Page 7 | NOW CLOSED M&S Simply Fuller Longer range - tester review thread

Somersaults · 01/06/2012 14:48

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?
There were quite a few diches to choose from with only one that was labelled on the shelf missing (out of stock I guess). I think there was a fair choice but not as much as you can find in similar ranges elsewhere. The first dish that caught my eye was the Keralan Chicken Curry with Spiced Samosa Crust becasue it sounded interesting and unusual, and I thought straight away that it was something DH would like to try. I bought that one and for me, who is actually quite fussy, I bought the Beef and Chianti Ragu with Rigatoni Pasta.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?
We usually microwave these kind of ready meals but the Keralan Curry needed oven cooking, I'm guessing because of the samosa crust, so we oven cooked both meals together at a temperatue in the middle of the temperature stated on each. It really makes no difference to us when we're buying whether it is oven cook or microwave. These were just as easy to prepare as any other meal of this type we've had.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?
Portion sizes were fine compared to a usual ready meal portion size. I would normally just eat the ready meal whereas DH would usually add a salad or garlic bread or something to his to bulk it up a bit. Funnily though, DH said he was quite full after just the Keralan Curry and didn't really snack much at all throughout the rest of the evening whereas I was full immediately afterwards but snacked just the same as usual for the rest of the night. I'm breastfeeding though so I do have a tendency to graze a lot at the moment. I think DH was surprised he felt full because he thought it didn't look like much food on the plate when it was served.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?
I thought the pasta sauce was very tasty and was surprised how tasty it was, it was nice and tomatoey. It was tastier than most ready meals of that sort (Italian) but I don't think enough so that I would go out of my way to recommend it to others. DH on the other hand really enjoyed his curry. He commented on the taste a few times during the meal and since and really enjoyed the flavours. He thought the samosa went soggy quite quickly once out of the oven and thought the cauliflower was a bit 'powdery' (I don't eat cauliflower but this seems like a strange description to me so sorry if it makes no sense!) but overall he enjoyed it a lot and would eat it again.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
The dishes were slightly more expensive than we would normally pay for ready meals but not greatly so and I don't think they were more expensive than ranges such as Tesco Finest. We tend not to buy those more expensive ones currently because I'm on maternity leave and money is tight, but I wouldn't say that they were too expensive for what they were and perhaps when I'm back at work they are something we would consider buying again.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?
DH has already told his parents and friends of ours about his curry so I think the answer for him is definitely yes. I wouldn't mention it out of nowhere but if it came up in conversation I would say that I enjoyed the meal and that it was tasty. Then I'd let people make up their own minds. Perhaps it was because I chose a fairly standard ready meal combination with minced meat in a tomato sauce with pasta, it's just not special enough to recommend above other similar dishes.

captaincalamari · 01/06/2012 16:10

Q1. There was a good selection of meals, all together in one cabinet which made it easy to choose between them. I tried the ham hock in mustard sauce as that's the kind of meal I enjoy made from scratch, but find too time consuming to make on a week night.

Q2. I microwaved it, I was pleasantly surprised to find it only took 3 minutes to heat, with no stirring/ peeling off lid, etc, halfway through. Genuine "convenience" food as I only had to put it in the microwave and take it out 3 mins later to eat

Q3. Portion size was pretty good, didn't look massive in the pack but took me longer than I expected to eat it. Normally I would add extra veg on the side but didn't for the purpose of this product test.

Q4. Flavour was pretty good - I wasn't too sure at the first taste as the sauce was a little unusual (and I usually have apple sauce with gammon) but as I continued eating it grew on me. Often with ready meals they taste worse with every bite and that wasn't the case with this one! Enjoyed it to the last mouthful. It seemed like a good balance - not necessarily quite as tasty as a very high fat/ high cal meals, but definitely nicer than most low fat meals, and a very reasonable amount of calories/ fat. I was also pleased with the list of ingredients - I recognised them all for a start!

Q5. Umm... good value compared to a takeaway I guess, but more than I would pay per-portion for meals generally.

