As a nation, we eat too much and we eat the wrong things. Any strategy to address the poor health outcomes associated with obesity needs to grapple with our diet.
The marvels of modern, industrialised agriculture, the efficiency of production, picking, processing and packing, and the convenience and vast economies of scale of the national supermarket chains mean that, by historical standards, we have more – and cheaper – food on our plates than ever before.
But is it better? That depends, and too often, the answer is no.
Since Vesta’s freeze-dried curries made their first appearance on supermarket shelves in the 60s, ready meals have been a part of this equation.
They generally aren’t very healthy. Nobody thinks they’re healthy either – and perceived health benefits are certainly not why people choose to eat them.
But nevertheless their convenience and affordability make them a great fit for busy lives, hence why they have become such a big element of our national diet – 88 per cent of adults eat ready meals and two in five people do so every week.
Unlike meals prepared at home – where the nutritional value is at the mercy of the taste of the home cook, and whatever happens to be in their fridge – ready meals are controlled. Their ingredients and recipes are standardised from batch to batch, their portion size is consistent; food regulations and guidelines (on ingredients, but also on labelling) apply.
This combination – ready meals are bad enough to be worth fixing, and standardised enough that we can try things out and measure if they work – makes them an intriguing option worth exploration.