I am, by my own admission, a lazy and ultimately rather poor cook. In my household, dinner often revolves around a predictable rotation of uninspired staples like pesto pasta or tinned soup. While the idea of crafting exciting, chef-worthy dishes each evening holds a certain appeal, the reality of a long workday and evening commitments means cooking is frequently the last thing on my mind. Yet, I still aspire to eat healthily—a goal not traditionally associated with the world of ready meals. This is precisely where the brand Grubby enters the scene, aiming to revolutionise the concept of convenient dining.
What is Grubby's Ready Meal Service?
Building on the success of its popular plant-based meal kits, Grubby has launched a range of pre-prepared, frozen ready meals delivered directly to your doorstep. Available on a weekly or monthly subscription basis, these dishes are designed to be cooked from frozen and ready to eat in mere minutes. Each meal is crafted by professional chefs and rigorously approved by nutritionists, boasting a focus on whole foods, high protein content, and plant diversity aimed at supporting gut health. In line with the brand's sustainability ethos, the meals arrive in paper trays with fully recyclable packaging. On paper, it sounds like an ideal solution for the hapless but health-conscious individual. To separate the hype from reality, I decided to swap my usual bland dinners for a week of Grubby's offerings.
How I Tested the Service
Grubby's website features around ten different ready meal options. For this review, I sampled three of the most tempting dishes: the creamy 'nduja rigatoni, the miso tamari buddha bowl, and the tofu saag curry. My evaluation considered several key factors: ease of preparation, overall taste, nutritional benefits, and value for money. Here is my detailed breakdown of the experience.
Delivery Options and Pricing Structure
Grubby's ready meals are available through flexible weekly or monthly delivery plans. Customers can choose from pre-set bundles of four, eight, or twelve meals, or alternatively curate their own custom box. A minimum order of six meals is required to proceed to checkout. Pricing operates on a sliding scale: six to nine meals cost £7.25 each, ten to eleven are priced at £6.95, twelve to fourteen are £6.95, and fifteen to sixteen meals reduce to £6.45 per item. It is important to note that all meals are designed as single servings.
For a household of two aiming to use the service for a full week, the cost would hover around £87. When compared to ready meals from mainstream supermarkets like M&S and Waitrose, which typically range from £4 to £9 each, Grubby's pricing is not the most competitive on the market. This premium positioning may initially deter shoppers accustomed to the convenience of their local supermarket aisle. The critical question, therefore, is whether the superior taste and nutritional profile justify the higher price point.
A Taste Test of Three Signature Dishes
Creamy 'Nduja Rigatoni
My culinary journey began with the creamy 'nduja rigatoni. This dish proved to be a wonderfully comforting and satisfying Italian-inspired meal, perfect for a chilly winter evening. The pasta carried a delightful spicy kick and was imbued with robust flavour. Balanced by a rich and creamy sauce, the portion size was notably generous compared to many standard ready meals, leaving me feeling thoroughly full and content.
Miso Tamari Buddha Bowl
The following day, I tried the miso tamari buddha bowl—a protein-rich assembly featuring chilli-glazed tofu, an edamame smash, and a mix of wholesome grains. Once again, the portion was substantial and filling. The flavour profile was both tasty and intriguing, with a sweet-and-spicy glaze coating the tofu and a pleasing texture from the edamame. The overall impression felt more elevated and carefully composed than the average supermarket ready meal.
Tofu Saag Curry
Finally, I sampled the tofu saag curry. This aromatic dish combined spinach, potato, and tofu in a curry-infused sauce. It was flavourful, warming, and mildly spicy. Crucially, it did not have the overly processed feel common to many convenience foods; instead, it tasted remarkably like a homemade curry freshly prepared on the stove. This meal could easily impress dinner guests, creating the illusion of culinary expertise.
Overall Impressions and Nutritional Notes
All three meals were consistently packed with plant-based proteins and appeared to be nutritionally balanced, incorporating a good serving of vegetables. Vegan dishes can sometimes feel lacking or insubstantial, but Grubby cleverly uses hearty substitutes such as tofu, soy mince, and potatoes to create satisfying and nourishing plates. After each meal, I felt genuinely full and well-nourished.
The packaging is fun and vibrant, and the cooking process could not be simpler. Every meal requires less than ten minutes in the microwave, meaning you can go from a long day at work to sitting down with a hot, comforting dinner in virtually no time at all.
The Verdict: Are Grubby's Ready Meals Worth It?
Grubby's ready meals successfully combine exceptional convenience—cooking from frozen in under ten minutes—with genuine flavour, filling portions, and health-conscious, whole-food-focused recipes. In a market where many supermarket ready meals are ultra-processed, Grubby stands out by being plant-based, vegetable-packed, and high in both protein and fibre.
My primary reservation remains the price. A single person relying on Grubby for a full week's dinners would be looking at an expenditure of around £50, which is considerably more than a weekly shop for supermarket ready meals. However, the exceptional flavour, strong nutritional value, and the sheer ease of doorstep delivery do help to soften this financial blow.
If you are not committed to a vegan diet, other ready meal services might offer better straightforward value for money. But, if budgeting is less of a concern or you are keen to explore a more plant-based lifestyle, Grubby's ready meals are undoubtedly worth serious consideration—especially for those of us who are, shall we say, culinarily challenged.