Q6. I would recommend to busy working couples/ singles as a handy evening meal during the week, not so good for families as too costly to get one per person!

theodora · 01/06/2012 17:10

Sorry, also meant to say that I thought my cod mornay looked very impressive for a ready meal and the peas and beans were not overcooked (for some reason I think that cooking a meal altogether in the microwave for a single length of time would lead to mushy overcooked veg?!).

Also the list of ingredients was very impressive
Thanks a lot.

Groovee · 01/06/2012 17:31

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

There was a small amount of dishes maybe 8 of salmon, Cod, Hoisin Duck, next to the count on us range. I went round the corner andd found a larger range. Dh chose Beef in red wine and I chose Beef Stroganoff. They had no chicken pie left which dh wanted and I was being drawn to the hoisin duck.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

As the oven was on, dh's was recommended for oven cook. So I popped it in, It made the cubes of potatoes quite crispy. Mine was done in the microwave. Cooking ease didn't matter. I don't normally buy ready meals but they looked ok.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

On first sight, I thought they were a bit stingy but then when we ate them we were both impressed with how much you got. Dh said he felt full at the time of eating. Whereas I feel stuffed.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

Dh felt his was very bland, but the red wine was bit over powering on the beef. I felt mine lacked a taste. The orange colour of the sauce felt synthetic. Maybe more herbs could be used to flavour. The veg on the stroganoff was perfectly crisp.*

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
I felt they were ok but only something I would buy once in a while, if they were a bit cheaper then I may consider them. But I can feed a whole family for the price of one meal

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend them to friends or family if they needed to go a while between food.

picc · 01/06/2012 19:16

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

Wasn't that much there, to be honest. Not that easy to find. Guessed it would be next to the Count on Us range (which had a sign). It was.
Chose Beef in red wine sauce / casserole thing for both of us.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

microwave. I don't usually buy convenience food, so if I do, I want it to be very very convenient. If I have to wait for something to cook in the oven, there's no point!!

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

Now this was weird. Tardis-like weird! I looked at it and thought "No way is that a meal!!" I do lots of exercise, but also eat too much. I ate it. And was full. I was amazed!! (Husband, however, won't have had all the snacks and stuff that I've had all day. He also does a lot of exercise. This portion size isn't enough for him. But he's not on a diet....)

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

God! Actually delicious!! Another surprise.... Really!! Loved the carrots.... And the beef was nice.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
I don't buy convenience foods usually, as can't afford them. And like to cook fresh, anyway. I guess compared to other ready-made meals, it's not bad in terms of price. Especially as the ingredients were good, and it really tasted nice. We don't even eat takeaways that often, but I might choose this as an alternative to one some time.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes. If they were looking for a special treat but were on a diet. Or if they didn't have kids and could afford what I would term as a luxury!! ;-) If you're going to buy ready meals, this is a good option, as it was tasty and the ingredients seemed to be pretty decent.

DaveGrohlsgirl · 01/06/2012 19:21

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?
*I found the meal range quite quickly in the Milton Keynes Store.....but I also asked a member of staff whether there was anything else in the range and she said no........so I was quite surpised to see on here that there are salads available!! The range that I saw seemed to provide a good mix of different styles of dish. The ones I chose were the chicken tortilla and the mexican beef with potato wedges.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?
I heated both in the oven. The quality of both seemed good. I don't usually buy ready meals as a rule and I felt that the ease of cooking was fine.
Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?
Portion size for both DH and I was adequate. I found this particularly interesting for DH with the chicken tortilla as he likes to see a "full plate". I definately felt full and DH said it was enough for him...so definately full!

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?
My mexican beef dish was IMO lovely. Really nice to have something like this that was made with pieces of beef rather than a chilli made from mince which seems to be the rule with ready meals
Although DH enjoyed his dish, he did feel that it could have done with being spicier.
Neither of us thought that this food seemed particularly "healthy" or in fact even a healthier option. (Although maybe that is the point!!)

