What are the disadvantages of ready meals?

November 22, 2025 •

4 min read

With more than 15 billion ready meals sold globally in 2024, their convenience is undeniable. However, beneath the promise of a quick dinner lie significant health, environmental, and financial drawbacks. What are the disadvantages of ready meals that consumers should be aware of before relying on them too heavily?

Quick Summary

Ready meals often contain excessive sodium, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, leading to potential health issues. They also offer lower nutritional value than home-cooked food, can be more expensive per portion, and contribute significantly to plastic waste.

Key Points

Hidden Ingredients: Ready meals often contain excessive levels of sodium, saturated fats, and artificial preservatives to enhance flavor and extend shelf life.
Poor Nutrition: High processing leads to a loss of essential nutrients, fiber, and vitamins, providing 'empty calories' without significant nutritional benefits.
Increased Cost: On a per-portion basis, ready meals are generally more expensive than cooking from scratch, making them a less cost-effective option over time.
Environmental Waste: The extensive plastic packaging used for ready meals contributes to pollution and resource depletion, negatively impacting the environment.
Long-Term Health Risks: Regular consumption of high-sodium, high-fat, and processed foods increases the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Impact on Life Skills: Relying heavily on convenience foods can stunt the development of basic cooking and meal-planning skills, fostering a dependence on processed options.

Nutritional Compromises in Ready Meals

While convenient, many ready meals are nutritionally inferior to food prepared from scratch. The processing involved to extend shelf life and enhance flavor often strips foods of their natural vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This leaves consumers with 'empty calories' that fill the stomach without providing essential nutrients for health.

Excessive Sodium and Unhealthy Fats

Ready meals are notoriously high in sodium, which is added to enhance flavor and act as a preservative. A single portion can contain a substantial percentage of the recommended daily salt intake, contributing to health issues like high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease. In addition to salt, many ready meals are high in unhealthy saturated and trans fats. These fats are linked to higher cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease.

The Impact of Preservatives and Additives

To prolong shelf life, ready meals are packed with preservatives, flavor enhancers, and artificial colors. Regular consumption of these additives may have negative health effects over time, though specific impacts can vary by individual. Some preservatives, like sulphites, can trigger breathing problems in sensitive individuals. For children, whose bodies are still developing, exposure to these chemicals can be even more concerning.

Financial and Environmental Drawbacks

Beyond health concerns, the disadvantages of ready meals extend to your wallet and the planet.

Higher Cost and Poor Value

Despite their seeming affordability, many ready meals are more expensive per portion than cooking the same meal at home using fresh ingredients. While cooking from scratch requires more time, it offers a more cost-effective way to eat, especially when buying ingredients in bulk and batch cooking. The price of convenience adds up, often without a corresponding increase in quality or nutritional benefit.

Significant Environmental Impact

The pre-packaged nature of ready meals generates substantial waste, particularly plastic packaging. This contributes to plastic pollution and the depletion of natural resources. A study found that emissions for animal-based ready meals are nearly 40% higher than for equivalent home-cooked meals. The production, refrigeration, and transportation of these products consume significant energy and resources.

Skills and Psychological Effects

Long-term reliance on ready meals can have hidden personal consequences.

Loss of cooking skills: By simply reheating meals, individuals miss the opportunity to learn fundamental cooking techniques and nutrition knowledge. This can create a cycle of dependency on pre-made food.
Reduced meal enjoyment: A lack of variety can lead to 'food fatigue' and reduced enjoyment from meals over time. This can cause people to skip meals or turn to less nutritious options.
Potential mood and mental health effects: Some research suggests that a diet high in ultra-processed foods can negatively affect mood and mental health. A balanced diet of whole foods, in contrast, can help regulate mood and sustain energy levels.

Comparison: Ready Meals vs. Home-Cooked Meals


Feature	Ready Meals (General)	Home-Cooked Meals	Key Differences
Nutritional Quality	Often low in essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals.	High, as fresh ingredients are used and nutrients are preserved during cooking.	Home-cooked meals provide superior nutrition.
Sodium Content	Typically very high due to flavor enhancers and preservatives.	Controlled by the cook; can be significantly lower.	Ready meals contain excessive sodium; home-cooked allows control.
Ingredient Control	Limited knowledge of specific ingredients and their quality.	Complete control over every ingredient and its source.	You know exactly what's in your food when you cook at home.
Cost	Often more expensive per serving than cooking from scratch.	Generally more cost-effective, especially when buying in bulk.	Homemade meals are usually cheaper in the long run.
Environmental Impact	Higher greenhouse gas emissions and significant plastic waste.	Lower environmental footprint, especially when packaging waste is minimized.	Ready meals generate more pollution and waste.
Preparation Time	Very quick, often just a few minutes in a microwave.	Varies, but can be managed with meal planning and batch cooking.	Ready meals save time, but planning can reduce homemade effort.

Conclusion

While ready meals offer undeniable convenience, a careful look reveals significant drawbacks. The most notable concerns are their compromised nutritional value, high levels of sodium and preservatives, and their financial and environmental costs. While not all ready meals are created equal, with some healthier options available, most fall short of the quality provided by a fresh, home-cooked meal. For optimal health, budget, and environmental consciousness, limiting reliance on ready meals and making time for cooking from scratch remains the best approach. Even small adjustments, like adding extra fresh vegetables to a prepared meal, can improve its nutritional profile.

For more information on making healthier choices, consult resources like the World Health Organization regarding daily sodium intake recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready meal manufacturers use high levels of sodium to act as a preservative, extending the product's shelf life. It also enhances the flavor of the processed ingredients, which are often less flavorful than fresh ones.

Yes, many ready meals are low in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber, as these are often stripped away during the processing stage. This can lead to a less balanced diet if consumed regularly.

While some brands offer lower-calorie, lower-fat, or 'healthier' options, they may still be low in nutrients and high in sodium compared to home-cooked meals. Reading the nutritional label is key, as some premium versions can also be surprisingly unhealthy.

Generally, yes. While the initial purchase may seem inexpensive, the cost per serving is often higher than buying fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch, especially when factoring in the lower nutritional quality.

Ready meals contribute to significant environmental damage through their extensive use of single-use plastic packaging, which increases waste and pollution. Their production and refrigerated transport also have a higher carbon footprint.

Yes, you can improve a ready meal's nutritional profile by adding your own fresh ingredients. Try adding extra steamed vegetables, a side salad, or a source of lean protein. You can also use less of any included sauce to reduce sodium and fat content.

Regular, long-term consumption of typical ready meals can increase the risk of developing chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes due to their high content of salt, unhealthy fats, and processed ingredients.