Ready Meals - More Energy Efficient/Economical?

sourpuss2021

I've a bad habit of making chips which involves 5 minutes in the microwave then 30 minutes in the oven at 220c.   I think it would be cheaper to go to the chip shop!

Or, better yet, just eat a salad.

I was thinking about trying Huel again as that obviously doesn't require any cooking...

[Deleted User]

jimjames said:

Also bear in mind that most ready meals don't include veg so they would need to cook that separately anyway if having a balanced meal. 

Both Wilshire Farm Foods and Oakhouse foods include veg. Going to give Oakhouse a try this week, I had a £5 off voucher code. TV5

Admiral_Barbarossa

Benny2020 said:

I made a treacle steamed pudding last week, 95 minutes on the hob and 0.045 kwh used.

I always steam our spotted Richard the same! Far better than any ready made one!

Sea_Shell

I can definitely see the traditional Sunday roast becoming even more of a one-off treat, rather than a weekly ritual.

Along with baking cakes etc.


Haven't done either personally for years. 😇.   

Benny2020

Have to cook when the sun is shining (solar panels)

Mojisola

ZolaBuddy said:

During an over-the-fence garden chat with my elderly neighbours this afternoon, they raised an interesting point about whether it was more economical and energy efficient to go for simple ready meals that you nuke in the microwave compared to cooking a traditional meals in the electric oven?

Up until a few days ago they were very keen on cooking meals from scratch (Sunday roasts, spag bols, cottage pies etc), using the oven and gas hob, on at least 4 or 5 days per week.

If they batched cooked, they could reduce that.  Their home-cooked food is most likely a lot healthier than any of the ready meals available.
We have a pressure cooker/air fryer and very rarely use the oven now.

sourpuss2021

Admiral_Barbarossa said:

Benny2020 said:

I made a treacle steamed pudding last week, 95 minutes on the hob and 0.045 kwh used.

I always steam our spotted Richard  

Language, Timothy!

badger09

I have Coeliac disease so have always cooked from scratch. When diagnosed over 40 years ago, that was the only option. As I was also a full time working mum, I learned to batch cook.

Now in my 70s, I still happily spend 3 or 4 hours preparing bolognese, chilli, casseroles, tray bakes etc but always cook, and freeze, at least 6 extra portions for the 2 of us. Even for the infrequent Sunday roast, I cook extra veg for another meal. Occasionally buy Chicken Jalfrezi meals for 1, as there's no way I can be faffed preparing a curry, side, baji & rice when Mr T does it for me for £2 a head! 

Haven't tried to quantify it, but I'm convinced batch cooking saves money, not to mention my time.

I also have salad for my main meal 2 nights a week, but that's a weight control, rather than energy reduction measure 

.

Ally_E.

If they have gas stove top, it will be cheaper to use that than electric oven. A lot of meals can be adapted to be cooked on stove top. I'm going to reheat leftovers on the stove from now too instead of the oven, much cheaper and quicker.

markin

BooJewels said:

I've thought about this lately myself and this was my thinking.  What I've always done with meals like lasagne - and even similar ready meals - is to split the difference - part cook in the microwave, then finish either under the grill, or in the oven. 

This is largely a time-saving and end result decision, not to save energy money - but I think that might be a small side benefit overall.  But I'm doing that anyway.

Dishes like lasagne can be cooked through to soft pasta in the microwave, then cheese added and popped in the oven, to have the oven baked finish that you don't get with microwave cooking.  I do this with baked potatoes, pasta dishes and the like too.  I regularly microwave something until it's hot, then oven cook - largely to save time.

Having said that, if I use my summer gas bills, when the heating is not on and therefore the gas is only used for the cooker and hot water - I average 16 m3 per month - even at the new prices (inc SC), that's 70p per day (was 44p) for all my hot water and cooking.  So even if I saved a bit on energy use in the oven - it's probably only pennies - and there's the corresponding increase in electricity use.  I wouldn't choose to eat ready meals in preference, just to save a few pennies. 

I'm not convinced that cooking is an area where much saving would be worth it - aside from obvious sensible tips, like putting lids on pans, using the right size pan on the right sized ring, not having flames up the side of the pan, better quality pans etc., so that you're not wasting energy - and another tip I've seen lately that I've started doing is if something just needs a couple more minutes, put the food back in and turn the oven off - there's enough heat still in the oven to carry on cooking a bit.

The high cost part is heating the oven up to temp, once that's done im not sure the is much difference in running it for 10min or 40min.