Are ready meals really that bad for you?

The rise of ready meals

Prioritising convenience over careful meal planning isn't always the healthiest choice. Yet new figures from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reveal that purchases of meat-based ready meals have increased by more than a tenth.

Ready meals are becoming an increasingly popular choice for busy households, but consumers are also paying more attention to nutrition.

A recent poll by The Food Foundation (FF) and the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC) found that more than two-thirds of people believe the government should take a bigger role in making sure the nation's food is healthy.

Rather than opting for convenience alone, many are seeking healthier alternatives that offer the best of both worlds. But do genuinely healthy ready meals exist? And if so, what should you look for when choosing one?

Sobia Qasim

What to look for on the label

To help separate the healthier options from the less nutritious ones, Qasim shares key factors to consider when buying a ready meal.

© Patient / Victoria Raw

Quick hacks to level up your meal

There are several simple ways to increase the nutritional value of a convenience meal using ingredients you already have at home.

Qasim explains that one of the easiest ways to improve a ready meal is to add extra vegetables.

“Frozen vegetables, salad, or steamed greens can increase fibre and help you reach your recommended fruit and vegetable intake with very little extra effort," says the pharmacist.

“If the meal is lower in protein, adding foods such as grilled chicken, boiled eggs, or beans can also make it more satisfying and nutritionally balanced."

While home cooking remains ideal where possible, Qasim emphasises that convenience should not be viewed as the opposite of healthy eating.

"Healthy eating isn't about preparing every meal from scratch," she notes. "It's about making choices that are realistic and sustainable.”

Qasim adds that for many people - especially those taking weight loss medications - having a balanced ready meal in the fridge is a healthier option than skipping meals or regularly relying on takeaways. Looking for meals with a good balance of protein, fibre, and vegetables, while keeping an eye on salt and saturated fat, can make a real difference.

Are ready meals ever a good choice?

There are plenty of reasons why people might be hesitant about ready meals - from concerns over cost and plastic packaging to questions about their nutritional value. However, that doesn’t mean they need to be avoided altogether.

It’s clear from the latest figures that the way people shop and eat is changing. Convenience foods are becoming an increasingly common part of everyday meals as consumers look for quick, practical options to fit around busy lifestyles.

When chosen carefully, ready meals can provide a practical and nutritious option as part of a balanced diet - particularly when paired with extra vegetables. They can be a helpful option when preparing a larger meal feels difficult, managing a full meal alone isn’t always possible, or when there isn’t enough time to shop for and prepare every ingredient separately.