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The best ready meals in UK supermarkets, ranked
We ranked 5,690 ready meals sold in UK supermarkets using the nutrition panel and ingredients printed on each pack. Of these, 67% are ultra-processed (NOVA group 4) and 13% list palm oil. The typical one has 6.5g protein, 2.4g sugar and 0.6g salt per 100g.
Jump to: Highest protein · Lowest salt · Lowest saturated fat · Lowest calories
The short answer
- Highest protein: Chefselect Chinese chicken curry (32.2g per 100g)
- Lowest salt: Really Interesting Food Co Lentil & Pepper Soup (0.1g per 100g)
- Lowest saturated fat: Heinz Tomato soup (0.05g per 100g)
- Lowest calories: Waitrose Vine Ripened Tomato & Basil soup (30 kcal per 100g)
Want a different "best"? Open the full aisle to rank by anything and leave out allergens, palm oil, seed oils, sweeteners or ultra-processed products.
Highest protein ready meals
Ranked by protein per 100g out of 4,514 ready meals with complete labels. At most two per brand.
| # | Product | Protein per 100g | Nutri-Score | Traffic lights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chinese chicken curryChefselect · 450 g | 32.2g | ||
| 2 | Colman's Hot chili con carneColman's | 30g | D | |
| 3 | Salted CaramelHuel · 1.7 kg | 30g | ||
| 4 | Complete 360 MealProteinWorks | 30g | ||
| 5 | Vanilla FlavourHuel · 1.75kg | 29.5g | ||
| 6 | Creamy Fish PieLidl Deluxe · 400g | 29.3g | E | |
| 7 | Spare ribsWaitrose · 0.489 kg | 29.1g | C | |
| 8 | Chewy chocolateSlim & Save · 45g | 28.7g | ||
| 9 | chicken kormacharlie binghams · for 2 461g | 27.9g | A | |
| 10 | Chicken Tikka Mini FilletsM&S · 120 g | 27.2g | A |
See all ready meals ranked by protein →
Lowest salt ready meals
Ranked by salt per 100g out of 4,174 ready meals with complete labels. At most two per brand.
| # | Product | Salt per 100g | Nutri-Score | Traffic lights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentil & Pepper SoupReally Interesting Food Co · 400g | 0.1g | A | |
| 2 | Plant Chef Mushroom Spag BolTesco · 450 g | 0.1g | A | |
| 3 | FusilliMorrisons | 0.1g | A | |
| 4 | Quick Chips CrinkleMcCain · 4 x 100 g | 0.1g | B | |
| 5 | Fusilli PastaOne Stop | 0.1g | A | |
| 6 | Complete 360 MealProteinWorks | 0.1g | ||
| 7 | Waitrose Chicken TikkaWaitrose | 0.1g | B | |
| 8 | Meat Feast PastaThe Gym Kitchen · 400 g | 0.1g | A | |
| 9 | BananaHuel · 1 Bottle | 0.1g | ||
| 10 | Meal for one COTTAGE PIE Rich and savoury beef minASDA | 0.1g |
See all ready meals ranked by salt →
Lowest saturated fat ready meals
Ranked by saturates per 100g out of 4,386 ready meals with complete labels. At most two per brand.
| # | Product | Saturates per 100g | Nutri-Score | Traffic lights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tomato soupHeinz | 0.05g | A | |
| 2 | Minestrone SoupTesco | 0.05g | B | |
| 3 | Lentil SoupBramwells | 0.05g | B | |
| 4 | Cannellini BeansAuga · 400 g | 0.05g | A | |
| 5 | In a rich tomato sauceHeinz Beanz · 200g | 0.05g | A | |
| 6 | Heinz beanz chilliHeinz · 390g | 0.05g | A | |
| 7 | Spring Vegetable SoupSainsbury’s · 400g | 0.05g | ||
| 8 | Baked BeansAuga · 400 g | 0.06g | B | |
| 9 | Boil in bag long grain riceAldi | 0.06g | B | |
| 10 | Pickled pink slawTesco · 140g | 0.07g | B |
See all ready meals ranked by saturates →
Lowest calories ready meals
Ranked by calories per 100g out of 4,472 ready meals with complete labels. At most two per brand.
| # | Product | Calories per 100g | Nutri-Score | Traffic lights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vine Ripened Tomato & Basil soupWaitrose · 600g | 30 kcal | B | |
| 2 | cock a leekieBaxters · 400 g | 30 kcal | C | |
| 3 | Tomato and basil soupWaitrose · 400 g | 30 kcal | B | |
| 4 | Szechuan Hot & SourBatchelors · 92g | 30 kcal | C | |
| 5 | Petits Pois et PaneerTrader Joe's | 30 kcal | A | |
| 6 | Zupa BrokulowaWiniary | 30 kcal | B | |
| 7 | Spiced Butternut soupNew Covent Garden Soup Co · 560g | 31 kcal | B | |
| 8 | MAGGI Saveur à l'Ancienne Soupe de Poule aux VermicellesMaggi · 65 g | 31 kcal | C | |
| 9 | French Onion & Red Wine SoupDeluxe · 400g | 31 kcal | B | |
| 10 | Soupe chicken & leekKnorr · 60g, 900ml | 31 kcal |
See all ready meals ranked by calories →
How these rankings work
Every figure is per 100g, taken from the label as recorded in Open Food Facts, the open food database built by volunteers. Products whose numbers don't add up (for example, energy that doesn't match the fat, carbs and protein) are left out of these tables but still appear in the full aisle. Traffic lights follow the UK front-of-pack thresholds for fat, saturates, sugar and salt. Nutri-Score runs from A (best) to E. Brands can't pay to appear here. Spot a mistake? Fix it at the source on Open Food Facts and it reaches Shelf Check at the next refresh.