ready meals

[Lynmi]

Now I know your all going to say ready meals are big no no, but just occasionally for whatever reason late home from work etc I cant be bothered to cook. So if you was going to have a ready meal, what would the max amount of sugar content be that you would go up to?

 

[sugarless sue]

Always look for the total carbohydrate content !

The less the better, aim for anything under 20gm of carbs, lower if you want.

There is sometimes a massive difference between the 'sugar' content and the carbohydrate content on packaging. For a Diabetic it is the carbohydrate content that is important.

 

[lovinglife]

I agree - ready meals should be avoided if at all possible - but we all lead busy, stressful lives - very occasionally stresses at home mean I have to have something that can be bunged in the oven and then thrown down my neck without any thought - (it's either this or not eat)

it's the total carbs you need to look at not just the sugars - I stick to ones below 35g of carb per meal - be very careful when reading the box that you get the right column that says per pack - not per 100g or per serving (sometimes half a pack). have to say not many are within my range :roll: - most are in the 60/70g carb per serving I usually use tesco finest lamb moussaka - can get away with that one

If I was organised I sometimes batch cook and make my own ready meals - but if I am honest that is rare and for the amount of times I do have a ready meal I find it ok to use them really

 

[viviennem]

I regularly eat ready meals, for the same reason you do. Not too often though - maybe once a week. You just have to pick and choose very carefully.

Forget 'sugar', you need to look at 'total carbohydrate'. Sugars are just a form of carbohydrate.

I allow myself between 20g and 50g of carbohydrate per DAY, because I eat a low carb diet. I will occasionally allow myself up to 70g. So - today I have eaten a 2-egg omelette for breakfast, maybe 2g carb; lunch was a mixed green salad with radishes, tomatoes and chicken, with mayonnaise, about 10g carb; a total of 12g of carb so far.

That means I've got at least 8g of carbohydrate left for supper, to a maximum of 58g, but it's not a treat day today so I shan't go up to 70g for the day. In my freezer I have a chicken ready meal from one of the biggest supermarket chains, which has 7.6g of carb per half pack. It's quite high fat by some people's standard (15.4g fat per half-pack), but I don't control my fat intake, so it's fine for me.

If I'm greedy and eat the whole pack, with maybe another small salad or some broccoli and cauliflower, that's about another 20g of carb. So if I add together 2 + 12 + 20, that's 34g of carb for the whole day. If I add on a very few nuts or maybe a very little black chocolate or perhaps one glass of wine, I can still come in at around 40g carbohydrate for the day.

And I haven't been hungry at all!

Read the labels, pick good food not the cheapest option, and remember a meal doesn't have to have bread, pasta, rice or potatoes - or, for that matter, a pudding! If you need something to 'finish' the meal, have a bit of cheese but no biscuits. Or have crackers/biscuits - eg a couple of plain oatcakes at about 5g carb per oatcake. NOT sweet biscuits! Butter is fine - carb-free!

Next time you are able to have a leisurely supermarket shop, take some time to read the labels and stock up the freezer. Make sure they don't need to be defrosted before cooking. I tend to stick to about 5g of carb per 100g, and control my portions. I never pick anything with rice or potatoes or pasta included. If you want a curry, serve it with cauliflower instead of rice - very good!

Enjoy your shopping

Viv

 

[JUSTFOCUS]

Some people use a batching process and therefore freeze there own .We had a chicken curry last night and tbh it was better than a take away. Everyone is different .
Hope this helps a little JF

 

[noblehead]

Some (not all) are high in fat and salt as well as carbs so just be careful, as others have said check the nutritional guide before buying.

Nigel

 

[jaykay]

I know people say that ready meals are easy but I just find them tasteless and expensive. I have just been gone from the computer for ten minutes and made spicy chicken and chickpeas, which will now take another 10 minutes to cook. 14g carbs for the meal. I know it takes organization but believe me I'm one of the laziest people on the planet. If I can do it anyone can!

 

[Debloubed]

I have to agree with the 'batch and freeze' method, although I totally understand why people use ready meals for ease and convenience, they are sometimes too quick and easy to pass up! My daughter is a fussy eater and we have our own ready meals in plastic tubs in the freezer. She's on school hols at the moment so home alone whilst I am at work and she loves the convenience of selecting a home made curry or chilli or similar and zapping it rather than having to actually cook for herself :lol: for me and my carb counting, I prefer to know what's gone in the frozen meal but if I had to choose a ready meal, I would go for one of the Innocent pots (not the cheapest, I know!) but the ingredients seem to be pretty fresh, they are not frozen and the salt/fat content are not excessive

 

[sigull]

As well as looking after my type 2, I am a carer for a wife with middle stage Pick's disease (Dementia) so I have meals-on-wheels three times weekly (supplier is Apitito) and they are marked suitable for diabetics and also show the carb & Fat levels. I,m on diet & exercise and having these meals for the last year hasn't raised my hBA1c so far (fingers Xd) :roll:
Tony

 

[Fencer]

You get good quality ready meals, which you obviously pay a bit more for. They never come from a freezer and the supermarkets like to make it obvious with their packaging that they are better quality (for example, Asda Xpress curry from the deli counter). As everyone said above, just read the label and know what is in it.