Ready meals are a fast-growing global trend – and for good reason. All the hard work of planning and creating healthy dinners is done for you. You just have to follow the instructions on the pack.
Popular with everyone from young professionals working long hours and busy households juggling timetables, to individuals seeking healthy dinners-for-one, ready meals tick all the boxes.
They save you the time-consuming process of searching for recipes, hunting down ingredients and supermarket shopping. Food prep and clean-up are simply not an issue.
Another advantage of ready meals is that they introduce you to a wider variety of foods and for those watching the calories, the controlled portions are a good way to manage your food intake.
These days, there are plenty of options for nutritious, satisfying ready meals for busy households and individuals that are a far cry from the bland, processed versions of old.
Read the label
The downside of the popular ready-meal service trend is that nutrition varies widely. Ideally, you want a ready meal that provides both balance and nutrition. It’s important to read the label carefully and look for real foods in the ingredients list, like chickpeas, vegetables and brown rice.
The more ingredients you recognise, the better.
Protein keeps you feeling full – a good source of protein is more than 10g per serve. Look for ready meals that have lean protein, like chicken and beef, and plant proteins, like chickpeas, lentils and edamame beans. And finally, always compare sodium levels, and look out for additives and preservatives.
The perfect solution
Fresh Start Ready Made Meals provide the perfect solution for busy Kiwis looking for a healthier lifestyle, especially as we get ready for summer.
With a range of four nutritionist-approved, calorie-controlled meals packed with wholegrains, vegetables and quality proteins, Fresh Start Ready Made Meals are made from local New Zealand produce and free-range or free-farmed meats, and delivered fresh to your door.
Fresh Start Ready Made Meals come in individual, two- or four-person servings and provide a perfectly balanced, delicious meal, plus the Superquick range has meals ready in less than 15 minutes. Fresh Start Ready Made Meals are the perfect easy dinner option to keep you on track with your health goals.
