Top 10 Best Ready Meals in the UK 2021 (Tesco, Charlie Bigham's and More)

While the final decision of what you want to eat for dinner absolutely entails picking the cuisine and flavours you like best, we're here to guide you through some of the things you may not have thought of – and give you some answers to those you have. 

As well as picking the cuisine or type of meal that gets your mouth watering, there are a few other things to keep in mind to ensure your ready meal is both top-quality tucker and made with the right ingredients to suit yours and your household's dietary needs. 

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 ingredients, comparable to the kind you'd use if you were cooking a meal from scratch or that you'd be able to find in your cupboard. Think meat cuts you can recognise, whole vegetables and seasonings and fewer processed fillers. 

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! 

We all know the consequences of eating too much sugar, saturated fat and salt (heart disease, diabetes and obesity, to gently remind you of a few), and we also know that ready meals are notorious for packing them in. In this section, we'll help you choose a meal that's just as nutritious as the real thing. 

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. 

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). 

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. 

We don't know about you, but we're famished after all that food talk. So let's get down to the 10 best ready meals you can stick your fork into this year, all available online and all guaranteed not to disappoint even the pickiest diner. 

Sometimes zapping a ready meal or boiling the kettle for some Mi Goreng is about all you can muster, but we've got a couple of other product guides featuring stress-free meal ideas for those days when time is on your side. 

Your dream dinner could take the form of a fragrant Thai curry, a healthy noodle dish or the comforting hug of a creamy lasagne, but so long as you look for those signs of quality and get the right ingredients, size, and storage for your needs, you'll be able to find your best ready meal yet.

Author: Natasha Dziubajlo