Ever grabbed a ready meal when you're too knackered to cook? You're not alone – millions of Brits rely on these convenient dinners every week.
But not all supermarket ready meals are good (or bad!). Some are proper tasty with quality ingredients, while others might leave you wishing you'd just ordered a takeaway instead.
1. Marks & Spencer (M&S)
M&S consistently delivers restaurant-quality ready meals that could easily pass for homemade at a dinner party. Their Gastropub range is legendary among busy professionals who want something special without the faff.
The ingredients are sourced with care, and they're constantly innovating with new flavours. Yes, you'll pay more, but the taste difference is genuinely noticeable.
2. Waitrose
Fancy a posh dinner without leaving your sofa? Waitrose ready meals often feature ingredients you'd struggle to find elsewhere, like free-range this and organic that.
Their No.1 range particularly shines with creative recipes that wouldn't look out of place in a cookbook. The portions tend to be generous, and they're not shy about using proper butter and cream.
3. Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's has upped their ready meal game over recent years. Their Taste the Difference range offers impressive flavours without the eye-watering prices of some competitors.
What stands out is their variety – from classic British fare to authentic world cuisines. The calorie-controlled options are particularly good if you're watching your waistline but still want something tasty.
4. Tesco
Don't let the reasonable prices fool you – Tesco's Finest range punches well above its weight. These ready meals often feature locally-sourced ingredients and recipes developed with proper chefs.
Their plant-based range deserves special mention too. Unlike many vegan options that feel like an afterthought, Tesco's actually taste like someone cared about the flavour.
5. Co-op
The unsung hero of the ready meal world! Co-op's Irresistible range frequently wins blind taste tests against pricier competitors. Their commitment to ethical sourcing means you can feel good about what you're eating.
Portion sizes are generous, and they've mastered comfort food classics. The pasta dishes especially stand out – properly al dente with sauces that don't taste artificial.
6. Morrisons
Oh dear. Morrisons ready meals often promise more than they deliver, with appetizing photos on the packaging that bear little resemblance to the sad reality inside.
The main issues? Watery sauces, mysterious meat textures, and a heavy hand with salt to compensate for lack of actual flavour. Even their premium range falls short when compared to similarly priced competitors.
7. Asda
While Asda's prices might tempt you, the ready meals often leave a lot to be desired. The Extra Special range is particularly guilty of overpromising and underdelivering.
Common complaints include mushy vegetables, meat that's either tough or suspiciously soft, and sauces that separate unappealingly when heated. The flavour profiles tend toward the overly sweet or bizarrely bland.
8. Lidl
Lidl's ready meals can be a proper gamble. While their Deluxe range occasionally produces a surprise winner, consistency is a major issue.
The international dishes particularly suffer from weird interpretations that bear little resemblance to authentic flavours. Textures are another problem area – rice dishes often end up gloopy, and meat can be stringy.
9. Iceland
Iceland specializes in frozen ready meals, but quantity doesn't equal quality here. Many dishes leave a strange artificial aftertaste that lingers unpleasantly.
The vegetables invariably turn to mush, and meat products often have that telltale reformed texture. Even when following the heating instructions precisely, results can be wildly inconsistent – burnt edges with still-frozen centers.
10. Farmfoods
Even with rock-bottom prices, Farmfoods ready meals struggle to justify their existence. The ingredient lists read like chemistry experiments rather than food.
Portion sizes tend to be stingy, leaving you hungry despite the high calorie counts. Flavours range from blandly inoffensive to downright peculiar, with many dishes having an odd sweetness even in savory options.
