Turn the oven on? It’s still too hot for that, if you ask me. Call me lazy, but anything that requires more than minimal effort right now sounds like my worst nightmare.
For the last few months I’ve been existing solely on a diet of raw vegetables, dip, and anything that takes under 10 minutes to cook on the stove.
But sometimes even that is too much for me, and I’ve found something that fills my criteria of having a somewhat healthy dinner with little to no preparation whatsoever.
Plant-based meal delivery company Grubby took top spot in my round up of the best recipe boxes and meal kits for a reason: it creates tasty recipes loaded with all the fibre and protein you could want.
And while it has an option to cook your own recipes, which is great if you’re trying to add to your roster (not like that), the saving grace from its menu is its frozen ready meals.
I got five of its ready meals to try, and they quickly became my go-to when I didn’t have any food in, couldn’t be bothered to go to the shops, and when the dreaded heatwave hit.
Despite being called ‘ready meals’, these boxes are packed full of nutrition. For example, the Miso Tamari Buddha contains 29.2 g of protein, 15.9g of fibre, and best of all, takes under 10 minutes to cook in the microwave.
In other words, it’s perfect for a healthy mid-week dinner for one. As someone who mostly cooks for myself, I often struggle to buy just the right amount of food to have my five a day, without it expiring before I get round to eating it.
But these meals are designed specifically for one person, and I love that Grubby changes its menu regularly, while keeping some of its bestselling boxes available, so you can keep going back to your favourites and try new things at the same time.
In case you’re not convinced about the idea of a ready meal being healthy (I wasn’t), Grubby has even teamed up with science-backed gut health company Zoe to get its approval on its best recipes for your gut.
Ahead of the heatwave, I stocked up on my favourite recipes (my current rotation is the Chickpea Chutney Bowl, Cashew Mac & Greens, and Tofu Saag Curry) and I’m already thankful to past me for planning ahead.
You can plan to have them delivered every week or every other week, so you’ll know you always have something in your freezer.
Not to mention, it’s pretty affordable: each meal comes in at around £8, and you’ll also get a free brownie when you order more than six.
I’d also highly recommend adding a recipe box to your order when the weather cools down – I finally got round to learning some new recipes, and you can rest assured they’re going to be healthy and delicious.
It’s not just yumminess Grubby stands for, either, for each box you buy, it donates a meal to a child living in poverty – so it’s not just good for you.
