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Ready meals - any favourites?

(155 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!

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.

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.

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.

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

Sorry I meant Ocado don’t deliver.

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 12-Oct-21 12:18:11

Sadly Fanny and Jane, don’t deliver here though I have seen their vans not far away. Perhaps they’re afraid of the folks here in rural Norfolk! Especially when it’s a full moon...?

Callistemon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:16:20

Lucca

FannyCornforth

M&S vegetable moussaka
Apparently it serves 2 confused

2 what ? 2 anorexic mice ?

I think portion sizes have increased in recent years or else my appetite is smaller.

Not losing weight whichever way it is!!

Callistemon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:15:16

I was impressed by the decent portion size. However, I was mortified to notice another day that it was meant to serve 2!
Oh, that made me laugh, Grannynannywanny

grin

Lucca Tue 12-Oct-21 12:15:15

FannyCornforth

M&S vegetable moussaka
Apparently it serves 2 confused

2 what ? 2 anorexic mice ?

Callistemon Tue 12-Oct-21 12:14:00

M&S lasagne is good, I prefer the ordinary one to the Gastropub one which is too rich.

M&S ready meals are fine unless they come with mashed potato which I find is gloopy, overprocessed and unpleasant.

Aveline Tue 12-Oct-21 12:13:49

M&S meals are anything but bland or artificial tasting. They've moved on since the 60s. I don't cook and we exist very happily and healthily on M&S chilled meals. They're calorie, fat, fibre, salt, sugar, carb and vitamin counted and suit us down to the ground.

travelsafar Tue 12-Oct-21 12:11:55

I have a perching stool in my kitchen. I contacted SS and they arrange delivery. It is very useful on the days my back is really bad. I have also found it to be the perfect height at dinning table when doing my jig saws!!!! smile

Grannynannywanny Tue 12-Oct-21 12:11:32

A few months ago I bought M&S butter chicken on the reduced section for 50p. Oh my goodness it was delicious. A lovely mild curry. I think full price is almost £4. I ate it with some nan bread and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was impressed by the decent portion size. However, I was mortified to notice another day that it was meant to serve 2!

Teacheranne Tue 12-Oct-21 12:09:22

I’m not a fan of ready meals, I’ve tried a few but find them tasteless and a bit artificial. If I want an easy meal I tend to pop something in the oven like a pie ( have with tinned mushy peas) or a piece of chicken ( with salad or oven chips). Not quick but don’t involve any preparation or pans to wash up.

Teacheranne Tue 12-Oct-21 12:04:51

henetha

This is an important subject to me. I still cook whenever I can but standing too long is becoming difficult, so I have been trying various ready meals. I quite like some of Tesco's, they do vary. I think their pasta ones are best. I decided to pay a bit more and try M&S ones. I chose Sweet and Sour chicken but it was so disappointing. Not enough chicken nor enough sauce and it just didn't have a nice tang. I will try other M&S ones though..including the one which *FannyCornforth" mentions above.
I have just sent away for that special offer from Parsley Box to see what they are like. ~Watch this space, I'll let you know.
Manwhile, I will still properly cook when my back allows.

Could you still prepare dishes if you sit down? I cannot stand for longer than a minute so have a bar stool in my kitchen which I move around to different areas. I sit near the fridge when putting shopping away, at a worktop to chop vegetables, at the sink to wash up or next to a cupboard if I need to sort out the contents. I also have a stool in the shower and one near the bathroom sink to wash and clean my teeth.

In fact, my house is full of handy stools, I even have one in my bedroom for drying my hair.

Grayling Tue 12-Oct-21 12:01:03

Another fan here of frozen jacket potatoes. I also like M&S "mini meal" of Roast Lamb in a Mint Gravy and Aldi's Chicken & Prawn Paella. I have tried Parsley Box and although they don't look very appetising, along with a couple of veg, they can be quite tasty. Their main advantage is they don't need to be kept in the fridge or freezer which is a bonus when you are on your own. I still enjoy cooking and baking but am a bit lazy when it comes to washing the pots!!

tanith Tue 12-Oct-21 12:00:25

I’ve bought Tesco chicken and bacon pasta it’s really tasty if a little salty but it does as a quick meal now and then.

henetha Tue 12-Oct-21 11:59:35

Oh I do agree germanshepherdsmum. I wish they deliverd here. And I have checked Ocado but they do not deliver to this area yet. I'm out in the sticks, like you.

ExDancer Tue 12-Oct-21 11:49:49

I tried Parsley Box but was disappointed. To me, they tasted like school dinners in the 1950s, and the portions were miniscule. Tesco pasta dishes are OK but I haven't tried M&S because our nearest store has such a small, awkward carpark.
I always like to have some 'just in case'.
DH doesn't care for 'foreign food' but I have weaned him on to lasagne.

Dee1012 Tue 12-Oct-21 11:41:53

I've had a few from Morrisons recently, all very reasonable and quite tasty.
I always keep a few in the freezer.

JaneJudge Tue 12-Oct-21 11:39:23

MissAdventure

Not so much a ready meal, but I do keep frozen jacket potatoes in the freezer.
5 mins in the microwave, then filled up with beans and cheese.

They are my quick go to meal too!

JaneJudge Tue 12-Oct-21 11:38:50

Can you not get Ocado GSM?

The M&S lasagne is nice but all their gastro range is. Charlie Bigham's meals are nice too

Tizliz Tue 12-Oct-21 11:36:45

Not really a ready made meal but I like the spaghetti carbonara packet mix. Nothing like the real thing but nice flavour.

MissAdventure Tue 12-Oct-21 11:36:11

Not so much a ready meal, but I do keep frozen jacket potatoes in the freezer.
5 mins in the microwave, then filled up with beans and cheese.

FannyCornforth Tue 12-Oct-21 11:35:33

GSM won’t Ocado deliver to you? shock

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 12-Oct-21 11:34:08

I so wish M&S delivered out here in the sticks! Nothing wrong with the odd ready meal on a busy day or when you simply can’t be bothered to cook from scratch.