Which of the model new grocery store MINI-MEALS for fat-jab customers (and dieters) are tastiest?
With as many as 2.5 million Britons currently on weight-loss jabs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, the landscape of what – and how much – we eat is changing drastically.
Those with suppressed appetites are turning away from larger portions, snacks and ready meals – which may be great for waistlines, but is bad news for supermarkets trying to maintain sales.
The trend, however, has led to a raft of new launches at leading retailers this month, with Marks & Spencer, Morrisons and the Co-op all bringing out ranges specifically for the weight-loss injection market.
From microwave meals to grab-and-go lunches, healthy curries to salads and desserts, shoppers will find hundreds of new, healthy products on the shelves, all packaged up in smaller portions.
The idea is that those eating less will get enough protein, fibre and healthy fats, as well as vitamins and minerals that might otherwise be lacking in a restricted diet.
‘We know the use of GLP-1 medications is growing, so it’s more important than ever to ensure that, even if people are eating smaller portions, we help provide them with the right level of nutrients,’ explains M&S head of food trends, Annette Peters.
While the Co-op and Morrisons are transparent about targeting those on weight-loss jabs, with their ranges Good Fuel (which launched on Wednesday) and Applied Nutrition (which hit shelves last Friday) M&S insists its new Nutrient Dense range, new this week, is for everyone.
But do these new mini-meals hit the spot no matter your appetite? And does cutting the size mean compromising on flavour? SARAH RAINEY puts them to the test.
Sarah Rainey tries out the new range of meals from M&S, Co-op and Morrisons aimed at people of weight loss jabs
Jab-friendly at-home chicken curry
M&S Nutrient Dense Tandoori Chicken (400g, £7)
A stodgy takeaway this is not; M&S’s curry from its new range has marinated chicken in a curry sauce, with diced cauliflower (instead of rice), red onions, peppers and spinach. It comes in reusable Tupperware and takes four minutes in the microwave – quicker than having your local Indian on speed dial. A pack contains three of your five-a-day, 344 calories and more than 40g protein.
Taste test: Though not spicy, the postage stamp-sized pieces of chicken – flavoured with garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric and cardamon – have a kick and are succulent. The vegetables are chunky with a nice bite, and while I’d prefer basmati to chopped-up cauliflower, it’s healthier than buttery rice.
Verdict: A healthy take on the real deal
Co-op Good Fuel Chicken and Sweet Potato Penang Curry (250g, £3.50)
Made up of British chicken breast in an aromatic coconut sauce, this ‘fakeaway’ is served with brown rice and sweet potato.
The pot is small, but at £3.50 it’s a great deal – and microwaves from chilled in three and a half minutes. Plus, it has 20g protein, 6.9g fibre and just 349 calories.
Taste test: Maybe my microwave is too powerful, but the chicken is dry and the sauce has congealed on the chunks of meat, which aren’t much bigger than a standard Lego brick.
But the flavour – lemongrass, lime leaf, turmeric and coriander – is subtle but delicious.
Verdict: A mixed success; I’d prefer the sauce with veg instead of chicken
Morrisons Applied Nutrition, GLP-1 Friendly, High Protein Chicken Tikka Salad Bowl (240g, £4.25)
More a salad than a curry, this comes with turmeric rice and lentils, edamame beans, spinach and a yoghurt dressing. I’m disappointed it’s not designed to be served hot, as refrigerated meat, rice and veg doesn’t exactly appeal on a January evening, but it does mean you could take it to work for lunch.
Each bowl comprises 243 calories, 9.1g fibre and 20.9g protein, though it also contains 12g sugar (equivalent to five digestive biscuits).
Taste test: There are all sorts of tasty surprises lurking inside, from pickled red cabbage to mango and even an onion bhaji.
The juicy chicken is delicately spiced, with coriander, ginger, cinnamon and star anise, but the bulk of the bowl is bland, slightly soggy rice and lentils. And at £1.77 per 100g, it’s the priciest of the lot.
Verdict: Tasty, but overpriced for a cold curry
Midweek meals for Mounjaro users
Morrisons Applied Nutrition High Protein Meat Feast Pizza (260g, £4.75)
Topped with jalapenos, Cajun chicken, spicy beef and what’s unappetisingly referred to on the packaging as ‘reformed ham’ (ultra-processed and made from smaller bits pressed together), this might be a supermarket first: a healthy pizza.
