Best value ready meals?

Owain_Moneysaver

Edwardia wrote: »

If it's cottage pie, it's basically everything but the tail.

Personally I like a nice bit of oxtail.

Goldiegirl

Due to a chronic health condition, I have to limit the salt in my diet.

I aim to consume less than half the recommended salt intake for the normal adult.

Therefore all shop bought ready meals are off limits, as , from my point of view, they are riddled with salt.

But I have lots of ready meals in my freezer. Every time I make something, I do double what I need, and freeze half.

Much cheaper, and as I made it, I know it's right for my dietary needs.

RoseBlossom

I dont eat these often but the best ready meals i have tried for both nutrition and taste and price (£1.66) are the Marks and Spencers bisto range.Firstly they taste amazing and are a real treat to look forward to all day. (iv never once thought that about any other ready meal) Secondly the prices are comparable if not cheaper than many of the larger supermarkets.The bistro meals are £10 for 3 which makes 6 meals as each serving is so large they easily serve two especially once there cooking if you've added a load of frozen vegetables from aldi or lidil.
There fishpie is one of the best things they sell its lovely with lots of chunky pieces of white fish, salmon and king prawns, just be sure to follow the correct oven settings else the prawns go to rubber when over cooked even in a minute or two. There Shepard's pie is also lovely as are the pies. So £10 for six main meals works out at £1.66 each. For 6 relatively healthy and nutritious meals along with being sustainability caught fish. Also Marks and Spencers policy for ethical fishing practices and farming in general is a lot higher than most other supermarkets. They also are a company that pays taxes. Coming from a farming community its nice to support a business with those values (for example the only use free range eggs in products) Also the meals freeze wonderfully and the tin trays they cook in are so strong the always get kept to use around the kitchen. The only thing though is if you pick up any other food shopping while your in there it can get a bit pricey so i only buy those and anything looking good from the reduced section.

Mr_Singleton

RoseBlossom wrote: »

they only use free range eggs in products

Have to admit I found that an odd comment insofar as its like being impressed by the 5 star Lanesborough Hotel putting a chocolate on your pillow each night..... I should bloody well expect so.... they charge £1000/night. M&S also charge super premium prices to the point I'd expect organic not just the minimum 'free range'

sarah1972

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

Have to admit I found that an odd comment insofar as its like being impressed by the 5 star Lanesborough Hotel putting a chocolate on your pillow each night..... I should bloody well expect so.... they charge £1000/night. M&S also charge super premium prices to the point I'd expect organic not just the minimum 'free range'

I have personally never seen any super premium prices for food in M&S?

Mr_Singleton

sarah1972 wrote: »

I have personally never seen any super premium prices for food in M&S?

in relation to other retailers M&S charge what a 3-400% markup on a fair few of its products compared to say Aldi and co. Many of those Aldi Lidl shoppers will swear blind its the same quality.

Edwardia

There isn't a Marks and Spencer here so when I visit my mother we often call into the big food hall at the M&S near her. I'm appalled by the prices people pay for food which isn't organic just because it's M&S. M&S isn't Fortnums, it just seems to think it is.

sarah1972

Edwardia wrote: »

There isn't a Marks and Spencer here so when I visit my mother we often call into the big food hall at the M&S near her. I'm appalled by the prices people pay for food which isn't organic just because it's M&S. M&S isn't Fortnums, it just seems to think it is.

I find M&S prices to be fair for what I buy and to be honest if I do cheat and buy a 'ready meal' which is usually the dine in for £10 it is to die for so worth every penny.

JayD

jayII wrote: »

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.

Yes, we especially like their Chinese range - good sized portions and excellent value for money too.:T

[Deleted User]

To be honest the best value seams to always be Iceland in quality:price ratio to the size of the meals.

£0.89 for a 500G ready meal is a hard one to beat.

I recommend the meatballs with speggitty one