Does anyone miss the convenience of ready meals?

[EdensKitchen]

Hi all,

I was hoping to get a bit of feedback from people in this group on low carb ready meals.

My company’s called Eden’s Kitchen and we’re soon launching a range of really high quality ready meals that are all low carb.

For example we have shepherd’s pie made with cauliflower mash, fish pie with sustainable fish and cauliflower mash, as well as lasagne with aubergine instead of pasta, amongst others. We never use any sugars or nasty stuff and avoid dairy, gluten and yeast.

We’ve tested them out and they all freeze and microwave brilliantly and we’ll probably sell them for around £4 - £5 each (all the ingredients are fresh, top quality and locally sourced).

Can anyone offer us any feedback on how these might go down?

Many thanks

Eden’s Kitchen

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi all,

I was hoping to get a bit of feedback from people in this group on low carb ready meals.

My company’s called Eden’s Kitchen and we’re soon launching a range of really high quality ready meals that are all low carb.

For example we have shepherd’s pie made with cauliflower mash, fish pie with sustainable fish and cauliflower mash, as well as lasagne with aubergine instead of pasta, amongst others. We never use any sugars or nasty stuff and avoid dairy, gluten and yeast.

We’ve tested them out and they all freeze and microwave brilliantly and we’ll probably sell them for around £4 - £5 each (all the ingredients are fresh, top quality and locally sourced).

Can anyone offer us any feedback on how these might go down?

Many thanks

Eden’s Kitchen

Do you provide mortgages 😱 At that price you are having a laugh arnt you?

 

[Mark T]

In a word - nope.

Yes, occasionally I do use a ready meal, but considering it's a seldom thing I don't tend to worry about a minor blip (for the amount of times I do it, I could get away with fish and chips).

Of course it also depends on the weight of what you are intending as well. A typical Weight Watchers ready meal is about 300-350g and ~£2 (and anything from 25g+ in total carbs per meal).

 

[EdensKitchen]

Thank you

.. for your replies, all feedback is good to have. The price may seem a little steep compared to weight watchers or Tescos etc but have you seen the stuff they put in those meals?

Our meals use only free range meats and eggs and organic produce where possible.

I wouldn't go near a bog-standard ready meal but sometimes I get home tired, and stressed from work and just can't face chopping onions, garlic etc. But I appreciate not everyone feels the same

Thanks again.

 

[Riri]

I think on the odd occasion where, as you say, I'm too tired to cook and may be considering a takeaway anyway, or if my husband is away, I may well fancy one of your tasty organic low carb ready meals. The one important factor to consider is how many would you sell as in my situation I would only ever use them occasionally. Good luck

 

[Copepod]

I can't see myself buying such ready meals, but then I can adjust my insulin dose to carbohydrate intake when I occasionally eat ready meals, nearly always when I buy them reduced due to short time to Use By date, and either eat that day or next, or freeze. So, I never pay more than £1.50 for a ready meal.

I guess it depends on how they are sold eg frozen or fresh, ready to freeze; how easily they are available etc.

Good to see welfare friendly / organic ingredients are used where possible. I do try to choose these, and as a Marine Biology graduate and supporter of Marine Conservation Society, I only buy fish, crustaceans and molluscs than are caught or raised with regard to conservation issues.

 

[HERE TINTIN]

I am registered blind so the microwave is my best friend when my husband is away at work, so I would be very keen on some low carb ready meals, it would make my life easier definately.

 

[Redkite]

The price is probably right compared to fresh ingredient ready meals e.g.Charlie Bighams etc. IF yours are to serve two people. The problem in my view is that people buy the more expensive ready meals as a treat, not a regular meal, and are less likely to want low carb meals if it's an occasional treat! Also, if/when you market them, please don't describe them as "diabetic" - nothing is more likely to stop me buying a meal than that! 🙂

 

[AlisonM]

I make my own meals from scratch Eden's Kitchen, then freeze stuff. I probably wouldn't buy them even if I could afford it, but it sounds like a good idea if you can market it properly.

 

[Lurch]

Before knowing I had diabetes I lived on ready meals. Now I cook only fresh ingredients and can't believe how badly I ate before.

Low carb is only one aspect of healthy eating. There's also the level of salt, sugar and other obscure stuff that may be inevitable to add in food production to give ready meals shelf life while sitting in the shop.

It is no more expensive or hassle to cook fresh food, or batch cook and freeze in smaller portions. At least I now know what I'm eating and that's the essential bit, well above convenience. If/when ready meals are produced exactly the same as sensible home-cooked food I might reconsider. 🙂

 

[Redkite]

If/when ready meals are produced exactly the same as sensible home-cooked food I might reconsider. 🙂

There ARE some high quality ready meals with fresh ingredients out there Lurch (pricier obviously). 🙂

 

[Andy HB]

I like the sound of what you are proposing. Yes, the price is steep, but I have seen similar prices at M&S so don't think that is necessarily a problem if that is the kind of market you are going for.

Personally, I wouldn't touch any ready meal with a barge-pole though. So, sorry, I would not be one of your target consumers. 😱

Good luck with it though!

Andy 🙂

 

[EdensKitchen]

Thank you again!

A really big thank you to everyone for your feedback. So very helpful 🙂

And no, we most certainly will not be labelling the products 'diabetic' - almost as bad as labelling things 'for the over 50s' !!

Thanks again all