It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen a proper foodie post on this here blog and I’m kicking things back off from now (you know, now I love food even more) with a review of a fantastic range of ready meals from Ilumi.
Ready meals tend to get a bit of a bad rap these days, slated for being unhealthy and laden with ingredients we can’t pronounce let alone digest properly. I try my best to limit my intake of them but I was curious and hungry to try this range when I saw them appear all over twitter and some of the blogs I read.
Ilumi cook up a range of gluten, milk and nut free foods and have been for nearly a decade in their County Durham kitchens. The meals are created and over-seen by a team of nutritionists to make sure everything is allergy friendly as well as utterly tasty.
I was sent a sample from across the ready meal range to try for myself. Apart from whole nuts I don’t really have an issue with any of the allergens these meals are free from but I can appreciate what a relief it must be for someone with a serious allergy to know there are some convenience meals they can safely eat.
As you can see the meals come in microwavable pouches and can be kept at room temperature which makes them perfect for work as well as home. There’s a clear (short) list of fresh, pronounceable ingredients as well as serving suggestions and nutritional breakdown (for the record, most are diet friendly although that’s not a current concern for myself)
My favourite meal was the Chicken Cacciatora which I served with warm bread and a salad. The meal takes a mere two minutes in the microwave and whilst not a huge portion was filling and very, very fresh tasting and full of flavour.
The other meals were equally delicious, I had the soup one lunch time and the curries are versatile enough to make a quick, hot lunch on their own, or a decent evening meal served with some steamed rice (you can purchase pouches from Ilumi for £1)
Ilumi also do a range of sauces, gravies and vegetarian meals at varying prices. Sauces start at £1.50 and a meal will set you back between £1.90-£3.75
they may not be the cheapest of options but for something so speedy and delicious I say you can’t go wrong as an occasional quick fix. I’ll be stocking up on a few more (making the most of the offers on the Ilumi website) for days when I’ve got in late from work and just can’t face cooking but still want something with nutritional value.
In short, I’m a huge fan of these meals and I love that they are safe for those with allergies too. One word of warning when cooking in the microwave though, the can sometime splatter!
Have you tried Ilumi yet? Do you think you will? I’m all for home cooking but sometimes a girl needs to be lazy.
Want to know if Ilumi could work for you and your specific needs? There’s a handy FAQ section, too.
xxx
These sound interesting I have never heard of this x
these sound pretty cool, probably good for students as well after a long day at uni or if the fridge has been taken over by others. Fast tasty food is the best.