lazy vegan

Vegan ready-meals are a lifesaver for those juggling work, family, or social commitments. Just heat and eat! Whether you’re having a hectic day at work or simply don’t want to fuss over dinner, these meals take the hassle out of cooking. You can have a nutritious meal on the table in minutes.

Before cooking, read up on food safety for people & pets (many human foods are unsafe around animal friends). Recycle packaging at kerbside or supermarket bag bins.

lazy vegan

Lazy Vegan meals are sold nationwide in stores. They are bit more expensive, but you can just half the pack (fill up with potatoes and vegetables, then chill the rest to heat and eat next day). Packed with fresh veggies and protein, the range includes:

  • Gnocchi al pesto rosso
  • Korean noodles
  • Tikka masala
  • Pasta al pesto
  • Italian risotto
  • Thai green curry
  • Mexican fiesta
  • Pasta alla bolognese
  • Chilli sin carne

Soulful Chef-Prepared Nutritious Meals

soulful meals

Soulful offers nice plant-based ready meals at an affordable price. This brand was founded by a man who was always making himself nourishing tasty lunches at work, leading others to wonderful how they could eat that well too! Made by hand in a London kitchen, allergens are listed in bold on packs and you can filter by allergens, if ordering online. 

You can return outer packaging, insulation and ice-packs (keep away from children and pets) using the free returns label.

Boxes are insulated with recycled denim and you can reuse to keep drinks cold or bread warm! You can recycle trays, sleeves and pots. All deliveries are carbon-neutral. 

The range includes 20 chef-prepared nutritious and delicious vegan dishes that are packed with vegetables, fibre, protein and sustainable carbons. You can heat them up on the hob, in the oven or in a microwave if you use one. Delivery is free for orders over £35 (and selection boxes).

The range includes:

  1. Moroccan seitan tagine with British spelt
  2. Thai green jackfruit curry with brown rice
  3. Cajun-spiced jackfruit stew with British spelt
  4. West African chickpea peanut stew with red rice
  5. Brazilian tomato & black bean stew
  6. Chestnut mushroom stroganoff
  7. Butternut, lentil & spinach hotpot
  8. Sri Lankan cauliflower & kale with quinoa
  9. Tempeh katsu with peppers, corn & brown rice
  10. Tikka masala with sweet potato, cauliflower & rice

The company also makes a range of super-soups that last for a few days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3months:

  1. Sweet potato, coconut & coriander
  2. Butternut, lentil & squash
  3. Thai chilli kale with peas & quinoa

The ingredients from these meals are from quality sustainable sources. Quinoa is grown in Britain and spelt is from the renowned Sharpham Farm. Not importing such ingredients is not just good for the planet, but supports farmers and also keeps costs and carbon emissions lower.

Vegan Ready Meals from The Netherlands

plnt meals

PLNT (The Netherlands) is one of the new emerging brands of more natural plant-based alternatives to meat. This one was created originally by a former butcher who knew what meat tastes like. All the products are made with natural ingredients (including sustainable soy from Austria and pea protein from France), have no palm oil and are sold in sustainable and easy-to-recycle packaging. The range includes:

  • No-lamb tajine
  • No-chicken red curry
  • No-meatballs green curry
  • No-chicken tikka masala
  • No-beef teriyaki
  • No-meat pasta bolognese
  • No-meat chilli sin carne

Vegan Ready Meals (from Food Waste)

just meals

Just Foods (Sheffield) is an interesting idea. These guys use quality surplus and locally-grown ingredients, to make up ‘ready-meals’ made from food waste. You just buy one-offs or on subscription, then keep them in the freezer. The meals are frozen on site to preserve taste and quality, and sold in biodegradable and compostable packaging.

Ready-Made Nut Roast Mixes

Artisan Grains is a quality brand of nut roast mixes, which you can find most health stores and good delis. People laugh about nut roasts but (as long as you’re not allergic to nuts) they are actually a great way of getting protein, for a Sunday roast.

These nut roasts are free from palm oil, developed by a foodie who was not impressed by what he found in shops. They are also super-easy to use, as you use the tray to bake them in. Just pour the mix into the tray, add water and leave it to thicken up. Then bake and serve with potatoes and veggies, with vegan gravy. You can then recycle the baking tray.

