PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Want to eat healthier but recipes still say microwave

Options
I live alone and don't cook. All my main meals are microwave. People tell me it's not good for me & I do feel constantly bloated. I want to eat healthier but even the cooking sites show meals to microwave. I don't get it.
Can anyone recommend meals? I assume they mean oven heated.
While I appreciate anyone taking the time to reply, I want to say up front I have no intention of learning to cook. It doesn't interest me and I don't wish to be empowered as some food sites claim :)
«1345

Comments

  • trolleyrun
    trolleyrun Posts: 1,382 Forumite
    Pretty much all ready-meals are unhealthy. If you want to eat healthily, you will have to learn to cook from scratch. Otherwise, the amount of salt, sugar and fat + other additives in the ready-meals will make you feel worse and worse.

    I used to hate cooking, because I didn't really know how. Once I learned the basics, my confidence grew and now I find it very therapeutic. I don't cook fancy stuff, but it's all healthy.
  • shegirl
    shegirl Posts: 10,107 Forumite
    If you still want ready meals then it makes no difference whether they are cooked in the microwave or in the oven.


    You need to learn to cook from scratch, even if it's just basic things like grilling chicken and baking potatoes
    If women are birds and freedom is flight are trapped women Dodos?
  • redfox
    redfox Posts: 15,336 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].
  • Fruball
    Fruball Posts: 5,739 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If you don't want to learn to cook, which is quite mad in my opinion but your right not to if you don't want to, then look for the best quality meals with the least artificial ingredients. A list of things you can actually pronounce and you know what they are is a good start!

    Paleo chef do meals and so does this company http://www.lookwhatwefound.co.uk/

    I think your health is goingt to suffer long term if you eat supermarket ready meals daily.
  • trolleyrun wrote: »
    Pretty much all ready-meals are unhealthy.

    Rubbish ! Read the labels !
  • raven83
    raven83 Posts: 3,021 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 8 October 2014 at 10:03PM
    Well really you need to ditch the microwave meals and learn to cook, even just the basics, but healthier microwave alternatives would be jacket potato with beans, both can be nuked, scrambled eggs, you can do them in the microwave. How about buying some gammon stakes and sticking them in the oven, they cook really quick, you could have that with some scrambled eggs and beans. Also soup is a good one, with some crusty bread, how about boiling some pasta and serving it with some tuna and sweetcorn. There are LOADS of things you could have, just learn the basics, you don't need to be Delia to eat healthy.
    Raven. :grinheart:grinheart:grinheart


  • Goldiegirl
    Goldiegirl Posts: 8,806 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Rampant Recycler Hung up my suit!
    Rubbish ! Read the labels !

    Can you tell me which ready meals aren't riddled with salt? I mean low salt, less than 0.30 per 100g. I've looked, but there aren't any

    The best advice for eating a healthy diet is to prepare all your food from scratch, then you know what's in it
    Early retired - 18th December 2014
    If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough
  • suki1964
    suki1964 Posts: 14,313 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Ready meals are packed with preservatives and man made chemicals


    The best food for you is the food that resembles the base product. The more processed, the worse it is for you

    I know you have said you don't want to learn to cook and I can understand that the thought of all that prep and washing up is daunting...


    However, just a few basic skills learned and I promise you, cooking really is easy, can be as quick as you like, and washing up is minimal


    If you post up a weeks meal plan as it is now, I'm sure we can help you switch a few meals around with very little skill or fuss
  • maman
    maman Posts: 29,708 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Porage is good in the microwave or have some sugar free cereal like Weetabix, Shredded Wheat or Puffed Wheat with some fruit on top. When I lived alone I often enjoyed this sort of thing at supper time as well as breakfast.


    A wholemeal sandwich with something healthy inside (cold meat, salad?) and a bowl of soup would be better for you than constant ready meals. Or microwave something simple like fish, frozen veg and some tinned potatoes.


    Would you consider making an omelette, cooking?;)
  • JIL
    JIL Posts: 8,835 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 9 October 2014 at 12:48AM
    Do you feel that its the microwaving meals is what makes them unhealthy? That if they were cooked differently they would be better for you?

    What kind of meals do you cook in the microwave at present. Is it just ready meals? There's other things out there such as frozen bags of veg and rice and frozen fish fillets in bags that will be better than ready meals.
    You can buy microwave steamers from the pound shop that will steam veg in minutes.
    You don't need to learn to cook to stirfry some veg and noodles. Add a handful of cooked chicken, prawns or cashew nuts.
    Salads are healthy, get creative and look on restraunt menus to get some ideas.
    You don't have to learn to cook to a certain standard, just a few basics.
    Good luck.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.