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
£8 for 2 meals is I suppose not bad considering it is M&S - I usually buy naice food in there as a treat. But in truth as someone who rarely buys this type of meal, then maybe it is an extravagance. I dont know that I would want to purchase them on a regular basis for a few meals during a week
Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?
I mentioned to my sister that I had tried them, they were'nt spectacular, just a nice alternative. Don't think I'd go out of my way to inform others

frankie76 · 01/06/2012 20:12

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

It was easy to find and it's own clear section
There for me was not enough choice though as I am vegetarian so I had to buy the 2 dishes for my husband to try - I found this really disappointing
From his point of view though there was enough choice and they all sounded tasty

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

Both were microwaved
They were really fast to do nd obviously really easy
I expect this from convenience meals though even though we don't buy them at all

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

I felt that they looked a good size and my partner felt they were ok too - what he would expect
But saying that he did say he was a bit hungry after - would have likes more pasta with the beef dish
Paella was the same could do with a bit more to be fully satisfied

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

My husband has the beef dish with pasta and he didn't like it - the meat tasted boiled and not sautéed and was too bland
The paella had a bad aftertaste of raw garlic that lasted - there was no saffron flavour and badly cut peppers
He is a chef so his standards are high!!

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
If they lived upto the flavours and packaging then I feel they old be worth the money

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?
No because the flavours were not good

applestrudel · 01/06/2012 20:14

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

I thought that there was a very good choice of dishes in the store I visited. I chose 2 ? one for me and one for DH ? but quite fancied quite a few of the other dishes and spent a while um-ing and ah-ing over which to go for. I went for Roasted beef meatballs and spaghetti and Smokey Mexian chicken open fajita in the end but hadn?t made up my mind which I was going to let DH have?I liked the look of the ham hock one and the angel hair one (of those I can remember) and I nearly went for the Japanese noodle one for DH. One thing I didn?t think was very good was the way they were presented on the shelf, however. There were too many piled up on top of each other meaning that in order to see what dishes they were, you had to keep pulling the top one out from underneath the shelf above to look at it ? none of them were visible without pulling them out, whereas it would be easier if you could see the names/pictures just by looking.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I hadn?t looked at the instructions until I went to cook them ? rather annoyingly, one of them had to be oven heated and the other in the microwave. They were both very easy to prepare though ? as easy as any other convenience meal I?ve ever had, certainly.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

Both DH and I thought they were smaller than the normal portion size we would have, although as I commented to DH, I think that is because our portions are normally too large rather than these portions actually being too small.
I felt very full afterwards which surprised me given the portion size. DH also said he felt surprisngly full and it crossed my mind whether M and S had actually put some sort of chemical in them which was designed to do just that!

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

In the end I had the spaghetti and I found it okay in terms of flavour but nothing to write home about. It was spicier than I?d imagined (I?d missed the bit that said ?with a spiced tomato and pepper sauce?) but the meatballs were nice and firm, with a nice herby flavour. There were plenty of meatballs and the sauce was ?wet? enough; there was also a strong tomatoey flavour to it. I bit down on one small bit of gristle which wasn?t very nice and overall I found the dish a bit ?samey? in terms of flavour. I guess there weren?t enough different elements to it. I felt it was a reasonably ?healthy? in terms of ready meals?it certainly had a low calorie count, which I consider appealing.
DH said his fajita was really crisp around the sides but soggy underneath and asked me whether I?d cooked it on a baking tray. He said the taste was nothing special; it was okay, but not spicy enough and the flavours weren?t distinct enough.
Overall, my judgement is that this is where the range falls down. Everything else about the meals was good (calories, choice etc) but in terms of flavour, they were nothing special.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

I was surprised to see how much they cost ? I would have thought they?d be slightly cheaper. I think that in order to represent value for money then, yes they should be cheaper. Each one only served one person so it?s an expensive meal if it?s for two of you. (ie, you have to buy two of them).

