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Supermarket ready meal reviews

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Last updated: 29 January 2024
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Fact-checked

Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers, verifiers and subject experts. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

We taste-test and compare chilled pasta and chicken ready meals from Woolworths, Coles, Youfoodz, My Muscle Chef and more to find out which ones taste best and are the most nutritious.

  • Our comparison tool helps you sort by price, taste, nutritional content and more, and our Recommended list shows you at a glance which meals come out on top.
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How we test

Products

We taste-tested chilled ready meals that are available at major supermarket chains like Coles and Woolworths. Price is based on the price in stores in October 2023 for one serving or one meal. Our panel taste-tested 14 chicken-based ready meals and nine pasta bolognaise-style ready meals.

Tasting

A random selection of CHOICE staff tasted the ready meals blind (without knowing the brands) in a randomised order.

Scores

The CHOICE score (our overall score) is made up of sensory and preparation attributes (50%) and nutrition (50%). Sensory and preparation attributes include flavour (30%), quality (20%), texture (15%), appearance (10%), overall perception (10%), ease of preparation (10%) and smell (5%). The nutrition score is entirely derived from the meal's Health Star Rating, which is calculated from details in the nutrition information panel and converted to a percentage. Weightings are in brackets.

We recommend ready meals with a CHOICE score of 75% or more.

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Brand

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List of brands we tested in this review.

    Price

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    Pack price as purchased in Sydney stores (not on special) in October 2023.

    enter value/s in increments of 1 between 4.99 and 11.95

    Recommended products

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    Member only

    This test score is for members only. Join now to unlock our expert results.

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    Category

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    Our panel taste-tested 14 chicken-based ready meals and nine pasta bolognaise-style ready meals.

      Taste test score

      Expand to view more details.

      The taste test score is based on flavour (30%), quality (20%), texture (15%), appearance (10%), overall perception (10%), ease of preparation (10%), and smell (5%). Weightings are in brackets.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 48 and 78

      Nutrition score

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      This score is based on the product's Health Star Rating (HSR). The HSR is calculated from the details in the nutrition information panel and converted to a percentage.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 70 and 90

      Serves of vegetables per meal

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      The amount of vegetable servings per meal as per the details on the label.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 0.2 and 3.2

      Calories per serve

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      As per the nutrition information panel on the pack purchased.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 256 and 661

      Low in fat

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      As per Australian nutritional guidelines.

        Low in saturated fat

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        As per Australian nutritional guidelines.

          Low in sodium

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          As per Australian nutritional guidelines.

            Included in this review

            Members-only access
            • CHOICE score
            • Taste test score
            • Nutrition score
            • Recommended
            • Good points
            • Bad points
            • Health Star Rating
            • Low in fat
            • Low in saturated fat
            • Low in sodium
            • Good source of protein
            • Good source of fibre
            • Pack size (g)
            • Satisfaction with meal size
            • Satisfaction with meat quantity
            • Satisfaction with vegetable quantity
            • Average likelihood of purchasing
            • Taste test comments
            • Price
            • Price per 100g
            • Energy per serve (kJ)
            • Calories per serve
            • Energy per 100g (kJ)
            • Protein per serve (g)
            • Protein per 100g (g)
            • Fat per serve (g)
            • Fat per 100g (g)
            • Saturated fat per serve (g)
            • Saturated fat per 100g (g)
            • Sugars per serve (g)
            • Sugars per 100g (g)
            • Carbohydrates per serve (g)
            • Carbohydrates per 100g (g)
            • Sodium per serve (mg)
            • Sodium per 100g (mg)
            • Fibre per serve (g)
            • Fibre per 100g (g)
            • Serves of vegetables per meal
            • Vegetables per serve (g)
            • Meat per serve (g)
            • Number of ingredients
            • Ingredients
            • Percentage of Australian ingredients
            • Allergens

            Product selected for a detailed comparison

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