Convenience Meals.

[Georgiesmum]

Do you rely on convenience meals, either frozen or chilled, or do you cook your meals from scratch every day?

[tenrec]

I cook a lot of meals from scratch. Nothing fancy. However, I do buy ready meals for the freezer, for example curry, or sweet & sour chicken as a back up, in case I don't feel like cooking. Usually eat them once a week.

[mazie]

From scratch and anything left over i.e. curry I portion up and freeze for another day. Never buy convenience meals

[joggerjayne]

Convenience

:0(

[paddywak]

If we don't dine out we usually cook from scratch, having said that we usually have a selection of ready meals in the freezer for when we're feeling lazy.

[pastafreak]

I never have convenience meals-always cook from scratch.

[Tilly2]

I cook most things from scratch because it tends to be cheaper and I know what's in it.
However, we do occasionally by Sainsbury's Indian meal boxes which are a treat as they're so lovely.

[rowanwitch]

90% from scratch but I do use the odd Aunt bessies product especially yorkshires and the odd roastie and I do use Pataks curry paste as it works out cheaper than buying lots of ingredients fresh and wasting them

[hc4361]

I have those frozen lamb shanks in mint gravy in my freezer as a back up - I think they are fine served with fresh veg.
They can be cooked from frozen so are a useful standby.

I also home freeze stews, curries and bolognese.

[sadielady]

Always from scratch, couldnt afford to live on convenience foods

[woofgang]

about 60 fresh to 40 convenience. I read the labels on the convenience though and only buy the ones that are made with "real" ingredients....oh and oven chips, can't do without them.

[naomi24]

Cook from scratch every day. I never buy convenience food.

[hc4361]

Naomi, how do you make gravy and custard and other sauces such as tomato?
Do you buy tinned soup? Bake your own bread and cakes? Make your own steak pies?
I bet we all use more convenience foods than we think.

[tiggerblue10]

Half and half. I have convenience food for, well convenience really. I cook loads of freezable meals in one go and portion them for Little Tiggs though. He eats better than I do.

[Eve]

I used to have ready meals loads when I was working silly hours and out and about all over the place.

I gradually stopped, mainly when I had gallbladder problems and I was on a very low fat diet and was horrified how much fat was in most of them, even the ones which are meant to be better for you. I've not gone back on them since save the very odd occasion (usually a rare curry treat as I can't make my own that nice).

If I want to have something quick to eat I tend to have soup, sandwich, wrap etc... maybe the occasional tin of Heinz Ravioli or Spaghetti hoops if I want something warm.

I don't tend to have many cooked meals though, that said. Don't have the energy to cook a lot of nights but don't want to go back to ready meals. I like sandwiches etc... though so happy enough.

[rockyracoon]

I rarely buy convenience meals and usually cook from scratch, the only exception being curries, then I buy Patak's sauces. I have Madhur Jaffrey's new cookbook so that will likely change in the future.

[rockyracoon]

Everyone uses convenient foods but Georgiesmum was talking about meals, I took that to mean the likes of lasagne, packs of sausage and mash etc.

[Zacs-Master]

I quite often have something like a 'convenience' fish pie but with some fresh veg such as Broccoli or green beans.

[Tilly2]

I must admit, hc4361, that I didn't think of bread as a convenience food but I suppose it is.
However, the question from Georgiesmum, is about 'meals' so I don't think bread counts.

[hc4361]

Yes, apologies. I diverted from convenience meals to convenience foods.

[EcclesCake]

My freezer is full of individual portions of ragu, chilli, casserole, curry etc. I often cook double what is required so that I can freeze half for another day when I'm busy.