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

For me they would have a very specific use: I would buy one for myself if DH was going out and therefore wasn?t going to be home for dinner. This is because he is the main cook in our house and also because I can never be bothered to cook a proper meal if it?s just to feed myself. I would never buy one each for an evening meal for both of us ? they are too expensive for that, plus it just wasn?t tasty enough. I might recommend the range as a whole to a friend who was trying to lose weight (not having tasted all of the dishes) but I wouldn?t recommend the dish I tried. I do think it?s a great idea for a range though.

NoMoreMarbles · 01/06/2012 20:59

im having some trouble getting hold of the SFL range in my local M&S...DH is taking me to the big one tomorrow :)

chrissie66 · 01/06/2012 21:08

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

I visited M&S at Fosse Park, Leicester. There was a good range in the SFL range including salads, however I struggled to find something that was suitable for myself as I don't like spicy foods.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I chose the cod mornay (£3.99) and my DH chose Keralan chicken
curry with spiced samosa crust (£3.99). We also both tried the slow cooked pork loin with apple and cider gravy as it had been reduced to £3.00. the dishes were easy to prepare - I heated the them up in the oven which only took 20 mins (quicker than most convenience foods).

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

The portion size was good although we both felt that we could have eaten slightly more.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

I enjoyed the cod mornay although the sauce was a bit watery and it could have done with slightly more flavour. The vegetables were just right and the mash was lovely and creamy. The pork loin was okay but I didn't enjoy the sauce as there was onion and garlic in it - something I wasn't expecting from the description of apple & cider gravy. My DH enjoyed both dishes and described them as being very tasty.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

Personally, at £3.99 for most dishes, I wouldn't be able to afford to buy from the SFL range on a regular basis but I would consider purchasing as an occasional treat.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would definitely suggest to my mother that she tries the SFL range as she sometimes shops in M&S anyway. I would however, also tell her, that although excellent quality, the dishes are quite expensive.

jacqueline971 · 01/06/2012 22:51

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

I purchased my dishes from my local Simply Food M&S and although the range was quite good I would like to see if there were more items available from a larger store. There was a reasonable choice and the Katsu curry chicken was the first to grab my attention as it sounded unusual. I also chose the Lochmuir salmon fillet after having a good look at the range as it looked the most appealing to me and the vegetables looked nice and fresh.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I didn't check the cooking instructions until I got home and had presumed you could cook them in the microwave. This is how I cooked them in the end as I was short of time. I haven't bought that many ready meals in the last few years (apart from the odd 'meal for £10' from M&S!) so can't say I have that much to compare them to in terms of ease of preparation but I did find them quick and easy to heat up.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

I ate both meals as lunches and they were plenty big enough for a good meal at that time of day. For me personally I would happily have that size of meal for a main evening meal too but although my DH didn't try the meals I am sure he would have said the portion size wasn't big enough for his main meal and I would have ended up giving him extra rice or vegetables to bulk it out on the plate a bit. I definitely felt full afterwards and for the rest of the afternoon too. It was a really nice change to have a 'proper' hot dish at lunchtime too!

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

I really enjoyed both the meals although the katsu curry was probably my favourite as the flavours were delicious. The vegetables and the salmon were cooked just as I like them after the recommended time in the microwave so I was very happy with that meal too. I definitely think the ingredients in the meals looked fresher and less processed than in the ready meals I used to buy two or three years ago but as I don't really buy them very often now I can't really compare them fairly to the current competition. As the ingredients appear less processed I would consider them more healthy than my perception of a normal ready meal but I also check the nutritional content of what I buy quite carefully and would only really buy products that were showing mainly green and orange traffic light coding.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

