Choosing healthy range ready meals
Fat - The Basics
“Ready-made meals are a useful option for the days when life is just too busy to find time to prepare a meal from raw ingredients”, says Todd, nutritionist, “they can make a valuable contribution to daily nutrient intake. However, many ready-made meals can be very high in fat”.
“Head to the healthy option section when choosing a ready-made meal. Agreed, some may be a little high in salt, but overall, the healthy options will be lower in calories and fat. Remember to ‘bulk out’ the meal with plenty of additional vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned)”, adds Todd.
Common Fat Myths and Misconceptions
- “Food eaten late at night is turned to fat” – It’s the total number of calories consumed over the day that matters, not the time of day or night that you eat those calories. If you have eaten all the calories your body needs at breakfast, lunch and your evening meal by, say, 7pm, any additional calories consumed will be turned to fat, regardless of the time you eat those additional calories (e.g. 7.30pm, 10.30pm). If you eat late at night, you may end up overeating if you’re “ravenous” as a result of your last meal being many hours earlier in the day. Eating a fatty meal within an hour or two of going to bed may give you indigestion too!
Fat - Tips and Tricks
- Low calorie ready meals can be noticeably smaller than those you may usually prepare using raw ingredients in your own kitchen. Try filling the plate with volume and colour in the form of vegetables or salad vegetables.
- A meal that stimulates all the senses (taste, smell, texture, colour) is an enjoyable meal. You could try playing relaxing music when you eat alone. An enjoyable eating experience contributes to the feeling of satiety.
- Choose a special place at home (e.g. dining table) where you will eat your meals. Eating in front of the television or whilst concentrating on another activity will not allow you to fully enjoy the experience of eating and you may end up overeating because you’re distracted with what’s going on around you.
- Use attractive dishes, cutlery, glasses, etc to further enhance the quality of the eating experience.
- A hot drink (e.g. ordinary tea or fruit and herb types) after a meal will help to round it off (especially if you do not quite feel satiated)
- It can take 20 minutes for your brain to receive the message that you are full. If you rush your meal you may eat beyond the point of fullness and be left with a bloated feeling. Put smaller amounts of food on your fork, chew slowly and enjoy every mouthful at leisure
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