Busy schedules often leave us scrambling for meal options that don’t require hours in the kitchen. Ready-made meals have become a go-to solution for many, but the question remains: are they a healthy choice?
In the full article on Health For Mzansi, readers learn from visual artist Ncomeka Mabinza, who relies on ready-made meals to juggle her fast-paced life.
“As a young single professional, our preference lately has been eating ready-made meals over cooking at home,” she says. For Mabinza, the convenience of these meals means more time for rest and recovery.
Dr Udoh James Akpan, a post-doctoral researcher, echoes this sentiment, finding ready-made meals indispensable due to his hectic schedule and limited cooking skills. He admits, “When it comes to fast food, I just want something filling, even though I know it’s not healthy.”
But how can one make healthier choices with ready-made meals? Mabinza advises sticking to grains, veggies, and protein, highlighting shops that offer wholesome options like wraps made from brown flour and seeds, and a variety of vegetable-based dishes.
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What about nutritional value?
The article also addresses the difference between ready-made meals and fast food.
According to Andiswa Ngqaka, spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (Adsa), the nutritional value of home-prepared and store-bought ready-made meals can be similar, as long as storage guidelines are followed. She emphasises, “There are no nutritional drawbacks as long as the food is not overcooked.”
Ngqaka warns that while ready-made meals can be a convenient and healthy option, they should not be confused with fast food, which is often high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt.
This article was first published on Health For Mzansi and written by Vateka Halile.
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