The first commonly available convenience foods were canned goods, which were developed in the 19th century for military purposes. The little tins made it easy to store, transport and prepare food on the battlefield. The use of canned food escalated during second world war, when soldiers’ rations contained tins of meat and stew to keep them going.
1950s: TV dinners
The first home ready meals were actually created to use up surplus meat
- Swanson named their new idea a TV dinner, marketing it as a convenience food you could eat while watching television
- The first ever ready meal was turkey with cornbread stuffing, buttered peas and sweet potatoes
1970s: Microwave meals
Ready meals didn’t take off in Britain until the 1970s, when more homes had domestic freezers
- Birdseye Fish Fingers and Findus Crispy Pancakes became mealtime staples
- Everything was pre-prepared and quick to cook
Modern ready meals
There is a greater focus on the nutritional content and provenance of ready meals, including using British ingredients
- People want ready meals that are full of flavour, suit their dietary needs, and provide a good alternative to freshly prepared food
- Wiltshire Farm Foods is committed to sourcing the right ingredients, and offers a range of over 300 delicious ready meals
