to think good quality ready meals are quite healthy?

Hoping things have improved @Chonk
Sounds very tough 💐

@EachandEveryone we can see your full name on the referral link

On a cottage holiday atm, earlier in the week had a Coop Irresistible range Lasagna for dinner and it was delicious, no unrecognisable ingredients either.

Pity you didn't read all of OP's posts before saying that....

Some ready meals are shit and / or expensive, but not all eg prawn and noodle dish almost certainly better than a ready made lasagne

OP, I agree with a PP. "BEST OF LUCK. FED IS BEST"

And, yes, Cook meals are a good option

Some of M&S ready meals aren’t so bad. I wouldn’t eat them everyday though. Apart from anything else it would be very expensive.

Hi OP, just here to give another recommendation for Cook. If you can afford their stuff then I highly recommend you trying them - although they’re ready meals they’re as close as you can get to home cooked in a ready meal, made from ‘real’ ingredients etc and taste nice! Great alongside some frozen peas/bags of mixed veg.

If like a couple of others further upthread, you’re concerned about heating them up in the plastic packaging, you can pop them out of their containers and cook in your own cookware, as they’re designed to be cooked from frozen so it’s simple to do this.

In my time I have eaten my way around the whole range and some of my favourites include the Indian and Thai ranges, both veg and meat lasagnes, tagines and lots more... I also like to have some of their kids meals for lunch sometimes (I often don’t have appetite for lunch but I can stomach these small portions at lunch time and also actually look forward to them.)

I do cook from scratch but I think Cook is really good, better than M&S in my personal opinion

best of luck op I hope you find something that works for you!

I think there is a place for them. I try to cook as much as I can from scratch, but if I've had a long day or feel poorly then I would much rather whack a ready meal in the microwave for 4 minutes than stand peeling, chopping, and cooking for 40 (and then means I don't have loads of washing up to sort out after too!)

Tesco cheapest frozen cottage pie has more meat content than the fresh. And not too bad ingredients.
I agree some of M&S meals are great. I like to have my fruit like strawberries and blueberries before my savoury at the moment. Feels more like a treat.

Aldi butter chicken is really nice.

It has a really long ingredient list but I can't see anything that wouldn't be in my kitchen cupboard. Loads of spices which I have a hunch are fantastic for your health.

. . . and its delicious

Chargrilled Chicken (40%) [Chicken Breast, Yogurt (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Rapeseed Oil, Paprika, Ginger Purée, Garlic Purée, Cornflour, Green Chilli Purée, Tandoori Masala Powder (Paprika, Salt, Ground Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, White Pepper, Chilli Powder, Ground Bay Leaf), Garam Masala (Ground Roasted Coriander, Ground Roasted Cumin, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Roasted Cardamom, Mace, Ground Ginger, Fennel, Ground Cloves, Nutmeg, Ground Bay Leaf), Salt, Colour: Paprika Extract; Fenugreek Leaf Powder, Chilli Powder], Onion, Skimmed 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤, Tomato Paste, Whipping Cream (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Butter (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Rapeseed Oil, Honey, Garlic Purée, Ginger Purée, Ground 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐍𝐮𝐭, Coriander Sprig, Paprika, Coriander Leaf, Salt, Roasted 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐝 Flakes, Cumin, Tandoori Masala Powder (Paprika, Salt, Ground Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Cinnamon, Ground Cloves, White Pepper, Chilli Powder, Ground Bay Leaf), Garam Masala (Ground Roasted Coriander, Ground Roasted Cumin, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Roasted Cardamom, Mace, Ground Ginger, Fennel, Ground Cloves, Nutmeg, Ground Bay Leaf), Ground Coriander, Fenugreek Leaf Powder, Cardamom, Turmeric, Mace.

@HebburnPokemon you kindly took a wee step back from this thread when OP said she had an ED, I'm going to ask you to take another one pal because you are really not helping at all.

Salt is not ultra-processed.

This
I would worry too much about using ready meals, it's more about getting to the habit of eating. Then when you're ready start with making simple things eg omelettes. Even when the time comes invest in a soup maker.
Baby steps...
Good luck op xx

Sounds a good plan. I hope it is helpful for you.
Cook do a really good range of meals and also normally a weekly 20% off a meal (and it’s veggie equivalent) which can help you choose something if you’re really not in the mood for food. Also because they are freezer meals you won’t need to stress about ‘having’ to eat something you’ve bought by a particular day, but rather you can choose what feels manageable.
Wishing you the best

To be fair, all of that is UPF. The problem is UPF.

But there’s already plenty of threads/ posts about UPF’s & how to cut down on them on mumsnet. In the context of this particular thread it’s not helpful.

So gross. The human body wasn't designed to process this crap. I'm really surprised more people aren't up in arms about what food corporations are pumping into the nation's diet.

To be fair, it's a public forum so lots of people could benefit from facts being shared. Mistruths, less so.

Soup is another great shout @BatshitCrazyWoman and @mouseyowl - a nice lentil soup (chilled section is better quality) is very nutritious OP and so easy to do. Just make sure to heat it in a pot on the stove rather than microwaving in the packet - that was a fun trip to the minor injuries unit!!

Hi, OP,
I'm a home carer, so very familiar with ready meals.
My first choice would always be Wiltshire Foods.
Their meals look and smell good, and are popular with 'service users'.
They deliver, the next day, and pack it away.
Their labelling is good.
Their customer demographic is elderly/people with medical issues, who rely heavily on those meals for their main nutrition, so the meals have to reflect that.
I've tried the mushroom soup, and it was very good.
Their meals contain generous amounts of vegetables.
They do mini meals, and cater for allergies.
I've only had good experience of their customer service.
I promise I don't work for them.
I'd also echo the suggestion of fresh soups and microwave steam bags of veg.

All the best, to you.

I have very debilitating fatigue at times. I discovered Cook earlier this year. Not cheap, but good quality and appetising. I just add loads of veg. I get a subscription 6 weekly. You can change the meals you order each time. Life saver for me when struggling otherwise I’d live off cereal & toast.
You’ve acknowledged that you must try to fuel your body, which is a huge step. Making this process as easy as possible will be a huge help. Wishing you the best.