I felt that £3.99 was quite expensive for a meal for one person but then all convenience food is more expensive as you are paying for the preparation etc. I think they probably compare favourably price wise with other products of this quality in the marketplace and you get what you pay for. I would buy them again but really only as a 'treat' meal for myself if I wanted the convenience of not preparing the food myself and this isn't something I would do that often. I wouldn't spend £8 on buying two as a meal for myself and DH as compared to the 'meal for £10' deal it's expensive so if we wanted a treat of this type we'd have it when the offer was on.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes I would recommend both the dishes, especially the katsu chicken curry, as if you're going to buy a ready meal these were high quality and tasty. I would however mention the price at the same time as most of my friends and family wouldn't normally buy that type of meal and may be put off by the price if I didn't tell them that bit too.

pipsqueak · 01/06/2012 23:01

i bought sandwiches wraps from the range . cant recall names niow . there was no other food in this range in my local store although the store is being refurbished so that may be why . i bought 4 different wraps for a longish car journey . all liked them but there was not a huge chioice and i thought they were not such good value as the normal range

MrsPnut · 02/06/2012 08:02

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?
I visited the Lincoln store and was quite surprised to find that there were 18 dishes to choose from because it's such a small store. I liked the sound of a few of them but decided upon the Paella with chicken and king prawns and the salmon with soy and ginger. I also went to the food to go bit and chose harrissa chicken with couscous salad

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?
I microwaved both dishes, purely for convenience. Cooking method didn't factor in purchase decisions and i rarely buy convenience meals but the reheat time is about what i would give something homemade I was reheating.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?
I thought the portion sizes were about right, my DP couldn't try any because there were no vegetarian options. I did feel pretty full afterwards and didn't snack.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?
The rice and soya beans in the salmon with soy and ginger became tedious very quickly, so much so that I didn't finish it all. the soy and ginger flavour wasn't very pronounced either but the salmon fillet was a decent size. The harrisa chicken salad and the paella were both very delicious, I enjoyed the flavours of both and ate every scrap.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
I think at £4 a go, they are expensive. I might buy one for myself if I was going to be home alone for the weekend but not otherwise.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?
I would probably recommend the paella dish to my grandmother because she buys a few ready meals from M&S but they are expensive for everyday family eating

membershipcard · 02/06/2012 10:07

I am going to buy mine today so will let you know.

jennywren123 · 02/06/2012 12:27

I purchased Chicken Katsu Curry and Chicken & vegetable hotpot.

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

There was quite a large range in the store which I visited (which is a mainly food store). They had traditional british meals and also international meals. I was surprised at how much choice there was. I think it must have just been restocked all the shelves were full.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I prepared both of the meals in the oven. I prefer to cook ready meals in the oven as I find when I cook them in the microwave, they are really hot at first, but seem to cool down a lot quicker. Oven cooked ready meals seem to hold their heat for longer. I didn't look at the preparation method before I purchased the meals. They were pretty similar to other ready meals. One pet hate I have with ready meals is how tricky it is to remove the film lid once cooked (or before cooking - depending on instructions). It's hardly ever possible to get it off in one go and always splits.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

We were pleasantly surprised at the portion sizes. Often we add extra vegetables to bulk out ready meals, but we didn't this time. My DH said that if he had been really hungry he would have probably added some extra veggies.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

Chicken Katsu Curry - I mostly enjoyed this, apart from the crunchy bits, I think they must have been water chestnuts or similar, at first I thought that it was bits of root vegetable that weren't cooked properly. Apart from this, I really liked the flavour. I would consider this to be a healthy alternative to other ready meals.

Chicken & Vegetable hotpot - Good taste and flavour, he enjoyed it, would choose it again, but might supplement with more veggies, nice and crispy on top (potatoes), with only 1.3g saturated fat, this seems a very healthy option. We always look at saturated fat content when choosing ready meals.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

I think these are reasonably priced for what they are - good quality meals. I'd rather pay a little more for better taste/quality.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend the Chicken and Vegetable hotpot, as it was very healthy and my DH said it was tasty. I wouldn't recommend the Chicken Katsu Curry as I didn't like the crunchy bits.

