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Are you short on time? Do you struggle to find pre-made meals that aren’t full of rubbish? Would you like to keep your pantry stocked with healthy meals that can be whipped up in a few minutes?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, we get it! Ready-to-eat meals don’t have to be highly processed or taste like cardboard. Here’s what to know about instant meals, plus our top 5 recs on the shop!
What to look for in ready made meals
As always, food labels tell you everything you need to know! In an ideal world, instant meals are minimally processed, with a short-but-sweet ingredients list you’ll recognise. In other words? If you can’t pronounce it, pop it back on the shelf!
The best ready-made meals are packed with wholefoods, so you know you’re getting the most nutritional value out of your brekkie, lunch or dinner. As for what they don’t have, it’s nasties like GMOs, MSG, artificial colours, food additives or synthetic trans fats. At GoodnessMe, we also search high and low for healthy instant meals with zero refined sugar. You’d be surprised at how often sugar sneaks its way into savoury foods, and it goes by a million names — think high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, and the list goes on.
The good news? All of the goodies on our shop are researched, tested and approved by our team of nutritionists. And for more good news, we believe instant meals can be healthy, full of high quality ingredients AND bursting with flavour!
Our top ready made meal recs
Ok, let’s get into recs! Whether you’re looking for quick, easy meals you can whip up on a weeknight, or just like to give yourself a night off cooking every now and then, these instant meals have you covered.
#1 Mr Lee’s noodles
Why we love: Sometimes, you just need to slurp up a bowl of noodles — and the prods from this homegrown brand are a world away from the instant noodles you might have had as a kid!
Mr Lee’s Noodles are certified gluten-free, with zero MSGs, saturated fats or sugars, and no artificial colours, preservatives or palm oil. No upset tummy or bloating here! They’re packed with freeze-dried, Aussie meat and veggies, as opposed to the dry flavouring powder you’ll see in a lot of less-than-healthy instant noodle products.
How to use: Just add boiling water, give the noodles a stir and cover for 2 minutes before eating!
Stock up:
- Mr Lee’s Noodles Coconut Chicken Laksa is a delish curry noodle soup with cauliflower, green beans and turmeric, and it smells as good as it tastes!
- Mr Lee’s Noodles Tai Chi Chicken Noodles are a bowl of brothy goodness, with broccoli, spinach, ginger and sweet orange blossom honey.
- Mr Lee’s Noodles Hong Kong Street Beef features a blend of Chinese spices – one for the spicy lovers, for sure!
- Mr Lee’s Noodles Zen Garden Vegetables is the perfect veg option, with miso soup, ginger and tons of greens.
#2 Plantasy Foods
Why we love: This Aussie company has really perfected GF goodness with its rice pastas and healthy ready made meals that don’t compromise on flavour. Everything’s formulated by chefs, and is also free of dairy, egg, nuts and soy so more people can enjoy! Plantasy Foods is famous for its “mac n cheez” pastas, made with creamy coconut milk, chickpea miso, nutritional yeast and spices — the ultimate comfort food, with a hit of protein.
How to enjoy: Bring a few cups of water to the boil, then stir in the cheezy pasta mix. Let it simmer for 5-8 minutes and you’re done!
Stock up:
- Plantasy Foods Mac n Cheez Original Cheez is the OG for a reason.
- Plantasy Foods Mac n Cheez Porcini Cheez has mushrooms for some added veg.
- Plantasy Foods Mac n Cheez n Chives for some extra herby goodness.
#3 Chantal Organics probiotic oats
Why we love: There’s nothing better than kicking off your day with a beautiful bowl of porridge! Chantal Organics has an amazing lineup of healthy, instant porridge packs made with plant-based protein and fibre. They feature a blend of wholegrain oats, oat bran and hemp seeds, plus added probiotics for a happy gut. These single-serve oat cups are perfect for travel and flights, too — just ask for hot water!
How to enjoy: Peel back the lid, add boiling water and voila. We also love topping our oats with dried fruit and chia seeds, and even a scoop of Greek yoghurt.
Stock up:
- Chantal Organics Probiotic Easy Oats Spiced Apple & Maca is deliciously cinnamony and tastes like Christmas in a cup.
- Chantal Organics Probiotic Easy Oats Maple & Maca adds a little touch of sweetness to your morning.
- Chantal Organics Probiotic Easy Oats Plum & Hemp Seeds is the perfect combo of fruity and nutty flavours.
#4 Spiral Foods ramen
Why we love: It might be summer, but a good ol’ bowl of ramen is good for the soul any time of the year. Enter: Spiral Foods. Made in Japan, their ramen noodles are ready in a flash, and are filled to the brim with organic ingredients and delish Asian spices. Hello, umami! The noodles are free from MSG and artificial additives, and suitable for vegans as well.
How to enjoy: Boil two cups of water, pop in the noodles and let them simmer for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the soup stock and there’s your meal!
Stock up:
- Spiral Foods Organic Miso Ramen is simple yet SO flavourful, and perfect for a meal or snack.
- Spiral Foods Organic Shoyu Ramen has a delish soy sauce soup base.
- Spiral Foods Shiitake Mushroom Instant Ramen contains mushies for a heartier option.
#5 Ceres Organics burger mix
Why we love: Burger night just got better — and easier — with Ceres Organics’ ready made wholefood burger mixes. The mix makes 4 plant-based patties (or 8 sliders), with a base of red lentils, oats and chickpea flour. It also contains sunflower and sesame seeds to give your burgers a little crunch, plus herbs and spices for flavour.
How to enjoy: All you need to do is add water then decide how big you want the patties to be! Serve in buns or lettuce wraps, and throw in your fav burger additions!
Stock up:
Fill your pantry with instant meals
Sometimes, putting effort into cooking is just not on the agenda. We get it! That’s why we’re so obsessed with finding healthy, quick meals that can fit into our healthy-minded yet time-poor lifestyles.
Check out the best instant meals on the GoodnessMe shop to whip up meals in a jiffy — no need to open the delivery apps!