Nice or edible ready meals, if there's such a thing?

[IhaveMyMoments]

Kitchen re fit due any day. I've frozen a few portions of chilli, curry, bolognese and meatballs. But tbh between now and Monday I have no time to batch cook anymore.

Kids can eat at parents houses as they'll eat earlier to get them home for bath and bed. So need ready type meals for me DH and teen

Any suggestions of what's nice or edible and from what shop.

We have aldi, tesco, asda and Iceland nearby. We have a lidl but it's always absolutely manic and crap lay out so I try to avoid if I can

Gino D'Acampo range in Iceland is very tasty. I think his spinach and ricotta cannelloni is nicer than m&s.

@Cactuslockdown

The Charlie Bingham meals are really nice... actually a treat!

I was going to say exactly this, but they do need an oven to cook.

Agree with Charlie Bigham but you’d need an oven!

Without an oven I’d go for:
Stuffed pasta
Soup
Curries & microwave pouch rice
Casseroles (can be served with cous cous which can be cooked with kettle & clingfilm)

Aldi - paella, pasta dishes, sticky toffee pudding, sour dough pizzas.

M&S - the Asian ready meals

A lot of farm shops do some high end ready meals

Charlie Bigham chicken tikka masala is as good as a takeaway IMO! (But yes you need an oven).

Will you have access to a microwave, kettle, desk top oven etc? Hard to advice without knowing what you will have access to. Also will you have a working fridge.

Honestly if you can get takeaways for the few days. Our local chinese does set menus for 2 people, 4 people and 8 people for quite good prices. Might be worth looking into something similar with takeaways near by.

Maybe google Covid quarantine hotel room cooking or similar (tik tock is a good source). I must confess I have come across some random ideas for meals when you have limited kitchen access.

Thank you.
Only a microwave. No space in lounge for anything else.
Takes about 4 weeks
Thanks for the suggestions will have a look around

Waitrose meal deals are nice - we’re having the Asian one (yes, that does cover a rather wide area, I didn’t name it) tonight. I’m pretty sure you can microwave it all, although you’d have to double check. If there are any Charlie Bighams that can be microwaved they’re good too. Cook is nice, their harissa chicken is really nice. And Aldi paella is also good.

Good luck! Hope the new kitchen looks awesome when it’s done 👍

Also, have you got or could you get a slow cooker? Not all recipes need things to be browned off and it only needs a plug - might give you a few more options as 4 weeks of ready meals is quite a lot!

The only ready meals I like are Aldi's fish pie and cottage pie and M&S's lasagne and chicken katsu curry. I hate most ready meals but they're all delicious.

M&S
Charlie Bighams (not binghams!)

Are the Charlie Bigham meals microwaveable? They're really good compared to a lot of supermarket stuff, but think they have to go in the oven. I hate anything with a white sauce in it from Tesco - they seem to have cornered the market on gloopy.

Charlie Bingham meals are delicious and quite filling

You might find it’s worth getting one of those ikea plug in hobs (they are often available second hand on ebay or gumtree). That way you can have pasta, eggs, anything that needs boiling or frying.

Try the All plants ones. In the fridge at the back of Holland & Barrett. They're pricey ish at £5 is a meal but they're full of decent ingredients

I don’t have any additions to the list that’s gone before but I wanted to comment on Cook. For a family I think they are pricy but as someone who just cooks for myself they’re great. Just today I ordered 12 main meals for £42. Ok I’ll need to add veg and/or potato, but that is close to 2 weeks main meals. So approx £25 per week for my main meals and they’re really good quality.

Mindful chef do lovely healthy different ready meals.

Cook are definitely a cut above other ready meals - we bought some on our UK holiday last year. The prices are okay for the quality and the choices are more diverse than the usual supermarket ready meal offering.

Just went on the cook website and their meals look great! I don't have a microwave and don't want to get one (tiny kitchen) would they be OK heated in the oven?

I’d look at soup. Pastas aren’t too bad. For various reasons I eat quite a lot of ready meals - correct generally best are for oven.

@IhaveMyMoments we have just finished week 3 of a kitchen reno. I'd totally advise getting as PP have said a IKEA hob or slow cooker. We never thought to do this and getting abit sick of ready meals. We have working appliances now thank god but no flooring yet. Luckily as I've been working elsewhere brekkie and lunch have been much healthier...ready to go back tk
Home cooked meals though I miss my kitchen!

@bonfireheart I also had a quick look earlier also and they seem to have little symbols with each meal saying which one are microwaveable and microwave only. It lead me to think most are oven cook

which ones* / excuse the double also. I am not fully awake yet. Will go and get some coffee before posting further.

Another vote for Cook here. My favourite 'meal' is the Waitrose Thai meal in a bag for 2- really yummy.

Tesco -
the Tesco luxury fish pie is delicious
the Charlie Bigham meatballs are fantastic
the Charie Bigham mac and cheese also good as is own brand

Marks -
the M+S luxury lasagne is very good
the chicken and broccoli mash pie is lovely
the Italian range - the chicken fettucine esp - is decent

Bob appetit!