Nospringflower · 02/06/2012 18:56

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

I went to a small food only shop in Edinburgh and there were quite a few in the range but hardly any for vegetarians. I eat fish, just not eat, but there were only two fish dishes. So, in the end I chose a Salmon and Soy Bean one and a Thai yellow curry which was from the Vegetable range on the shelf above.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I heated them in the oven. I dont usually buy meals like this but it was very quick and easy.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

The portion sizes were fine for me but think if my partner had had them he might not think they were large enough. They filled me at the time (without me feeling particularly full and they kept me going all evening / afternoon)

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

I enjoyed the Thai yellow curry but thought it didnt taste that like most of the Thai currys I have had in restaurants. It had a slightly sweet taste. It was very low in calories so I think that was why it tasted less coconutty milk than usual. The salmon and bean dish was delicious - it has a ginger and soy dressing and it was lovely. They both seemed to be very healthy.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

They were £3.99 which doesnt seem bad for a meal to me although I had one for my lunch at work and that is more than I would usually spend. However, it was tasty and did fill me up so it would be worth it if I was going to be late home or something.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend the salmon dish but not the thai curry. I would also think about having them again but I do think the vegetarian selection could do with being improved and as most of my family dont eat meat this would prevent me recommending them.

salimali55 · 02/06/2012 19:10

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

There was hardly any choice- but it was at the end of a Saturday. I also found difficulty finding them, I walked around the chilled section several times and in the end asked a helpful M and S lady. The 3 meals there had attractive names but the actual food was variable. I chose the beef stew as it is always a safe dish to try.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I heated them up in microwave to be quick. Recently had Wiltshire foods and the M and S food was just as easy to prepare. Instructions were good.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

The portion size was fine. we were sufficiently full too.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

The stew was abit too strong herbs. They did seem healthy as were not smothered in cheese sauces.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

Price I did initially thought were expensive but they are the same as Wiltshire farm foods, and if you want decent home made tasting or decent quality food, the prices are reasonable. W

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

We would reccomend them as they were good taste and good flavour and hassle free meals.

lisad123 · 02/06/2012 20:15

How long is thread open for? My vouchers haven't arrived yet and now away for half term

notasausage · 02/06/2012 21:50

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

There was a surprisingly good range in the M&S I went to which wasn't the biggest in the area. I looked at a few and liked that the lids were clear so you could see what you were getting. I eventually chose the Andalucian Chicken for me and the Open Fajita for DH

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

I heated both in the oven as the fajita was only for oven heating. I never buy 'convenience' meals and batch cook my own meals ready to put straight in the oven so aside from the preparation, mine are just as easy to reheat as the M&S range.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

The portion sizes were spot on for us and we did feel full afterwards.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

We both enjoyed our dishes and DH even commented that he was "pleasantly surprised" by how good his was, and he's a man who is never pleasantly surprised about anything! The fajita stuck to the tray it was cooked in so the effect was lost a little on that one. I don't really think of ready meals as being healthy so haven't compared how healthy these are to other options.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

I personally wouldn't pay £4 for a single dish when I have 4 to feed. For a single person or people with plenty of money I think they probably are reasonable value as the quantity, quality and taste were good.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend these dishes and I know my DM sometimes buy's M&S readymeals so I will pass on my thoughts.

goodygumdrops · 03/06/2012 09:14

Me and my husband both tried the cod mornay.

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

There was a large selection of the SFL in my local store (hedge end). There was more than enough to choose from - i would have wanted at least 7 dishes (i.e. a different one for each night of the week) and there was plenty more than that. The cod mornay caught my attention because we are tryng to eat more fish in our house having not done so in the past. I also liked the look of the asian style dishes but they didn't 'feel' so healthy.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

We used the microwave to cook our meals. I much prefer to microwave for speed and convenience. I think the sfl range is equal to other convience ranges in terms of how quick and easy to prepare (no better, no worse).

