If you can’t or won’t cook, sometimes it’s good to have a few plant-based ready meals to hand. Just remember to recycle packaging at kerbside or supermarket bag recycling bins. These meals are a cut above the rest, affordable and made with good natural ingredients.
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people & pets (many human foods are unsafe around animal friends).
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:
- Moroccan seitan tagine with British spelt
- Thai green jackfruit curry with brown rice
- Cajun-spiced jackfruit stew with British spelt
- West African chickpea peanut stew with red rice
- Brazilian tomato & black bean stew
- Chestnut mushroom stroganoff
- Butternut, lentil & spinach hotpot
- Sri Lankan cauliflower & kale with quinoa
- Tempeh katsu with peppers, corn & brown rice
- 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:
- Sweet potato, coconut & coriander
- Butternut, lentil & squash
- 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.
ready-meals (made from food waste)
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.
Cook Food is sold in many farm shops but online you have an extensive vegan range, all cooked by professional chefs. As yet they don’t have a separate area for cooking but let’s support them as they transition. The range includes lots of main meals plus desserts like summer pudding and palm-oil-free apricot almond torte.
