Featured reviews

SPAM Chip Shop Curry Fritters

Published on October 26th, 2023

It’s been a while since my last review. No longer a student, I tend not to do ready meals anymore, and my arteries probably couldn’t take it like they used to. But just occasionally, I come across something in my weekly shop that makes me go… “yeah”. This is one of those items. SPAM, deep… [Read More]

4 out of 5

Tesco Lamb Rogan Josh with Pilau Rice

Published on September 9th, 2022

Lovely packaging. It ‘snaps’ in two so you can cook the rogan josh first, which takes longer. The plastic also peels away nicely. Really generous portion of rice – it’s about what you would get from an Indian takeaway, or about as much as I’d usually prepare for myself. The lamb has that deliciously rich… [Read More]

4 out of 5

Ed’s Easy Diner Mac ‘n’ Cheese Burger with Bacon

Published on August 28th, 2022

Just look at it – this is glorious. Why make do with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise when you can wet your burger with something that would normally be considered as a side? This £2.20 burger from Iceland certainly looks the part. The bacon is streaky and browns surprisingly well in the microwave. The bun is… [Read More]

4 out of 5

Mindful Chef Panang Chicken Curry with Black Rice

Published on March 1st, 2022

It’s been far too long since I last posted a review. After all this time, what could have broken the deadlock? What meal was so interesting/controversial that I just had to try it, capture it, write about it? This one. Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at a frozen ready meal for 1, at a… [Read More]

4 out of 5

Wasabi Chicken Katsu Yakisoba

Published on April 17th, 2021

Surprisingly good value – I got this for £3.50. It is a large portion of food, and satisfied me fully for lunch. Considering this is a household name and not some own-brand, you get a lot for your £3.50. That includes rather a lot of packaging; a cardboard sleeve, then a plastic bowl inside another… [Read More]

4 out of 5

Sharwood’s Curry & Rice Chicken Tikka

Published on July 25th, 2020 Sharwood's

I did not have high hopes for this. The portion size when you lift the lid is tiny. The rice looks like a meagre bowl of rice crispies: small, crunchy and yellow. But worse than that, you need a degree in mathematics to follow the instructions. “Fill to the fill line”, it says patronisingly, like… [Read More]

2 out of 5

Charlie Bigham’s Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Published on June 27th, 2020

I’ve recently moved to an area that has a Waitrose. There’s an entire fridge section dedicated to ‘Charlie Bigham’ meals. I thought he was the bloke who wrote Black Mirror. A man of many talents then…! These are all marketed as high quality, low effort meals for two. Unlike other Charlie Bigham meals, you can’t… [Read More]

3 out of 5

Waitrose Nasi Goreng

Published on May 26th, 2020

Simple to cook, clean, good recyclable packaging. The only faff is the ‘plastic insert’ used to separate the sauce and the rice – but the result is worth it. Has a real, unexpected kick to it. You can see the flakes of chili on the chicken and throughout. A little beyond my comfort levels to… [Read More]

4 out of 5

Waitrose Chicken Katsu Curry

Published on January 4th, 2020

For a ready meal, this was the biggest faff to prepare. Your first task is to peel back the film lid, and remove the chicken breast with your bare hands, shake the rice off that had clung to it, and place it on a baking tray, which you should put in a pre-heated oven for… [Read More]

2 out of 5

Pot Noodle Sticky Rib flavour

Published on December 21st, 2019

When I think of sticky ribs, I picture 4th July in America with a Budweiser and  a TBC So you can imagine my surprise when I tasted this and found it’s more like a Chinese takeaway. Which, come to think of it, is more of a British staple than American style sticky ribs. So I’m… [Read More]

3 out of 5