At 537 calories and 34g protein per serving, it’s better for you than a regular one. And it takes 8-10 minutes in the oven at 200C.
But a trawl of the aisles reveals Morrisons sells an identical, but much larger, pizza – at 390g – for just £4, making this feel like a rip-off.
Taste test: Though pleasant, this is nothing special. The tomato sauce is tasteless and the meat unidentifiable, other than a faint spiciness I assume comes from the beef. While meat ramps up the protein content, it could have done with more veggies. With 2.2g salt per pizza (classed as ‘high’), it leaves me feeling thirsty.
Verdict: I resent paying more for less food
Co-op Good Fuel Teriyaki Chicken and Veg Noodles (280g, £3.50)
My family loves a stir fry, so I’m excited to try this dish, which contains British chicken breast, wheat noodles and teriyaki sauce, topped with red peppers, carrots and pak choi.
Though the pot would barely fill a cereal bowl, the veggies are fresh and vibrant, and it takes just three and a half minutes in the microwave.
It’s not as nutrient-dense as some other options, with just 18g protein, 298 calories and 4.5g fibre per pot, as well as 1g salt (a medium amount).
Taste test: There are lots of tasty-sounding ingredients, from ginger and toasted sesame oil to soy sauce and spring onions, but it’s a little watery and flavourless.
The noodles have turned slimy, and there’s not much chicken in my serving. But the teriyaki sauce is utterly delicious: sweet and tangy with a lovely umami bitterness.
Verdict: Saved by its sauce
M&S Nutrient Dense Mexican-Style Chicken (400g, £7)
This sounds like a burrito in a box, with spicy chicken served over quinoa, kale, sweetcorn, rice and almonds, in tomato sauce.
The reusable Tupperware is a bonus, as is the weightiness of the meal, making it seem like a decent dinner option rather than a light lunch.
It contains 39g protein, 12g fibre and 496 calories. However, at £7, it’s the same price as a takeaway burrito.
Taste test: Zesty and moreish, this is full of authentic Mexican ingredients such as cayenne pepper and date syrup (an alternative to sugar). It’s a flavour sensation, if swamped by huge quantities of sauce.
Verdict: A little pricey, but filling and nutritious
Meat-free options for tiny appetites
M&S Nutrient Dense Cauliflower Shawarma and Five-Bean Houmous (255g, £3.50)
Like a Mediterranean mezze in a pot, this offers spiced, roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, red rice, lentils, cabbage, spinach and a lemony bean dip.
At 255g, it’s not big if you have got an appetite. Vegan-friendly, each serving contains 12g fibre, 14g protein and 365 calories, as well as one of your five-a-day.
Taste test: Lots of lovely flavours, especially the dip, which is citrussy sharp and tastes of sesame.
But the words ‘shawarma’ and ‘houmous’ are misnomers; this is more like a selection of tasty nibbles than a hefty kebab. It does stave off hunger for a few hours, and the slow-release carbohydrates mean I don’t snack all afternoon.
Verdict: Makes a nice change from a sandwich
Co-op Good Fuel Roasted Butternut with Spiced Beans and Grains (250g, £3.50)
There are two of your five-a-day in this tasty pot, which microwaves in three and a half minutes and contains butternut squash with brown rice, lentils and barley, slathered in shakshuka-style sauce.
Each pack contains 342 calories, 14g fibre and 13g protein.
Taste test: There’s a rich, hearty flavour, which comes from mushroom stock, soaked into the grain mix.
The chunks of squash are generous, and the shakshuka contains yet more hidden veggies, enrobed in a spicy sauce that is flavoured with harissa.
Verdict: A speedy veggie option I’d gladly gobble up again
M&S Nutrient Dense Cauli-Rice Prawn Paella (400g, £7)
A mouthful to say, this meat-free meal from M&S – which takes four minutes in the microwave – is made with king prawns and spinach, with a fish and shellfish sauce, and diced cauliflower in place of a carbohydrate, making it healthy but filling.
It stands out among the new products (which are mostly chicken-based) and contains three of your five-a-day, 22g protein, 8.4g fibre and just 304 calories.
Taste test: One of the more indulgent ready-meals I’ve tasted, this has everything I’d want in a gourmet seafood dish – from white wine and langoustines to saffron and fennel. I’m not even sure it needs the cauliflower; I could slurp it up with a spoon.
Verdict: Rich and satisfying
