to think good quality ready meals are quite healthy?

It sounds as though ready meals would be a good way to get you back into a routine of eating regularly. Don't try to do everything at once. You can look to improve the quality of your diet gradually once you are comfortable with eating regular meals.

You need to read all the OP's posts. You will then get your answer. This is not a simple situation.

Why can't you make your own food?

I was also wondering about soup, OP? Some of the fresh chilled ones are good?

I'm the same.
ND and struggling.
I'd love to eat 'properly' but it's just never at the top of my 'to-do-list' I'm constantly fire-fighting other stuff which comes my way and suffering from burnout/maybe long Covid.
I know what good/great food tastes like. I've eaten in lots of amazing places, Fat Duck (before it went too gimmicky) etc, I'm half-Italian and I know how to cook.
Just can't at the moment, and maybe forever.

I think ready meals are great in this situation, I prefer the curry ones, I also eat readymade salads and vegetable fresh soups are my fav. I used to knock out fresh soup in my sleep, just can't now, but some supermarket ones are really good, lentil ones are very filling if you are veggie.

Cook is great. It's just as you would make at home and frozen. No added nasties.

I’ve tried them all and tbh you can’t beat Iceland their posher version I think there fir £10 even the Indian nurses cabt believe they are ready meals when I have them at work their Chicken lakani is something else. Don’t be scared to try Iceland. I use Cook as well but only what’s on offer online in the shop it’s more expensive.

BBQ?

Nothing wrong with ready meals. It will remove a barrier to eating.

Another non-cook meal is basically just cheese, bread and fruit (aka a ploughman's lunch). But I kinda think you should stick to the ready meals for now because the calorie content is printed on the label and you will know for sure you've eaten enough for a full dinner's worth, etc.

BW; I think you can do this. x

I think they can be perfectly healthy OP (especially Cook/ Charlie Bigham type ones) - as others have said, I would usually just add a portion of veg (frozen is fine!) on the side. It sounds like there is a lot going on and you need nutrients and a full stomach with zero drama.

Sometimes even ‘a quick stir fry’ seems or is insurmountable and this is very understandable.

I love cooking btw but actually find high quality ready meals quite a helpful tool in regulating my weight (I’m at the top end of the normal BMI and verging onto overweight so keeping an eye) as my downfall is portion size.

Always have extra vegetables.

Sweet cherry tomatoes, small cubes of raw carrot and chopped baby cucumbers in a bowl in the fridge can be a really easy way to get some fresh, raw goodness on board. The sweetness of tomatoes can also be good at stimulating your taste buds. Alternate with chopped melon, strawberries, blueberries and grapes. No cooking required. Hope you find some useful tips on the thread.

"People being frightened to eat bog standard bread, or things in tins"

I make bread. That's bog standard. Flour. Water, yeast, salt.
Cheap loaves often have up to 20 ingredients, they are definitely not bog standard.
Lots of tinned stuff is fine; it's a way of preserving unprocessed foods as well as a vehicle for UPF.

I have eaten ready meals - mostly Indian, Paella or Chinese. I do worry about the heating up / cooking in plastic trays and wonder if plastic is leaching into the food.

Thank you @Sleepismyfavourite and others, you can see I'm starting to lose my cool a little bit now. I wish people would RTFT... this isn't a straightforward situation and the most important thing is that OP eats something...

Oh you're well behind the curve mate, first it was cereal (shit in a box), then it was salt (salty shit in a box), now it's UPF (processed shit in boxes) that's going to kill us.

Also would second how lovely your post was @HelloMyNameIsElderSmurf & some of the other really understanding posts on here.

Try cook food

Hi OP, I can really empathise with you as I have lost a lot of weight (medical condition) & I have no appetite. I’ve also started to become quite anxious about what to eat each day as I never know what I will feel like & I often feel simultaneously a bit sick but have an empty stomach. Anyway I used to eat very healthily but I have decided to just eat whatever I can to get the calories in to my body. I don’t have the energy for meal planning/ cooking at the mo so ready meals are often a good bet. The Charlie Bigham ones are good (though expensive as pp said) or I like some of the M&S pasta ones. Or there’s the ready made pizzas, filled pasta, quiches etc. Ready meals have come a long way in recent years! But sometimes I do have a pot noodle/ some super noodles or anything I know I can stomach! I feel for you as it’s bloody awful. Good luck OP.

Good to know Wiltshire Farm isn’t good - I haven’t tried it myself (so shouldn’t have recommended, really) but had thought of getting it

Another fan of the Yuka app here. The least processed foods aren't always the ones you'd think.

I spend many happy hours scanning my way through the stock in my local supermarket stock and am now on 'good morning' terms with the security guard who caught me scanning my way through their entire stock of breakfast cereals!

Healthy meals and social interaction. Win, win.

For now, @Onlywayisupmaybe - just eat your ready meals, and try not to worry. If you can add some vegetables and/or salad, so much the better.

When you feel ready, try my easy massive salad strategy:

• assembly a large bowl of salady stuff and refrigerate: cabbage, chickpeas, black beans, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, etc
• add salad leaves when you are ready to eat
• dressing of lemon juice, white wine vinegar, EVOO, salt, pepper, chili flakes
• some parsley, mint or basil (optional) - make a pint and keep in a jar or bottle
• add canned tuna or boiled eggs or left over chicken etc.
• when ready to eat, assemble, put on your favourite music, and enjoy.

Use the Yuka app and scan the bar code. It will tell you everything. I love it.

Agree with others who have said fed is best for you right now OP.
Fwiw I've found 'gym kitchen' meals pretty good (i think they're available from most major supermarkets) They advertise themselves as high protein so a bit faddy, but they usually have a decent bit of meat, grains and veg. The ingredients list isn't bad and I find them more satisfying than the more traditional ready meals like pasta dishes which seem to be 90% sauce/mush!