10 Best Ready Meals 2022 | UK Nutritionist Reviewed

Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients to lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through better nutrition. She specialises in helping busy parents improve their diets without overwhelming them with information, and get them back on track so that the whole family can benefit.

1. Pick a Type of Meal According to Your Dietary Needs
2. Take a Look at the Nutrition Facts to Assess If Your Meal Is Healthy
3. Check the Serving Size, Pack Size, and Whether Additional Dishes Are Required
4. Ensure You Have the Right Appliances for Storing and Heating

Whether you see food as a necessary fuel or one of life's great pleasures, you're still going to want a meal you like the taste of. Try narrowing your online search to your favourite cuisines and parts of the world you like to eat from. Then, you can decide which of these are within your budget.

For maximum taste and quality, look for ready meals that are made from mostly real, whole ingredients. A great way to check is by reading the ingredient list - if the majority of the items listed are real foods you recognise and would have in your fridge and cupboard, then it's a healthier ready meal.

You could also plump for organic meals or those made with free-range or British ingredients if shopping and eating ethically are important to you. They normally result in a higher quality meal, too.

Nowadays supermarkets are stacked to the rafters with dedicated dietary-friendly items, so don't think you'll have to miss out when buying a ready meal online. Whether you're vegetarian, vegan, or avoiding dairy or gluten, chances are a brand or supermarket have an entire free from ready meal range, or at least a few variations of old favourites like curries and pasta dishes. 

The demand for meals that meet our dietary needs has also meant that supermarkets are getting better at listing whether each product is halal, vegetarian and so on, as well as any common allergens. It may be worth checking what's inside the meal you like the look of anyway, as there's a chance it's suitable for you even if it's not part of a dedicated range! 

For days when you don't mind putting in some work, these meal kits can give you a hearty meal in minutes!

Whether you're actively counting calories or other nutrients or you'd just like to have the guesswork taken out so you can grab and go, the key is to check the nutritional information.

While your calorie intake will vary depending on your body type and energy expenditure, there are some guidelines to follow to make sure you're not overdoing it on the other nutritionals. Although don't forget the odd treat meal or indulgence is fine, and healthy for the mind if nothing else! 

• Sugar: The daily recommendation is 30 grams, which can be divided between each of your meals. 
• Saturated Fat: 7 grams or less per serving. 
• Salt: 1.5 grams or less per serving. 
• Calories: Up to 700 per serving (as an evening meal), based on the recommended 2000-2500 daily intake for most normal, active adults.

Not all of us are into calorie counting or have time to scan the labels – hence the ready meal – but there are some other tricks you can employ to ensure you're getting a balanced, nutritious meal. The first is to choose one marketed as a balanced or healthier choice, as these are often lower in calories and fat. 

Secondly, check how many portions of vegetables are included in the ready meal – if it has any worthy health credentials, it'll proudly display how many on the packet. This is also a good tip if you're trying to get more veg into your diet. Otherwise, look for vegetables in the first few ingredients, alongside protein and carbohydrate sources.

Ready meals are a great way to take the strain off cooking for both multiple and single mouths, so to make sure you and your diners don't finish the meal as hungry as when you started, always check the portion size.

Meals for one not sufficient? Some supermarkets now offer bundles or multipacks of meals with 3-5 different dishes to sample. This is a great way to order what you need for you or your household without hours of browsing, plus it often works out a little cheaper. 

It could also be beneficial to note exactly what's included in the portion, as some ready meals are intended to only be part of your plate, and may require you to prepare extra side dishes such as vegetables or rice. On the plus side, this is a way of saving time while filling up on fresh veg (and pretending you cooked it all yourself). 

If you enjoy cooking at home but don't enjoy doing the shopping, check out our favourite recipe boxes that will give you just the right amount of ingredients you need to whip up a delicious meal!

Believe it or not, some ready meals aren't actually safe for microwave cooking! Make sure to check how your meal is able to be reheated to save yourself disappointment and forego a potential safety hazard. 

Don't forget to check the storage information, too, as some meals will be best kept frozen, some chilled, and some will even be fine in the cupboard. The beauty of ordering ready meals online, particularly those that are freezer-safe, is that you can stock up – which is why the storage duration is also an important factor to consider. 

Browse our low-calorie ready meal suggestions here!

For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:

1. Tesco - Finest Chicken Madeira & Mushroom Rice for £3.75
2. Weight Watchers - Red Thai Curry & Sticky Jasmine Rice for £2.65
3. Charlie Bigham's - Lasagne for Two for £8.25
4. Ashoka - Punjabi Choley for £1.50
5. ASDA - Spaghetti Bolognese for £2.75

This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.

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Written and Researched by Natasha Dziubajlo