Brits are turning their backs on meal prep as ‘heat, ding, eat’ food booms (aff)

For years, social media feeds were packed with neatly stacked tubs of chicken, rice and broccoli prepared days in advance by people determined to stay healthy, save money and avoid takeaways.

But now a different food trend is rapidly gaining ground – healthier “heat, ding, eat” meals designed for people who still want decent nutrition without spending half the evening cooking.

The shift comes as brands like Grubby expand aggressively into frozen ready meals, betting that convenience is becoming just as important to shoppers as calories and protein counts.

The UK plant-based food company has just launched its first range of chef-made frozen meals after building a following through recipe kits and meal boxes.

And unlike the old image of frozen ready meals, these are clearly aimed at people who still care what they eat.

Many contain more than 20g of protein alongside high fibre levels and ingredients linked to the growing interest in gut health and “plant points” diets popularised by Professor Tim Spector and the team behind nutrition science company ZOE.

Spector, who became one of Britain’s best-known nutrition experts during and after the pandemic, has repeatedly argued that people should focus less on calorie counting and more on eating a wider variety of plants each week to support the gut microbiome. ZOE’s research and hugely popular podcast have helped push concepts like “30 plants a week” firmly into the mainstream, especially among busy consumers looking for healthier meals that still feel realistic for everyday life.

That trend is written all over the new Grubby range.

The Tofu Tikka Masala with brown rice and nigella seeds packs an impressive 33g of protein, while the Smoky Black Bean Chilli Loaded Fries with Green Goddess Sauce leans much harder into indulgent fakeaway territory than traditional “diet food”.

Meanwhile, the Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta Bake with Crispy Kale looks much closer to something you’d order in a gastropub than the sad microwave meals many people still associate with freezer food.

Elsewhere, dishes like the Silky Roasted Squash Linguine with Crispy Cavolo Nero, Crispy Tofu Milanese with herby roast potatoes and Brothy Thai-Style Peanut & Broccoli Udon Soup show just how far the ready meal category has shifted away from bland calorie-counting meals.

Instead of punishing portions and watery sauces, the latest generation of healthier ready meals seems heavily influenced by restaurant food, takeaway culture and social media-friendly comfort dishes.

That appears to reflect wider changes in how Britain now eats.

Food inflation has pushed takeaway prices sharply higher over the past two years, while hybrid working and long commutes continue leaving many people with less time and energy to cook from scratch every night.

At the same time, enthusiasm for hardcore meal prep culture appears to have cooled.

What once felt productive and aspirational now often feels repetitive, expensive and difficult to maintain long term – especially for households already juggling work, family and rising bills.

Brands like Grubby are now targeting that middle ground: consumers who still want healthier meals, but without spending Sunday afternoons bulk-cooking quinoa and washing endless Tupperware containers afterwards.

The company says its meals can be prepared in under eight minutes and start from £4.84 per portion, with 25% off the first month for new customers.

That places them somewhere between supermarket premium ready meals and the increasingly eye-watering cost of ordering takeaways several nights a week.

And increasingly, that balance of convenience, flavour and nutrition appears to be exactly what many British shoppers are now looking for.

This article was produced with the support of AI tools to assist in sourcing and structuring information. All content has been reviewed, verified and completed by an Iconic Media Group journalist prior to publication.