To ping or not to ping

Ping without the pang of guilt

One in three Britons look forward to the "ping" of the microwave after a hard day at the office. A new survey says we're Europe's biggest consumers of ready meals - but that doesn't mean you have to feel guilty about it.

If you take care over choosing the right products, nutritionists believe you can enjoy a balanced, wholesome meal (albeit at twice the price of making it yourself).

The first thing to do is read the ingredient list and watch out for too much salt and flavour enhancers. And products labelled "healthy" or "low fat" may be loaded with sugar to compensate.

Scour the ingredient list for sucrose, fructose, dextrose, maltodextrin and modified starches. Other additives, such as colourings and preservatives, can be unhealthy. For example, E621 (monosodium glutamate) can actually alter your mood because it affects nerve endings in the brain

Look out for steam meals, because steaming preserves the goodness of vegetables. And always opt for lots of vegetables - the label may say it contains them, but check how much.

To help you navigate the ready-meal aisle we asked Ian Marber of The Food Doctor nutrition consultancy (020 7792 6700) to review a selection of the top-selling ready-meals.

Marks & Spencer Count on Us cod and salmon, £3.99

What does it contain? Tomato-and-basil sauce, egg pasta, cod, cherry tomatoes, salmon, broccoli, red peppers and spinach.

Why is it healthy? "The meal provides a decent amount of essential fats and protein from the two types of fish, and some goodness from the vegetables. The only downer is the small amount of salmon - 10 per cent. The label suggests there is more."

Swaddles cassoulet, £3.45, from Chelsea-based organic supermarket The Here (020 7351 4321) or by mail order (01460 234 387)

What does it contain? Haricot beans, chicken, pork, chorizo sausage, tomato purée and red peppers.

Why is it healthy? "A good balance of protein and carbohydrate, essential for good digestion and healthy energy levels. There's a decent source of vitamin A (for healthy vision and a strong immune system), antioxidants (which protect the heart) and fibre from the vegetables. My only fault with it is the high percentage of pork and sausage - 20 per cent - both sources of saturated fat."

Safeway tuna pasta bake, £1.99 What does it contain?

Fusilli pasta, tomato, tuna, red pepper, sweetcorn, low-fat fromage frais, onion, tomato purée, basil and chilli.

Why is it healthy? "It's low in saturated fat, which can lead to obesity, but contains 'good' or unsaturated fat from the tuna. The meal has a decent amount of fibre and complex carbohydrates for energy. The fact that there's only 10 per cent tuna is a disappointment."

Waitrose Perfectly Balanced ready-to-steam Mediterranean chicken, £3.59

What does it contain? Herb couscous, marinated chicken breast, roasted vegetables, mozzarella cheese and herbs.

Why is it healthy? "This has a great combination of protein (chicken), complex carbohydrate (couscous) and fibre (the vegetables), so you'll have a steady release of energy until your next meal. It's only failure is that the vegetables are roasted, so the fibre has been somewhat softened, so its efficiency is low."

Sainsbury's Be Good to Yourself pork In mustard sauce with colcannon mash, £2.99

What does it contain? Potato, milk, pork, cabbage, low-fat fromage frais, mushroom, spring onion, onion, single cream and white wine.

Why is it healthy? "It contains some useful minerals - calcium in the milk and magnesium in the leafy vegetable. It also has a natural antibiotic - the spring onion. It's fairly low in saturated fat, which is good. However, being good to yourself isn't just about eating low-fat. It's also about the ratio of protein to carbohydrate, which isn't great here - there's not enough protein."

Organic India aloo gobi, £2.99, from Planet Organic

What does it contain? Potato, cauliflower, onion, ginger and chilli.

Why is it healthy? "This is exactly what it says it is - something of a miracle when it comes to ready-prepared meals. It's as it should be - the same as it would be if you were making it from scratch at home. The high fibre content is excellent. It's a side dish however, not a main, as it contains no protein."

Safeway Smart Steam grilled chicken with mushroom Filling, £2.99

What does it contain? Char-grilled chicken breast fillet, egg pasta, broccoli, skimmed milk, cherry tomatoes, cream, mushrooms, white wine, onion and parsley.

Why is it healthy? "There's a good balance between the protein and complex carbohydrate, making this one of the best microwave meals around. The vegetable content makes it a decent source of fibre and nutrients, although the cream content is possibly higher than it need be."

Respect vegetable organic biryani, £2.79, from Fresh & Wild

What does it contain? Vegetables - onion, cauliflower, red pepper, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, basmati rice, tomatoes, yoghurt and ginger.

Why is it healthy? "This has a good vegetable content - there's a decent variety, meaning you get a good selection of vitamins and minerals, and a healthy balance between complex carbohydrates and fibre. It's particularly high in antioxidants and vitamin B, which is needed for energy and maintaining memory."

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT