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Original poster

Are ready meals easier when you live on your own?

107 replies

pussinboots61 · 08/12/2023 00:10

I know ready meals are supposed to be unhealthy, even the 'healthy' ones. I live on my own, I work full time and have very little motivation to cook when I get home. I'll be the same when I retire as I will be out all the time.

I try to do quick healthy meals with short cuts, like breaded chicken in the air fryer and veg in the microwave and meals like that. I also batch cook and freeze but then I get fed up of all the pots once I've done the batch cooking and don't always fancy what I've made once its been frozen.

I see plenty of people stocking up on ready meals when I go to M&S and I am so tempted to just give in and have them most of the time, just ping in the microwave and one plate to wash up.

Anyone live alone and feel the same?

OP posts:
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Mirrormeback · 09/12/2023 02:12

DD loves to cook spaghetti with a sauce

ReadySalty · 09/12/2023 02:18

It would be cheaper for you to cook for yourself. Also ultra processed foods can make you feel a bit rubbish.

Have a look at Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson online for ideas. Make enough to last you a couple of nights. Batch cook at the weekends.

It's looking after yourself and is worth doing.

Chilicabbage · 09/12/2023 05:13

Precipice · 09/12/2023 00:18

I cook only for myself and don't use ready meals at all. Very occasionally I'd get a takeaway or eat out.

I don't understand about breaded chicken in particular - chicken schnitzel is very simple and easy to make. Get a chicken breast, beat it down (I have a meat tenderiser, which everybody in my country has, but if you don't the classic replacements are rolling pin (better) or wine bottle (more dangerous)), (season it), put it in a bowl of beaten egg, put it in breadcrumbs, fry in oil (I guess your air fryer would be okay, probably the consistency is a bit different, I've no experience with that). I don't get why anyone gets ready-made breaded chicken; the process takes 5 minutes.

I think I've bought one ready meal for myself in my life and I've eaten a couple of others at other people's houses and I've not been impressed with any. I'm able to make things that I like much better. I find it fine to stick to fairly simple recipes or if something is more time-consuming, if at least it can be left for a while and made in portions that reheat well.

I get what you are saying, but... I grew up with schnitzels. I love them. But it's messy.
Chicken, flour, egg, breadcrumbs. You end up with number of dirty dishes to wash, making just for one is simply too faffy unless one also premades for freezer or something. And I love cooking. But like heck would I be making 1 schnitzel.

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General food
sashh · 09/12/2023 06:49

Chilicabbage · 09/12/2023 05:13

I get what you are saying, but... I grew up with schnitzels. I love them. But it's messy.
Chicken, flour, egg, breadcrumbs. You end up with number of dirty dishes to wash, making just for one is simply too faffy unless one also premades for freezer or something. And I love cooking. But like heck would I be making 1 schnitzel.

Show quote history

Or you use plastic bags (you can use reusable ziplock) flour in one, beate egg in another, breadcrumbs in the third.

I just shake the bag, my mum used to blow in to it first but even though I'm the only one eating I don't want my spittle in my food.

Chilicabbage · 09/12/2023 06:51

sashh · 09/12/2023 06:49

Or you use plastic bags (you can use reusable ziplock) flour in one, beate egg in another, breadcrumbs in the third.

I just shake the bag, my mum used to blow in to it first but even though I'm the only one eating I don't want my spittle in my food.

Show quote history

You still have to wash that reusable bags 😁

Now I fancy schnitzel and mash

muddyford · 09/12/2023 07:53

I'm a carer for my disabled DH. We eat them a couple of times a week as DH can't do anything around the house. I don't have the energy to cook from scratch every single day. But we have piles of fresh veg and fruit and fish and I do a roast dinner most Sundays. Read the labels and decide. They have saved my sanity (debatable...).

Ohyeahwaitaminute · 09/12/2023 08:04

I buy my fruit and veg from the local greengrocer so if I only want 2 tomatoes, then that’s what I buy. Bonus is that everything comes in a brown paper bag!

I also work on the ‘cook once, eat twice’ theory. That way, I don’t have 7 packets of mince in the freezer, but an assortment of options.

ItAintGonnaGoDownEasyIfItAintCheezy · 09/12/2023 08:14

I didn't cook like I do know, when I lived alone. I didn't see the point. I'd make things like pizza on a wrap, ham & cheese pittas, or packet food.

I was young and always out and more interested in drinking than food though.

Now when my husband is away I still cook properly, and freeze portions, I make my own ready meals. I eat properly when not batch cooking either. I portion meat and freeze it. So I'd split a pack of chops or chicken pieces etc so I can cook it individually.

This week I've had

Tandoori chicken wings, a few tinned potatoes chucked in, and homemade flatbread.

1/2 packet tortellini, pesto & salad.

Pork Chop, tinned potatoes cooked in the chop pan, in the oven, peas, mushrooms.

If I use half of something, I use the rest in a different meal within a couple of days.

ItAintGonnaGoDownEasyIfItAintCheezy · 09/12/2023 08:16

So basically yes I did occasionally eat ready meals when young but now when I'm alone I don't.

The only one I will occasionally eat is a lasagne, if I particularly fancy a shitty microwave one.