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

We both would have liked a bigger portion - however that is probably why we need to lose weight and were attracted to this trial in the first place. We weren't hungry later though. My husband is in agreement with this.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

He enjoyed the dish although didn't think it was very manly! It would be helpful to have a healthy range that was more attractive to men i think - i realise that is perhaps a bit daft. Its like the pepsi max/ diet coke thing I think. I did feel the meal seemed healthier than other ready meal options - it seemed a lot fresher, especially the veg.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

I think they are a little bit expensive, just because if you were going to buy a weeks worth to use the range to help as a diet it would be a lot of money. However, it was very nice quality and perhaps comparable to meal plans such as diet chef etc etc.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend the meal we had and am keen to try some of the other meals myself. This is because I liked the veg content and quality and it was quick and easy to prepare without feeling like junk food.

Thank you for the chance to try it.

poppops10 · 03/06/2012 14:30

Q1. Not easy to find missed it at first. Not a bad selection to choose from i'm picky and don't like stews etc. I choose Thai red chicken curry for myself and husband.
Q2.microwaved them never heat ready meals in the oven takes far too long. Very easy to prepare great.
Q3. About the same size as a standard readymeal and both still hungry afterwards but the qulaity was great. Proper pieces of chicken not watery cheap cuts like majority of ready meals really impressed.
Q4. Very tasty didn't taste readymade but not a healthy choice 28% of sat fat and 25% of daily salt allowance i'm sure the others would have been a bit better. I would choose this for a takeaway but I might have three between two of us and I think it would still be healthy than my local take away shop.
q5. I wouldn't have picked this up normally only becuase of the trial but I am impressed just give me more bigger portions quality really is impressive though.
Q6 Yes I would recommend these but not as healthy choices or because its cheaper than takeaway quality of taste wins me over more.

membershipcard · 04/06/2012 11:28

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

We had to ask where they were. There weren't many left - it was Saturday morning so I am guessing that they don't have a delivery of them at weekend. Nothing grabbed our immediate attention.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven?

Creamy chkn ham, veg angel hair pastry pie -oven
Keralan Chkn - oven
Chkn and mushm tagliatelle - microwave

Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase?

No

If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

Easy until it came to serving ...both oven cooked dishes said remove pastry topping and stir sauce. We couldn't get the topping off without making it look horrendous.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

Creamy chkn ham, veg angel hair pastry pie - had this, portion size was OK but I did need a snack later/
Keralan Chkn - DH had this. As he finished he said "That was really tasty but I could eat it again as it was too small."
Chkn and mushm tagliatelle - DD age 16 had this. Porton size was fine.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

DH had the Keralan Chkn and really enjoyed it ( he stank of garlic the next day!)
He would say improve the portion size. Yes, a good low cal healthy alternative to the usual calory laden ready meals

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

Portio isze was more appropriate for lunch and £4 for lunch is steep.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

If it came up I would recommend them but warn about cost and porton size.

Thank you

gluepie · 04/06/2012 12:18

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

Good selection, though many seemed to be more 'wintry' type meals, not really what I fancied when it was hot and sunny. I bought the mexican fajita and andalucian chicken as they were labelled as new and seemed slightly more 'summery'.

SFL range was under the general banner of 'ready meals' of which there were a few aisles so not the quickest to find, would have been helpful to have one of the aisle banners as 'Simply fuller longer' to mark them out.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

Don't have a microwave so both in the oven. Don't usually buy ready meals but it was easy enough to do, though slightly annoying as they were for different temperatures/lengths of time. Might be useful to portion off some aspects of the meal as they tend to mingle together while in transit/cooking so you end up with soggy potatoes as they've rolled in the sauce.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

Looking at the portion size of the fajita I was initially unimpressed, but it did actually keep me full for the evening. DP had the andalucian chicken and said " it was good as a starter"!

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

Taste/flavour were good for both, though a little salty tasting. With regard to healthiness, I would happily trade a few more calories ( both meals were around 380, I would still consider up to 500 good for a main meal) for a bit less salt.

