This weekend the weather has been glorious. There is nothing like a bit of summer…
Fuss Free Dining with Charlie Bigham’s
Are you always in a rush but still want a tasty meal? Why not try fuss free dining with Charlie Bigham’s ready meals? Made with fresh ingredients.
When you are busy working and have kids there are often nights when you come home and wish a meal was ready for you. With half term on the way you may be juggling child care and days off. When the nights are darker you feel tired and coming home and starting to cook is hard work.
Recently I was sent a voucher to try out some of Charlie Bigham’s meals. When you fancy something luxurious but don’t fancy cooking this is a way to enjoy a home cooked meal with little effort.
Who are Charlie Bigham’s?
Charlie Bigham is an entrepreneur who has put his name to a range of ready prepared meals which just need to be put in the oven. The range uses the best quality and fresh ingredients aiming to make easy meals which are as good as those you prepare yourself at home.
Read more: Sainsbury’s curry ready meal range
What’s in the range?
Charlie Bigham’s has a great range of meals. There are meals for two or one and there is a wide variety of cuisine. From curries to pies, to traditional English stews, you are bound to find one you will want to try.
Which meals did I try?
After looking through the meals available in the range I chose two different meals from the meal for two range. My son was away for a couple of days so I chose meals I knew my husband would enjoy. My picks were the steak and ale pie and the chicken tikka masala with pilau rice.
Steak and Ale Pie
The first meal we tried were the steak and ale pies. These cost £8.00 for two. Both pies come in a ceramic ramekin dish with a paper topping. To cook them you just need to remove the packaging and pop them into the oven for 30 minutes.
When I took the pies out they smelt gorgeous and the pastry was really puffy and golden. Inside the pastry there was plenty of steak and it was lovely and tender. Definitely a delicious meal.
There is no pastry layer on the bottom so these are more like pot pies. I prefer this as too much pastry gets stodgy. You can also keep the ramekins to use again once the pie is eaten.
For a more substantial meal you could serve with potatoes and peas but these were perfect for a light lunch.
Chicken Tikka Masala with Pilau Rice
The chicken tikka masala with pilau rice for two costs £7.75. The meal comes with the tikka masala in one tray and the rice in another. To cook them you just remove the plastic film and put on a baking tray in a pre-heated oven. The rice comes with additional silver foil to put over the top while it is cooking.
Both dishes cook in the oven for around twenty five minutes and then they are ready to serve. The portion sizes are a good size and the meal is very tasty. The curry is not overpowering and has a lovely taste, you can really taste the fresh coriander.
Where can I get Charlie Bigham’s meals?
You can get Charlie Bigham’s meals at Tescos, Asda, Sainsbury’s Waitrose and Budgens. There is a store finder on the Charlie Budgen’s website so you can find the nearest stockist to you. See www.bighams.com/
What I thought
If you are looking for a tasty meal which has been made with fresh ingredients that you can cook quickly then these are worth a try. Whilst they are a little more pricey that some ready meals you can taste the difference in the quality. Both meals we tried were really nice.
The meals were really easy to cook. You just had to put them both in the oven for around thirty minutes. This is ideal if you come in after a busy day but still want something tasty to eat.
I did have a few problems finding a stockist, the meals were not available in my local Asda so I had to make a trek to Sainsbury’s. I then had some problems finding them as they were hidden high on a shelf above my head.
Having said that I found the that quality of the meals was really nice and the taste was impressive. I would happily try some other meals in the range.
Have you ever tried Charlie Bigham’s meals? Let me know below.
Galina V says
Do you have a Waitrose nearby? Ours stocks quite a lot of Bingham’s meals. We’ve tried a few in the past, some are better than the others, but overall good quality and of course, so convenient.
Alison Maclean says
I am not sure, I will have to have a look. There might be one in town
Kim Carberry says
I have seen the Charlie Bigham meals before but haven’t tried then. They sound so good especially the Steak & ale pie.
Fede pastabites says
You know, we are total fan of Bighams’! It’s our ‘treat’ when we can’t be bothered to cook and we find the curries much better than our local deliveries options and probably ‘healthier’ too. As you mention, the downside is that they are so hard to find! Ordering them online is a good option if you do a big shop. We tried a few other varieties this way. And I love the bamboo trays!
http://blog.pastabites.co.uk/2018/11/mini-bites-product-review-charlie-bighams-vegetarian-range.html