Best value ready meals?

Former_MSE_Nick

We want to know what the cheapest and healthiest ready meals are out there. Tell us your favourites - which offer good value, taste the best and feed the most people? (PS we know it's cheapest to make you're own but that's not what we're asking about this time)

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jayII

Iceland Stores Chinese, Indian and pizza ready meals for us, for our 'lazy night'. They're the only ready meals we like and most are nicer, and cheaper, than takeaway food.

SailorSam

I don't think cheapest and healthiest are two words that go together when talking about ready meals.

Mr_Singleton

SailorSam wrote: »

I don't think cheapest and healthiest are two words that go together when talking about ready meals.

A round of applause for that!

aloiseb

We like Charlie Bingham (?) Lasagne, Moussaka etc - but only when it's reduced to half price. It's then a mere(!) £3.99 or so......but it's actually as good as, or better, than my home made one, which I frequently don't have the time or energy to make. A space is left in the freezer just in case!

I have a sort of cheat ready-meal fish pie, which consists of Fish in Butter Sauce (often on special offer, 4 for about £3) with squashed jacket potato on top, and frozen peas. Nicer than Admirals Pie but I can' really claim it's home made, sorry healthy people out there!

aloiseb

Also Sainsburys Basics shepherds pie. Made with lamb mince, potato and not much else additive wise as far as I could see...and only 80p. Couldn't make it for that.

pakokelso93

For a snack or quick tea Value range Mac n Cheese is decent enough for 80pish in most stores. You can throw in some extra cheese on top if need be.

sylviesinc

As a retired couple who value our leisure time, we chose to have Oakhouse Foods deliver our meals. They are quick frozen "ready" meals so I think they fit the criteria but they are the most delicious I have ever tasted and the variety is astonishing. They are supposedly made with the finest ingredients and they certainly taste better than any supermarket ready meal I have ever tasted, plus the ingredients listed are always impressive.

sdc2015

Lidl's fresh Thai green curry with jasmine rice is delicious, contains discernible vegetables (bamboo shoots and fine green beans) as well as plenty of chicken, and costs only £1.49. Per pack it has 492 calories, 12g fat (3%) 4.1g fibre and 33g protein (8.2%).

JSUK_2

Co-Op's healthier range Chicken Tikka Masala and rice comes highly recommended - £2.59 or two for £4. Quality meat, great flavour, lovely texture, and all greens on the traffic light. Personally I prefer it to their regular one, despite it being cheaper and healthier.

antrobus

SailorSam wrote: »

I don't think cheapest and healthiest are two words that go together when talking about ready meals.

Then you would have a good chance of being wrong.:)

Certainly it's the case that expensive ready meals are often less healthy than cheaper ones. Because they're the ones with the more fat laden upmarket ingredients.