The Truth About ‘Ready Meals’

You don’t have to be kitchen savy to make something that is healthy, taste great and looks appetising. With the easy access food culture we have these days, there really is no excuse to not put nutritious food in your body.

I have had clients who think that all ready meals are bad, or because they heard an over zealous friend or neighbour rejecting them means they are to be avoided at all cost.  My advice? – educate yourself, then decide what is right for you ‘stop’ following the crowd.

A pre-packed meal or item of food can form the basis of a healthy meal for anyone. Though this is especially true for some, e.g. the elderly or those on a budget who cannot cook this maybe the only way they can get a healthy meal.

I think sometimes we get so hang up on the bad press of anything packaged; we are scared of taking advantage of the good things presented to us. Now granted everyone have their personal views on such matters, which is fine. But don’t go bashing someone else for doing something different from you. You are not in their situation or know how their time, budget or skills fair.

• Make use of the front of pack traffic light system, used by many top food retailers – choose those with the most green or amber colours.
• Read the labels, stay clear of items that have sugar, fat, or salt high up on the list of ingredients.
• Items with lots of vegetables, beans, or brown rice will be higher in fibre, which will keep you fuller for longer and help with colon function.
• Look for the longer date items, they are generally fresher (especially true for chilled or ambient items)

 

• Beware of portion sizes!  because we are so use to large portions, sometimes going by what is on the pack as a portion can be a cause for distress to some. But it is a great way to start thinking about portion sizes.  Switching to a smaller plate will also help with portion control.
• Frozen vegetables are great for adding to meals. They are fresh frozen, so will have more nutrients than their fresh counter parts which can lose as much as 70% nutrients from the time they are picked to the time they are bought and cooked.
• Think before you buy – what are you going to have that piece of smoked salmon with? Are you going to eat this vegetable rice dish in the next day or two? this will all help reduce your outgoings and food waste.

For more in depth information on food labelling and how you can make them work for you see the ‘Livewell‘ information post.

 

 

***Disclaimer: Any of the information within this blog post and others on this site is for information and educational purposes only and is NOT intended to be taken as diagnosis, treatment, cure or  to prevent any disease. Any reader concerned about his or her health is advised to seek medical advice from their GP or relevant medical professional***