't make the grade.

HelterSkelter1

Yes, Charlie Bigham's do need oven cooking but not for long.

Some were on offer in Waitrose today. As I'm struggling to cook at the moment and DH tries but dislikes cooking, we've bought three or four, put a couple in the freezer.

I used to spend ages cooking but it is surprising how quickly you can throw a simple meal together and freeze some.

Thanks for the tip about the spinach.

M&S are pretty good, I like the chicken chow mein, also the spag bol.

After a very tiring day out with all 3 Gdcs yesterday, I was v pleased when dh suggested nipping to Waitrose for a couple of ready meals for us. I had a pad Thai, he had his favourite nasi Goreng.
The Gdcs had sushi, a treat for them - ready made from Itsu.

I buy meat from Donald Russell and they do quite a few ready meals . You can see them online as they only deliver. Minimum basket is £50 but I love their steaks and their fillet steak burgers. I would never normally have a burger but these are lovely .

Aveline

Mollygo but what a palaver doing it yourself. You'd also have to have pastry, spinach, white sauce ingredients in stock too.
Sainsbury's salmon en croute is lovely - so lemony 😋

Precisely. That’s why I don’t any more. I’ll try the Sainsbury’s now you’ve mentioned it.

extra thanks..

It tastes extra nice if it's reduced!

Aveline

Mollygo but what a palaver doing it yourself. You'd also have to have pastry, spinach, white sauce ingredients in stock too.
Sainsbury's salmon en croute is lovely - so lemony 😋

I'd make it more like a Koulibiac without the white sauce..

I will try the Sainsburys one as you've recommended though..
many thanks

Mollygo but what a palaver doing it yourself. You'd also have to have pastry, spinach, white sauce ingredients in stock too.
Sainsbury's salmon en croute is lovely - so lemony 😋

Sago

I avoid ready meals as it’s all heavily processed food but I do appreciate that some people rely on them.

I have done the Waitrose dine in, if I lived alone that would be my go to, you can easily freeze half, the starter makes a good lunch or supper so at £12 for two you can get 4 meals.

Waitrose Dine in is good value too.

Mollygo

kittylester

Charlie Bigham are often reduced.

Not often enough for me unfortunately. 😁

We buy them, and look out for when they're reduced, as, by the time you buy all the separate ingredients, spend time and energy preparing and cooking, they probably don't work out any more expensive.
Fish and chips (2 × fish, 1 × chips and 1 × mushy peas) here is now £18.50.
Charlie's smoked haddock gratin is £9.50 and much nicer imo.

Generally, I avoid any ready meals with mashed potato topping because all too often the potato is over-processed and gloopy.

Aveline

pascal30 yes of course it's quicker!

Agreed. But it did actually make me think about how I used to do it.
Task 1. Spot bargain in Booths, buy and take home.
Get out ready made salmon en croute, with a delicious spinach sauce container.
Open the tray.
Put the parcels in the Air fryer, brush with milk or egg, switch on, set timer and temp. Wait.
Or
Task 2. Buy 2 salmon fillets for the same price as the bargain CB.
Buy spinach and frozen pastry and take home.
Whilst waiting for the pastry to thaw, skin the salmon, wash, cook and chop the spinach and prepare a white sauce. Mix in the chopped spinach and seasoning to taste.

Roll out the pastry and cut into 2 pieces add the salmon mixture and form into parcels. Crimp the edges, put slits in the top and brush with milk or egg.
Put in the air fryer, switch on, set time and temp. Wait.
I thought they were good value when reduced. Now I’m not sure if they aren’t good value when not reduced too.

pascal30 yes of course it's quicker!

Mollygo

twiglet77
I don’t think any Charlie Bigham’s meals are good enough to justify the price.
In general I agree, but when Booths have a 30% off for something that needs eating the same day, I’ll try some of them.
By doing that, we found their salmon en croûte very good and so quick to cook in the air fryer.

But is that any quicker than wrapping fresh salmon in ready bought pastry.. add butter and few herbs.. job done