I tried the most expensive supermarket ready meals and the cheapest - 1 tasted homemade

Ready meals, also known as microwave meals, are dishes that are already cooked and packaged for convenience. They only need quick reheating before eating, either in the microwave, oven or sometimes an air-fryer. While some may not be the healthiest option, they save time in various ways, which is perfect for busy schedules or when you don't want to cook.

I don't tend to eat ready meals regularly; in fact, I tend to avoid them. However, after recently consuming a delicious supermarket one, I decided to see if there was a difference between the cheapest ready meals and the most expensive, with my supermarket of choice being Sainsbury's.

I didn't quite realise how expensive ready meals can be, and there's a big discrepancy between the brands in the supermarket.

I decided to pick up three ready meals from Charlie Bigham's, a producer of high-quality, ready-to-cook meals. The meals, which are sold in various supermarkets, also come in a range of different cuisines.

This includes lasagnes, macaroni cheese, curries, fish pies and more. The packaging looks premium and luxurious, but they were the most expensive in the supermarket.

I picked up a butter chicken meal for two, which came with pilau rice, as well as a macaroni cheese for one, and a spaghetti bolognese for one.

When it came to locating the cheapest, I settled on Sainsbury's own brand, where I also picked up three of the same meals. The butter chicken came without rice, so I opted for a pilau packet rice instead.

Charlie Bigham's macaroni cheese with crispy bacon (£6.50 for one main)

This macaroni cheese is cooked in a traditional creamy cheese sauce, topped with crispy bacon and ciabatta croutons.
It was cooked in 30 minutes, and I served it with a side of garlic bread. For the price, I was looking for a delicious ready meal which tasted homemade, and I have to say, it was exactly that.

The consistency of the meal was delicious, the portion size was ample for one person, and it was made even tastier with the addition of crispy bacon and ciabatta croutons. I was a little disappointed with the flavour, as I found it a bit weak, but overall, it was delicious. I wouldn't personally pay £6.50 for this again, but if it were ever on offer, I'd be sure to snap one up.

Sainsbury's macaroni cheese (£3.50 for one)

The supermarket says this ready meal is made in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with mature Cheddar cheese.

I cooked this in the oven for around 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. I was disappointed with this macaroni cheese as it was completely flavourless and slightly curdled.

I added my own freshly ground black pepper and parmesan, which helped massively, but I didn't enjoy eating this.

Charlie Bigham's butter chicken curry and pilau rice (£9.95 for two)

I had high expectations for this meal as I've never paid nearly £10 for a ready meal before, although it did serve two people. The portion size was ample again, and there was more than enough to feed two people.

Charlie Bigham's says this meal consists of tender marinated chicken in their mild and creamy butter sauce, which is delicately spiced and served with pilau rice.

The meal came with foil to wrap over the rice, and it was cooked in the oven for 30 minutes. Again, it was an absolutely delicious meal, and I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty it was. I felt the sauce could have had a slightly more flavourful taste, but I did feel like it was home-cooked. Despite being nearly £10, it's cheaper than opting for a takeaway, and I honestly feel like it was worth the price, especially for a date night or for a treat.

Sainsbury's butter chicken ready meal (£4.35 for two)

This dish didn't come with any rice, so I purchased a packet of rice for just £1, bringing the total for this meal for two to £5.35, which is still £4.60 cheaper than its more expensive alternative.

Sainsbury's says this meal consists of tender marinated chicken breast in a creamy tomato, butter and coriander sauce, which is warmly spiced.

Cooked in the oven for 25 minutes and then microwaved for one minute, this dish was absolutely delicious. The chicken was beautifully tender and spiced, with a slightly more flavourful taste than the Charlie Bigham's one. I was a little disappointed that it didn't come with rice, as I loved Charlie Bigham's pilau rice, but overall, it was delicious and definitely worth £5.35 for two.

Charlie Bigham's spaghetti bolognese (£6.50 for one)

This spaghetti bolognese is made with slow-cooked beef ragu, red wine, and oregano, served with spaghetti and topped with parmesan cheese.

I cooked it in the oven, just as I have with all the other ready meals, and served it with a little more Parmesan and garlic bread.

This was by far my favourite of the Charlie Bigham's prepared meals, and it honestly didn't taste any different from a home-cooked bolognese. The meat was tender, the portion size was perfect, and the flavour was sublime. I've honestly been thinking about this ready meal since I tried it, but I do think £6.50 for one meal is a lot of money, so I haven't repurchased.

Sainsbury's spaghetti bolognese (£3.50 for one)

This ready meal consists of spaghetti pasta with a beef, tomato and red wine sauce. After cooking for around 30 minutes, I topped the ready meal with cheese and served it with garlic bread. After consuming Charlie Bigham's one the day before, I was really disappointed with this meal. I didn't think it had much flavour, mine didn't have much meat at all, and I didn't like the consistency.

Verdict

Overall, I much preferred the taste and flavour of Charlie Bigham's meals, as they tasted homemade. However, it's hard to say whether I would repurchase them, because I think £6.50 is very pricey for a single meal. I will, however, definitely purchase them again if they're on offer or as a treat.

The butter chicken curry from Sainsbury's was delicious, but the other meals really were a let-down.

Looking at the ingredients, Charlie Bigham's also wins when it comes to nutritious, without any additives, which is why I avoid ready meals in the first place.

While I won't be eating ready meals on a regular basis, it was a clear win for the most expensive supermarket ones.