They do take a while to cook, so cook alongside other things (like an apple crumble for pudding or whatever). Choose from three flavours:

  • Country Vegetable and Cashew
  • Mediterranean Sun-dried Tomato
  • Cashew Nut and Cranberry

You can also use the mix to make ‘meatballs’ or homemade dippers. Or shape them into burgers and cook, then serve in a bun with salad and vegan mayo, with chips on the side.

Homecooked Vegan Meals from Herefordshire

lentil bake with sweet potato mash

Lodge Farm Kitchen is a small company in Herefordshire, producing delicious home-cooked vegan meals, delivered to your door. Founded by a family to use up a glut of garden produce, today this flourishing business works with local farmers to produce quality food. Not everything is vegan, but the link above goes to their plant-based meals.

The trays and sleeves are made from compostable recycled paper and wood. The boxes are insulated with recycled paper (sometimes wool but they’re working on this).

This company never uses palm oil, unused food is taken to food banks, everything is recycled and most staff walk to work. Trade orders available.

If you find these meals expensive, just eat half with filling potatoes and vegetables, then cook the other half the next day. This way, they still work out cheaper than ‘gourmet’ ready-meals from supermarkets.

Most meals are cooked in the wood trays (remove the outer sleeve and cover tightly with recycled foil). Ensure they are not close to direct flame or element. To save on bills, defrost meals in the fridge (then they take just 25 minutes to cook).

The range includes:

  • Lentil Bake with Sweet Potato Mash is made with pearl barley, mushrooms, celery and carrots. Rich with herbs and tamari, this is delicious and is often found in farm shops.
  • Squash Curry saves the bother of having to chop a fresh squash yourself for a Balti-style curry made with fresh garlic and ginger, along with fragrant Indian spices. This creamy coconut milk curry is rich in protein, due to chickpeas.
  • Black-Eyed Bean Burgers cook in a pan in just a few minutes. Serve in a bun with chutney and fresh herbs. Packed with natural protein.
  • Aloo Gobi is a Punjab curry made with tomatoes, roasted cauliflower and spinach. With warming spices, this is a nice light lunch with bread.
  • Jackfruit Jalfrezi is an Indian stir-fry that uses a tropical fruit that is often used in savoury dishes. This is combined with spicy sweet potato, spinach and herbs, for a dry curry that’s ideal with naan bread and natural yoghurt.

If you can’t decide, why not order the Vegan Meal Box? This costs around £40 and along with some fresh veggies and potatoes, could feed you for the entire week, likely less than the cost of a supermarket shop. And these meals are all free from palm oil and made by chefs from wholesome local ingredients. The box includes:

  • 2 Lentil Bakes
  • 2 Squash Curries
  • 1 Jackfruit Jalfrezi
  • 2 Bean Chillis
  • 1 Lentil Dahl
  • 1 Black-Eyed Bean Burger meal

Home-Cooked Meals (from independent chefs)

lentil mushroom spaghetti bolognese

Home Cooks is a wonderful idea, created by three foodie professionals during the pandemic, when many chefs who could not go out to work. So they began looking for ways to earn money, by cooking from home.

If you find these meals expensive, just eat half with filling potatoes and vegetables, then cook the other half the next day. This way, they still work out cheaper than ‘gourmet’ ready-meals from supermarkets.

To save on bills, defrost frozen meals in the fridge (then they take just 25 minutes to cook).

All these chefs have to pass food safety and hygiene tests, and then list their meals cooked at home, to deliver to your door in easy-to-recycle packaging. There are plenty of vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options, and everyone strives to use local and seasonal ingredients.

Johnny Meatless is a trained chef who specialises in recreating plant-based versions of favourite foods from the Philippines and Ethiopia.

We had a peep at other chefs, and found these tasty offerings:

  • An organic mushroom lentil bolognese (from a North London chef, taught by her grandma)
  • Bell pepper summer lasagne (in a vegan cheese sauce)
  • A chocolate nut tea-time treat (one baker runs a social bake shop in Kosovo).

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