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Best supplier of ready meals.

(95 Posts)
Thoro Thu 29-Dec-22 17:28:22

After a truly awful year of health problems for my husband (dementia) and myself (aortic dissection with emergency open heart surgery) I’m now living on my own with very little appetite and no desire to cook.
I’ve been buying supermarket ready meals but wonder if the nutritional content is better in the online meals you can buy (such as Wiltshire farm) over supermarket ones. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thank you

Amry64 Mon 02-Jan-23 11:41:41

OCADO deliver M&S food and ready meals, and lots of other things! I'm struggling with walking, especially around supermarkets, so have signed up to their delivery service (£3.99 a month) and get everything from them now. with a shop every two weeks. Drivers are friendly and helpful, they come on time, and bring the shopping in.

Allsorts Mon 02-Jan-23 11:33:00

I don’t know what I will have when I no longer cook as can’t stand ready meals, especially M and S. Think as long as I can manage a toaster it will have to be something in toast or Heinz soup, not as good as mine but I can eat it. My late fil lived for 12 years on Iceland ready meals, I thought they were awful but he enjoyed them as my mil was a very bad cook. We used to take him home cooked meals for his freezer and he really enjoyed them, his puddings were always canned rice or tinned fruit and evaporated milk.

Forsythia Mon 02-Jan-23 11:29:14

Binghams

Forsythia Mon 02-Jan-23 11:28:40

My late MIL liked Wiltshire Farm Foods and so did all the others in her retirement flats complex.

We like Charlie Bunghams and Cook ourselves plus M&S own brand.

Ethelwashere1 Mon 02-Jan-23 11:27:52

Btw I had a friend who used to say that if anyone brought her/delivered a ready meal she would throw them back. She was a stroke victim with limited capabilities but like to make her own as far as pissabke

Ethelwashere1 Mon 02-Jan-23 11:25:02

I’ve tried Wiltshire foods and they are not good. Too small portions and disgusting soft mashed potato. I would rather get a takeaway. Does being elderly mean you can’t enjoy a nosh up, a good potion of chips and a large fish (yum). I’ve never met an elderly person who doesn’t eat much.
If you are home all day then nothing wrong in cooking from scratch

Witzend Mon 02-Jan-23 11:23:39

I often used to take an M&S ready meal, though - a salmon and broccoli pasta one used to go down well (she was a very fussy eater!) and I still make my own version of that, with a little cheese and a splash of white wine added.

annifrance Mon 02-Jan-23 11:21:37

My daughter used Cook for a big family party over Christmas. I found the lasagne was tasty but a bit heavy, not as good as I make! the Lemon cheesecake was absolutely delicious. whatever, it saved anyone doing a lot of cooking. Cook generally have a good reputation, but expensive.

I also think if there is a table full of people they take more notice of each other and the conversation than the food! so you can be a little bit less discriminating.

Witzend Mon 02-Jan-23 11:21:06

Ok, some time ago now, but my mother used WFF for several years. They weren’t exactly exciting meals - I sometimes had one when visiting - but they suited her very well, and the service was excellent. Must say I was amazed at the huge choice in the catalogue - not just different dishes, but portion sizes, as well as various dietary requirements.

Harris27 Mon 02-Jan-23 11:14:49

Yes M&S are good too. I used to buy her these then top her up with Wiltshire foods.

Harris27 Mon 02-Jan-23 11:13:56

Wiltshire farm foods are really good. My late mil loved them and they used to be so helpful putting them away.

Juicylucy Mon 02-Jan-23 11:09:55

I’d rather recommend MS ready meals seem to be good ingredients and nutritional and they have good variety.

Mollygo Sat 31-Dec-22 23:31:46

Charlie Bingham-good choice, good quality and best of all when they’re reduced in price because they’re due up the next day.

Greendress Sat 31-Dec-22 22:34:49

Another shout out for Charlie Bingham, can be purchased from Sainsburys and Waitrose so deliveries available. Lots of good optiosn as well as the delicious fish pie, cottage pie, lasagne,macaroni cheese, red thai curry so name a few - many options. The only ready meals we like.

LOUISA1523 Sat 31-Dec-22 19:55:00

JaneJudge

If you want fresh ready meals, rather than frozen. Charlie Bighams are good but you need to cook them in the oven.

We purchase wiltshire farm foods for an elderly relative and they like them but find the portion size too big (but they eat it all anyway grin )

Charlie Bighams fish pie is to die for 😋

MissAdventure Sat 31-Dec-22 17:35:09

My mum quite liked the Oakhouse meals, because quite a few were cheese sauce, pasta type, and she thought they are best for microwaving.

Aveline Sat 31-Dec-22 17:29:24

M&S for me. Good quality. All calorie counted. I like the wide range of meals available and also that they do small sized ones. They were ideal for my MiL as she got older.

JaneJudge Sat 31-Dec-22 17:26:02

If you want fresh ready meals, rather than frozen. Charlie Bighams are good but you need to cook them in the oven.

We purchase wiltshire farm foods for an elderly relative and they like them but find the portion size too big (but they eat it all anyway grin )

MissAdventure Sat 31-Dec-22 17:16:03

Wilshire farm will also, by arrangement, phone a regulator customer if need be, to remind them that they may want to order, if they haven't heard from them.

Pixieboots Fri 30-Dec-22 22:35:47

My mum would agree that M&S have the nicest ready meals but they don't deliver in her area and nearest M&S doesn't have the variety as its a small store. Wiltshire FF offer 3 delivery days a week in her area. WFF are a great standby to have in the freezer as she also cooks from scratch.

Sarah74 Fri 30-Dec-22 22:07:41

I had a hip replacement a few years ago and wasn’t able to do much in the kitchen for a while. Ordered Cook meals then, and found them very tasty. However not cheap! And I think they may be tasty as they have a lot of salt or wine in them!
My MIL lived on the mini instant meals for one from M and S for her last few years. She liked her independence and they were easy to cook. I occasionally ate with her and they were fine.
Apart from this thread, I haven’t heard very good reports of Wiltshire Foods or Parsley Box.

Floradora9 Fri 30-Dec-22 21:54:42

annsixty

I used to like Cook meals which I could buy from a local garden centre.
However recently I have not found them good or value for money.
One of my recent buys was a risotto, it was about two tablespoons full when cooked and cost £4:75.
Very poor, I think they have lost their edge and won’t buy again any time soon.
M&S are also small but tasty and good.

I bought a range of Cook meals and felt they were expensive and not very good. We liked the fish pie but it cost £10 I think . Used to like Charlie Bigham's from Tesco but getting expensive for not much goodness.

Mollygo Fri 30-Dec-22 19:57:27

Tried Wiltshire Farm foods once and never again. To be fair, when I complained and sent them pictures of what had actually arrived, they offered me a refund.

Esmay Fri 30-Dec-22 19:41:53

I've tried lots of ready meals and the ones from M and S are the nicest .

I was discussing ready meals with friends yesterday and we all agreed on M and S .

Thoro Fri 30-Dec-22 19:38:37

Thanks again - have ordered from WF so will see how that goes!