Is there such a thing as delicious ready meals?

The only ones I liked were from an independent supermarket , the meals could have been home cooked from the taste of them
This is not just one place , but most independent supermarkets
I have frozen some , but been careful to make sure they were well thawed before heating ,
Actually the best idea is to take time , once in a while , to batch cook and freeze your own meals

Charlie Bigam apparently, I’ve not bought any but lots of people rave about them p, they’ll cost you though, so may not fit your budget.

Thanks aggie - I'm not sure we have any independent supermarkets around here. I do batch cook, I make pasta sauces, casseroles and the like but interested to hear about ready meals that I may not have come across so far.

It’s not something I’ve ever bought but have you checked out local farm shops, if you live somewhere with access to them? We have an excellent farm shop near us. They partner with a local butcher and sell their own frozen meals, which always look delicious when I peer into the freezers.

Ferry23. I don’t like cooking much but always cook from scratch and never buy ready meals. Check the ingredients the added sugar etc etc and the preservatives. Always a long list of things you have never heard of.

Sounds like your batch cooking fits the bill and at least you know what’s in them.

Not that we have ready meals very often at all, but I like most of the SE Asian ones from M&S/Waitrose. Waitrose Nasi Goreng is dh’s favourite - he was based for a year in Jakarta and says it’s as good as any there - though he has to add the fried eggs at home.

Now and then I can really fancy one of the M&S ones that consist of a big Yorkshire pud, with the meat and veg inside - assuming they still do them.
I don’t often indulge, though.

I use Charlie Bigam, Waitrose and Cook.

Not all the time (!) but I feel that my everyday cooking days are over (and I was a good cook too in my time), and DH still likes 'proper' meals so he has them twice a week or so. Usu have to cook some green veg to go with it.

I'm a good cook but sometimes time runs out or energyand inclination are in short supply.

I often cook double (or triple) portions but some times i can't be bothered at all.

Charlie Bigham are good as are some M&S especially the Cottage Pie. But the good ones are quite expensive.

Witzend

Not that we have ready meals very often at all, but I like most of the SE Asian ones from M&S/Waitrose. Waitrose Nasi Goreng is dh’s favourite - he was based for a year in Jakarta and says it’s as good as any there - though he has to add the fried eggs at home.

Now and then I can really fancy one of the M&S ones that consist of a big Yorkshire pud, with the meat and veg inside - assuming they still do them.
I don’t often indulge, though.

Lidl do a nice nasi goreng and also a mee goreng ...I've been to Indonesia a few times and the Lidl dishes compare favourably

We enjoy Charlie Bingham feeding us now and again. Waitrose and Sainsbury have a couple of varieties reduced most weeks - makes choice simple anyway. They are expensive at full price though.

I agree with LOUISA - the Nasi Goreng from Lidl is excellent .and if it comes recommended by someone who’s been to Indonesia, I’ll take it.

I've yet to find a vegetarian/vegan ready meal that I'd buy again. So fat, I've tried M&S and Waitrose products as well as Charlie Bigham's. I have looked at the menu from Wiltshire Farm Foods but they don't have anything veggie in their range that sounds palatable. Any suggestions?

Definitely fans of Charlie Bigham here too. Cottage pie, fish pie (no prawns yippee!) and curry/rice are our 3 favourites. Did you know they recently started puddings too? Delicious!

I just wish they would do more gluten free options, urms.

crazyH

I agree with LOUISA - the Nasi Goreng from Lidl is excellent .and if it comes recommended by someone who’s been to Indonesia, I’ll take it.

We had that last week - not something I'd normally buy but we needed something quick and easy to heat up in our motorhome, and both of us were actually really surprised at how nice it was!

I've never discovered a ready meal I like. No matter where I've bought them from, including Cook, Charlie Bingham, Waitrose and Marks. They always have a certain sweetness to them and an "artificial" after taste that lingers.

I would honestly rather have some nice crusty bread and good cheese or make an omelette.

I like the Iceland Biryani and recently had a Wasabi Katsu Curry from Sainsbury's that was every bit as nice as Wagamamas at a fraction of the price.
That said, I don't think you can beat batch cooking your favourite meals to freeze and eat when you fancy them.

If you think yours are bad, try ours. Quite disgusting. Unless, of course, you like to eat cardboard and cotton wool.

I also live on my own and batch cook so there’s usually something I can pull out of the freezer. There are very few ready meals I have found that are good except a chicken leek and ham pie from M&S for a treat or Charlie Bighams meals aren’t bad but they are expensive. If I don’t feel like cooking I enjoy a tuna salad with a jacket potato or an omelette more than a ready meal and just as quick to make .

The local butcher in our town sells a good variety of pies (lamb, chicken, steak pie, cottage pie) and theirs pies are much better than any of the pies sold at the supermarket. The Indian curries at M&S are quite good. Still not as good as home made curry.
I cook most days, but on days I cannot be bothered to cook, we just have ready made soup or omelette or beans on toast.

I like the aldi range, their ham and mushroom tagliatelle is my favourite and hubbie likes the lasagne. Their salad range is also good and they sell a whole cooked chicken for less than £5

I also have always cooked from fresh every day but I do deserve a couple of days of a week so M and S are our best supermarket ones locally. It's pork pie town so wonderful pies of all types here and I do love the very occasional steak pie made locally.....hate pork pies though.

Do you like curries?

These are very good though have only tried the vegetarian ones - I have also gifted their vegetarian "bundles" at about £50 and friends and family also like them.

www.chefakila.com/

I buy the MS tins of chunky steak, chunky chicken pieces, chicken tikka masala and steak and kidney. Approx 4.00 a can.

They serve 2 portions. So you just cook half and keep the rest in the fridge for a day or 2. I serve up with microwave rice or mash. Mash I cook twice the amount and reheat the left over in the microwave. Sometimes mash carrots in with the mash. So it doesnt take long. The cans are really good and obviously store well.

Sounds lazy but I am recovering from cancer and DH has severe emphysema so my days of enjoying cooking are gone....hopefully not for ever. Otherwise Waitrose microwave meals are good as are MS. Charlie Bs are expensive and I haven't seen microwave ones just oven ones.
We eat alot of fish...pan fried trout fillets are favourite and very quick also smoked haddock with a poached egg cheese sauce and a bit of spinach. Spinach I cook a large bag and freeze it in flat sheets so I can break off a chunk or 2 to microwave. And cheese sauce I make from scratch twice the amount and reheat the leftovers in the microwave.
Can you guess the microwave is my best friend.