Ready meals have a reputation problem. They're often lumped together as "unhealthy processed food" - but the reality is more nuanced. Some ready meals are genuinely problematic for daily consumption. Others are fine.
The question isn't "are ready meals healthy?" but "which ready meals, and how are you using them?"
The Problem With Many Ready Meals
Cheap, mass-produced ready meals often share these issues:
- High sodium - Salt is cheap flavouring. Many supermarket ready meals contain 30-50% of daily sodium in one serving
- Low protein - Protein is expensive. Budget meals often skimp, leaving you with carb-heavy, unsatisfying portions
- Poor vegetable content - A few peas don't count. Many meals lack meaningful vegetable portions
- Ultra-processed ingredients - Additives, fillers, and reconstituted proteins instead of real food
- High saturated fat - Creamy sauces and cheap fats boost palatability but not health
The Sodium Issue
NHS recommends maximum 6g salt (2,400mg sodium) daily. A single portion of some ready meals contains 2-3g. Eating multiple high-sodium ready meals daily would significantly exceed guidelines, potentially affecting blood pressure over time.
Not All Ready Meals Are Equal
There's a world of difference between:
Cheap, mass-produced meals: Frozen lasagne with "meat flavoured" filling, extended with soya protein, in sodium-heavy sauce. Minimal vegetables. Unknown origin ingredients.
Higher-quality options: Chef-prepared meals with identifiable ingredients, reasonable sodium, adequate protein, actual vegetables, and transparent nutrition information.
The price difference reflects the ingredient quality. You generally get what you pay for in ready meals.
What to Look For on Labels
When Choosing Ready Meals
So Can You Eat Them Daily?
Cheap, poor-quality ready meals daily? Not recommended. The cumulative sodium, lack of nutrients, and ultra-processed ingredients would likely impact health over time.
Higher-quality ready meals daily? Potentially fine - if you choose wisely. Many people successfully rely on quality meal delivery services for daily eating with no issues.
The Key Factors
What matters isn't "ready meal vs home-cooked" - it's the actual nutritional content. A well-designed ready meal with 35g protein, vegetables, and reasonable sodium is healthier than homemade pasta with butter and cheese. Judge the food, not the format.
Making Daily Ready Meals Work
If you're relying on ready meals regularly:
- Choose quality over price - The £2.50 microwave meal and the £8 chef-prepared meal aren't equivalent
- Rotate options - Don't eat the same meal daily. Variety ensures broader nutrient intake
- Add fresh elements - Side salad, extra vegetables, piece of fruit. Easy additions that improve any meal
- Read labels - Don't assume. Check sodium, protein, and ingredients
- Balance across the day - If one meal is a ready meal, make others more whole-food based
The Psychological Factor
Beyond nutrition, consider: does relying on ready meals feel good to you? Some people feel fine outsourcing meals. Others feel guilt or disconnection from their food.
There's no "should" here. If eating quality ready meals makes you healthier than you'd be without them (because you'd otherwise grab takeaway or skip meals), they're a net positive. Perfect is the enemy of good.
The Bottom Line
You can eat quality ready meals daily without health problems - if you choose wisely. Focus on protein content, watch sodium, ensure vegetable presence, and don't mistake all ready meals as equivalent. The £2 frozen option and the £8 chef-prepared option are different products with different health implications.