BigDahliaFan · 09/12/2023 08:23

Yep, sometimes you just don’t want to cook.

im happy with leftovers and mix them up with salad etc. but if you want something comforting, easy and no washing up a supermarket curry hits the spot.

also a pot of ready made mash, a steamed veg pot and smoked haddock from the freezer…what’s not to like?

but mostly I do cook….

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 09/12/2023 08:24

Yes they are easier. Cooking for one is depressing 😂

I'd find regularly eating ready meals much more depressing!

Newestname002 · 09/12/2023 08:32

I've started cutting down on fully ready cooked meals but do buy components to put a meal together. So plain roast chicken portions or fish which takes very little time to cook plus some cooked sides (eg mixed lentils), or frozen or chilled layered packs of mixed vegetables- I love beetroot especially but can't be bothered to cook from raw it so I end up with a relatively healthy meal in a very short space of time. Add fresh fruit and/or no sugar added dessert plus a soft low sugar drink and I'm happy. 🌹

RidingMyBike · 09/12/2023 08:39

It's hard work cooking for one (I now cook for three with various dietary restrictions!) because everything is on you - it takes about the same amount of time, often costs more because of pack sizes, no one else is going to wash up, or clean the house whilst you cook, or deal with the post or car maintenance etc.

I used to keep a few ready meals in the freezer as a back up - also handy if you're ill, again, you're on your own, no one else is going to take over the cooking! And then have one sometimes, otherwise things like batch-cooled bolognese, batched and then frozen jacket potatoes, big lasagne frozen into individual portions.

A lot of this assumes you have freezer space for batch cooking. When I lived alone I did, but a lot of people only have an ice box at the top of the fridge!

I still do keep a stash of ready meals in the freezer as a back up in case of illness, delayed trains etc. These are mostly from Cook plus some M&S ones (the Taste Buds children's ones are good).

readymealeater · 09/12/2023 08:43

Maybe I'm just genetically lucky, but the practice nurse asked me if I was on a statin, my cholesterol was so low. I'm not. Nor do I take vitamin pills yet have no deficiencies.

It's true that some ready meals don't taste that exciting but that's also what I love about them. It gets my head into the "food is just fuel" mode. I don't want to be salivating over food and thinking about it/talking about it.

That's just me though, I know it's not for everyone.

OneMiniMincePieTooFar · 09/12/2023 08:50

I think one of the better meals (ie read the ingredients and see if you recognise them as 'real' food) in the right portion size served with a large helping of veg or salad is a pretty healthy meal.

Variety is the key.

But do I think a Charlie Bigham's lasagne and salad is inherently less healthy than a home cooked one and salad?

No, not really.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 09/12/2023 08:51

When my last child leaves home I’m living on ready meals.

l loathe cooking.

Selttan · 09/12/2023 08:52

I like them for the short term but get sick of them fast.
I've been doing hello fresh for quite a few weeks. It's cooking (and I hate cooking) but I like that everything's already portioned out and it's generally quick cooking.

TodayForTomorrow · 09/12/2023 08:58

I certainly went through a time of buying exclusively ready meals when I first lived alone, but I found them relatively expensive, unsatisfying portions, and nowadays I'd be bothered about them being UPF.

When I'm cooking just for me, I lean on either batch cooking, jacket potatoes or pesto pasta. I always just want something ready really quickly with minimum fuss. There's no point kidding myself I'm going to whip up anything exciting just for myself, creating loads of cleaning when I've been at work all day.

NChance · 09/12/2023 08:59

I live alone
Tend to alternate between
Beige food in the air fryer/pizza (usually once a week)
Easy meals like jacket potato, omelettes, salad, beans on toast etc
I batch cook so one week I make and freeze 5-6 portions of cottage pie, then lasagne the next week, then beef stew etc
Usually have 3-4 different batch cooked meals in the freezer I can pull out and eat which I find is the best way of cooking for me. It takes maybe 1hr on a weekend to do

Doggymummar · 09/12/2023 09:01

I have the beautifully balanced meals from Tesco, with extra veg they are tasty and filling and ready in ten minutes. Otherwise it would be something on toast.

Footle · 09/12/2023 09:40

@TheChosenTwo. You put that beautifully "both in execution and in motivation".

FinallyHere · 09/12/2023 13:20

While I'm not keen on cooking, I do really enjoy eating real food and find ready meals disappointing. DH's schedule is different and erratic do that I find myself cooking for myself most days.

Drink loads water, skip breakfast most days and eat from the brilliant salad bar at lunchtime anytime I'm in work. That covers a good range of veg I'd never think of buying for myself.

Weekly online shop for a really good mixture of veg, plus protein to go with them. Make a salad from the veg in the twenty minutes it takes for a chop, chicken thigh, duck leg or piece of fish to cook in the air fryer.

Treat myself to an after dinner coffee don't feels more like a special meal.

tallsmallmum · 09/12/2023 13:40

If there's no leftovers I tend to not eat when there's just me to make dinner for so maybe I should grab a few ready meals?

WillowTit · 09/12/2023 13:45

everynow and then, why not op, whatever makes life easier

Charliebighamfan · 09/12/2023 14:24

@Chilicabbage , I agree with you totally. It reminds me of the time that someone on my NCT chat asked for simple meals/ snacks for our toddlers & one of the mums told us all her ‘simple’ recipe involving blending sweetcorn & peas, combining with flour & egg & then making fritters. Maybe that is simple for some people but I don’t think it’s what the group had in mind!