Best low-calorie microwave meals?

[ChesterBelloc]

My DH is trying to lose weight at the moment; he uses a (paid for) calorie-counting app, and it's a right PITA trying to integrate his diet into our family meals, so I've pretty much given up trying... hence this thread.

Please could you recommend your tastiest low-calorie microwaveable (I'm about to buy a 700watt cheapie) ready meals? I have all major and minor supermarkets near me, tho most convenient would be Lidl or Sainsbury, followed by Morrison, Tesco, Asda and Aldi. He'll eat pretty much anything, but particularly likes Indian/Chinese. He's a biggish man, so decent portions would also be a plus!

TIA!

I don't think a decent portioned but low calorie ready meal exists, sadly!

I moved in with DP three years ago and he doesn't have a microwave. I didn't bring mine, presuming we'd have two. I've lost a decent amount of weight since then. In my experience, nothing beats healthy cooking... but if he does want to try that route, I'd caution being careful about meals that look great and leave you starving a few hours later!

"I don't think a decent portioned but low calorie ready meal exists, sadly! *"
*
Argh, don't say that! Ok, forget the decent-portioned bit; just an above-average-tasting, lowish-calorie ready-meal, then.

(DH won't cook for himself (beyond boiling rice and heating up beans, or the odd omelette), and I'm already cooking for 8 people so cannot manage producing a separate meal for him.)

I have a Marks and Spencer’s Count on us Ready Meal for lunch every day- they vary from around 250kcal- 450kcal a meal and actually taste really good. They do a chow mein and a few different curry’s. Definitely the best around and I consider myself a bit of a ready meal connoisseur 😜

Thank you! I do have an M&S not too far away, so can stock up the fridge/freezer with them 👍

I don’t eat ready meals often but M&S ones are generally the best quality (if expensive). I also like Weight Watcher from Heinz frozen meals. I like the lasagna. It’s runny but that’s good if you serve lots of veg with it. I also like their chicken curry with rice and rest of the range really. I hate the Weight Watchers chilled meals though as they taste of the cardboard packaging once cooked. I think most diet ready meals are designed for women. You DH might need something to supplement them. McCain jacket potatoes are good for 200 calories, or as a diet meal with a protein filling and big side salad.

Why can't he just eat the same as everyone else but fill half of his plate with low calorie veggies and salad?

Why can’t he cook for himself? He’s a grown adult. If he wants something different it should be up to him to sort. Or as a PP says, have a smaller portion with more veg.

Morrison’s do a nice cottage pie, part of the low calorie range. 2 for £4 I think. I have with loads of veggies & keep in the freezer incase I’m late home/not prepared any dinner but starving. They’re ok once or twice a week!

I LOVE the Asda healthy eating range. Their prawn linguine with spinach and cheese ravioli is so good. I eat it with a mountain of salad on the side. And myfitnesspal recognises those meals too!

Aldi do a really nice linguine, in black plastic, there’s a prawn and crab 1, about 500 kal

I like the Tesco fish pie. It's around 300 cals and quite satisfying. It's also surprisingly tasty! Add some veg and way to go.

I like weight watcher meals. You need extra veg with those though, they are pretty tiny.

The slimming world ones aren't particularly low calorie when you add up against how many 100g's there are in it, although they are big portions.

I'm considering getting a kids lasagna for my dinner tonight.

I second Marks and Spencer ready meals and then add fresh/frozen veg to make up half the plate. The meals are £3 each but weigh up to about 400g which is quite good for a diet meal.

I would also recommend looking at their other ready meals where some go up to 600 cals which might be better for a guy who should have more cals. They also do meals for small eaters - traditional stuff like sausage and mash but only 1 sausage etc and they very tasty and low cal.