Earlier this year I road tested Skinny Ones meals. I found them very filling and really tasting of “home-made” so when invited to try some meals also from City Kitchen I was more than happy to. I was sent two boxes to try: chicken, leek and bacon hash; and bangers with butternut squash and bubble and squeak.

I tried the chicken one first and it’s probably my favourite. Pieces of chicken that actually taste like they might have been near a real bird, crispy potato hash and in a lovely cheesy sauce to wrap it all up. Very filling and very enjoyable.

A few days later I tried the bangers meal. Mrs Spud preferred this one but any meal containing a variant of sausage and mash gets her vote. I didn’t go crazy for the sausages, they reminded me of kabanos. But the cider sauce was a great match for it.

Both meals are very tasty and a clear head and shoulders above supermarket ready meals. Their attitude of being choosy with ingredients really shines through, but not without a downside: they are on the pricey side. They are exclusive to Tesco and cost £3.75 each which is a shade too high for me to consider being a regular in my shopping basket. The other convenience of ready meals is to be able to freeze them, and here’s a bone of contention: I was about to put them in the freezer so I could plan out my meals for the week but the packaging actively says that you shouldn’t. I’ve since had a chat with them and been assured that you can freeze them but the guidance on the product implies you can’t. It’s a bit of an oddity and I hope they address that issue.

I thought they were very enjoyable and they actually taste of what the box describes; more than you can say of most ready meals. If I see them on promotion I would pick them up again.

I was sent these meals for free to review.