Still healthy compared to other ready meals I've seen though, and glad it wasn't filled with sugar to compensate for the fat levels.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

The amount of meat for the money is low, so in terms of that no, £4 for a small amount of chicken and some veg/potatoes isn't great value. However, in terms of convenience and feeling reassured about the quality of the ingredients it is good value for money

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, if they were looking for something convenient, filling and relatively healthy.
Would also buy again for myself if DP was out in the evening.

MrsHelsBels74 · 04/06/2012 20:53

I have already replied but for some reason I can't see my post & it's not showing up in my 'I'm on' list so apologies if it is already here.

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?
I had to ask a shop floor worker where the range was as it wasn't immediately apparent. There was about 10 dishes to choose from. I was immediately drawn to the paella & linguine dishes but being pregnant I tend to avoid seafood. My husband chose the roasted beef meatballs and spaghetti and I had the chicken and three mushroom taglietelli.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?
We used the microwave to heat our meals up. My husband sorted them out & said they were more convenient than most ready meals as they only required 1 spell in the microwave whereas most ready meals tend to be heat for x minutes, then stir, then heat again.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?
I thought the portion was a little bit small & I didn't feel totally full up afterwards (but I am pregnant and seem to have the appetite of a small elephant at the moment). My husband thought the portion looked small but found his was enough when he ate it.

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?
I thought mine could have done with the chicken being in smaller pieces and maybe a bit more spinach. It was very tasty though & didn't feel like it was a healthy alternative due to the creamy sauce. My husband really enjoyed his & wouldn't change anything.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?
I do think £3.99 for a ready meal is a little expensive, seeing as supermarkets are doing the 2 course meal for £10 deal. Husband thinks it's about the same as other ready meals & fine.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?
We would recommend the dishes to friends and family as they were delicious, but I would maybe recommend some bread/salad as an accompaniment.

Sl1nkyMalinki · 05/06/2012 00:02

Q1. How did you find the SFL range in the store you visited in terms of availability? Was there enough to choose from or not? Which dishes grabbed your attention immediately?

They didn't really stand out on the shelves, in fact I picked up a few Count on Us dishes before I realised! The packaging is v similar and it was pretty mixed up on the shelves.

Q2. With the dish(es) you tried, did you heat them up in the microwave or oven? Did preparation method factor into your choice of purchase? If you regularly buy 'convenience' meals, how did the SFL dishes compare to others in terms of how quick and easy they are to prepare? If you don't usually buy 'convenience' meals, were you impressed with the speed/ease of preparing the dishes or not?

Heated the "dinner" in the microwave as that was billed as the best method on the packaging and it took 2 minutes in the micro and I was starving. I have been known to buy convenience meals and found it the same as those I have previously bought.

Q3. How did you find the portion sizes of the dishes you tried? Did you feel full afterwards? And how about your DH/DP - was he/she sufficiently full afterwards? What were his/her thoughts on the portion size?

I tried a meal for the evening and that was perfect for me. I suspect DH would have wanted more/a side dish though. We had wraps for lunch the following day and they were spot on. Really delicious and a good size (even if the filling was determined to escape!). But they did the job and we were both full for hours!

Q4. What did you and your DH/DP think of the dishes you tried in terms of taste and flavour - did you enjoy them or not? Is there anything that you think could be improved on this front? Would you consider the dishes you tried to be 'healthy alternatives' to other ready meal options or not?

I was happy with both of the dishes I tried, DH was happy with the wrap at lunchtime. Exactly the quality I would expect from M&S. I would consider both to be healthy options. I had the chicken and chargrilled peppers wrap and seafood linguine.

Q5. Do you think the dishes you tried represented good value for money or not? Why?

They were great as a treat, but I wouldn't be able to afford such meals every day so I guess as far as value for money goes, no, £4 per person is quite a lot really. But as a treat, yes, it was lovely.

Q6. If it came up in conversation, do you think you'd recommend any of the dishes you tried to your friends/family? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes I'd recommend the lunchy things (I've had a couple of others before doing this product test) since afternoon snacking is my personal downfall and I really felt stuffed til dinner time! Not so much the main meals, I think the count on us range is better value for a convenience meal that's healthy.