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Ready meals - any favourites?

(154 Posts)
Witzend Tue 12-Oct-21 11:17:32

We rarely have them, but after a week of childcare help while dd is away for work, I picked up a couple on the (final) way home yesterday. M&S big Yorkshire puds with sliced beef, gravy and potatoes inside. I’d usually go for something SE Asian but we really enjoyed them, with cabbage and carrots which were in the fridge anyway.

In the past dh has really enjoyed a Waitrose Nasi Goreng - he got hooked on it during a year based in Jakarta.

Any absolute favourites? No sniffy comments, please, I do virtually always cook from scratch!

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 12-Oct-21 12:19:00

Sorry I meant Ocado don’t deliver.

FannyCornforth Tue 12-Oct-21 12:20:34

I’m just going to finalise my Ocado delivery, so this thread is very prescient (I think that’s the right word).
GNW 50p!! The M&S butter chicken is DH’s favourite too.
Callistemon I agree about the mash, but their Colcannon mash is delicious.

Riverwalk Tue 12-Oct-21 12:21:07

My favourite is M&S Gastropub, and Charlie Bigham's.

Cheaper ranges, particularly the pasta ones, I find are a bit bland and gloopy.

Casdon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:21:13

For anybody who lives in Wales, there’s a ready meal brand called Authentic, their curries and chilli con carne, cottage pie etc. are the best I’ve ever tasted. They are available in Morrisons and Sainsburys. I don’t know if they are nationwide or as a Welsh company only available here.

H1954 Tue 12-Oct-21 12:21:25

Tesco lasagne, £3 and serves two. It's excellent for the price and not worth the faff of making it from scratch, unless you want to batch cook loads of them.
This is the only convenience food we have though.

Callistemon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:23:59

Casdon

For anybody who lives in Wales, there’s a ready meal brand called Authentic, their curries and chilli con carne, cottage pie etc. are the best I’ve ever tasted. They are available in Morrisons and Sainsburys. I don’t know if they are nationwide or as a Welsh company only available here.

I'll look out for those.

Ready meals apart - have you tried the Welsh yogurt available in Aldi, Casdon?.
Village Dairy Llaeth Y Llan and it is delicious.

Riverwalk Tue 12-Oct-21 12:26:26

Germanshepherdsmum

Sorry I meant Ocado don’t deliver.

No Ocado? shock

Just had a delivery - so all well in my world grin

Callistemon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:26:49

Callistemon I agree about the mash, but their Colcannon mash is delicious.
Yes, I did have some the other day when DH wasn't here and I found an M&S dinner for one lurking in the freezer - it did have the Colcannon mash.
Better but not like mine!!

nadateturbe Tue 12-Oct-21 12:30:47

FannyCornforth

M&S vegetable moussaka
Apparently it serves 2 confused

Love it FannyCornforth

hazel93 Tue 12-Oct-21 12:37:42

When I was recovering last year from a major op. tried loads as DH does not cook and I could'nt.
Found most either too salty or bland. The only one I still buy is Waitrose paella, tasty and microwaveable - saves the faff when I can't be bothered.

25Avalon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:39:09

We used to like the dine in M&S range but since lockdown Cooks is now my preferred choice. They deliver free over £40. Their coq au vin is superb but needs veggies adding. Other favourites are king prawn linguine, aubergine parmigiana and their chicken, ham and leek pie.

Casdon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:42:40

No, I haven’t seen Llaeth Y Llan yoghurt Callistemon, must try that too.

Daisend1 Tue 12-Oct-21 12:43:57

No fridge needed or washing up for my favorite no effort Sticky Rib or Sweet and Sour Pot Noodles in their disposable containers.Hot water give a good stir then eat.Bliss.
Alternative is a jacket potato, I keep several in freezer,and add a lump of cheddar, butter too if feeling 'just this once' Invariably it never is. just this once.

kittylester Tue 12-Oct-21 15:26:21

Charlie Bigham are really good but not freezable.

Lots of frozen things are not gf so we tend to keep M&S chicken breaks in breadcrumbs and frozen chips as Ready Meals.

I have a no cooking on Saturday night rule here so we have the previously mentioned chicken breasts or Sainsbury's sticky wings and frozen sweet potato fries, a takeaway or the Italian in town does take away pasta or rice dishes which are freezable but have to be thawed before microwaving.

kittylester Tue 12-Oct-21 15:26:21

Charlie Bigham are really good but not freezable.

Lots of frozen things are not gf so we tend to keep M&S chicken breaks in breadcrumbs and frozen chips as Ready Meals.

I have a no cooking on Saturday night rule here so we have the previously mentioned chicken breasts or Sainsbury's sticky wings and frozen sweet potato fries, a takeaway or the Italian in town does take away pasta or rice dishes but they have to be thawed first.

Auntieflo Tue 12-Oct-21 15:35:02

Cook Shop are now our go to for a tasty and reasonably quick treat.
Avalon25, you have our choices off to a tee.

Atqui Tue 12-Oct-21 15:43:35

Another Cook fan here. We love pork Dijon , moussaka, and parmigiana . I don’t buy chicken from them as I don’t know if it’s free range - though perhaps I’m discriminating against the pigs!!!

NanKate Tue 12-Oct-21 15:59:00

Charlie Bingham for us too. ?

Whitewavemark2 Tue 12-Oct-21 16:02:42

Had Cook Moussaka for lunch as don’t feel like cooking today. Very tasty it was too.

I have a delivery of ready meals tucked away in the freezer and although I like to cook from scratch I am not a martyr to the cause and if I feel like a break I take one.

M0nica Tue 12-Oct-21 16:13:01

I batch cook. Ilb of meat, makes one meal for us to eat immediately and three in the freezer. I often have as many as 20 home made ready meals in the freezer - and a couple of Waitrose steak and kidney puddings, ready to eat any time.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 12-Oct-21 16:14:48

M0nica

I batch cook. Ilb of meat, makes one meal for us to eat immediately and three in the freezer. I often have as many as 20 home made ready meals in the freezer - and a couple of Waitrose steak and kidney puddings, ready to eat any time.

Yes I do that as well.

grannyrebel7 Tue 12-Oct-21 16:22:18

Not so much ready meals, but Sainsbury's lamb shanks and shoulder of lamb are melt in the mouth delicious! And there's no fat at all - win win situation.

Jaxjacky Tue 12-Oct-21 16:49:49

Lamb shanks are so expensive now, they weren’t years ago. I buy a couple of ham hocks, about £3 each, Cook one, freeze one.
Rarely buy ready meals, if I do it’s for MrJ if I’m eating liver or fish, neither of which he likes, normally a pasta based one.

Ladyleftfieldlover Tue 12-Oct-21 16:55:06

Charlie Bigham’s chicken tagine is delicious.

kittylester Tue 12-Oct-21 17:29:40

M0nica

I batch cook. Ilb of meat, makes one meal for us to eat immediately and three in the freezer. I often have as many as 20 home made ready meals in the freezer - and a couple of Waitrose steak and kidney puddings, ready to eat any time.

I batch cook too but I also like a change from our regular meals.